Good filmmakers can’t be kept down for long. When Mani Ratnam made Raavan / Raavanan and then Kadal , those who’ve grown up watching, almost studying, films made by this reputed director tried, in vain, to hold on to a few bright spots these films had to offer. Others felt his golden era was over. Moving away from heavy-duty stuff, Mani Ratnam has returned with a simple story of relationships in his latest outing. He is back, helped hugely by cinematographer P.C. Sreeram and composer A.R. Rahman. And how!
The look and feel of the promos made one wonder if this is intended to be a celebration of or a new look at Alaipayuthey ( Sakhi ). Karthik (Madhavan) and Dr. Shakti (Shalini) belonged to 2000. Adi (Dulquer) and Tara (Nithya Menen) mirror a section of youngsters today. The resemblances to Alaipayuthey are there, for those who want to look for parallels — the train shots, the fervent search for the loved one albeit in a different context and the way moments of a few songs have been picturised. But the throwbacks end there. This is a different generation, unwilling to be tied down. Or so they think.
The romance is breezy and full of spunk, like in some of Mani Ratnam’s best films. Adi is a game developer and Tara, an architect. He wants to go to the US to further his dreams while she wants to study further in Paris. Sparks fly when they meet and a quick work trip to Ahmedabad and a few meetings later, they know they are headed for something more.
But then, both don’t like the idea of marriage, responsibilities, the squabbles and everything this long-term commitment inevitably brings in.
Mani Ratnam contrasts this couple beautifully with a mature, older couple Ganapathy (Prakash Raj) and Bhavani (Leela Samson). In Ganapathy’s case, love means doing everything from cutting vegetables to caring for his wife, a reputed Carnatic singer now in the throes of Alzheimer’s.
The romance between Adi and Tara is filled with fun and we get to look at Mumbai through their eyes, captured poetically by P.C. Sreeram and his team. Sreeram and Mani Ratnam have a long association, since Mouna Ragam (1986) and have always given something special in the films they’ve worked together. This one is no different. The sun soaked and rain-drenched frames, the colours that make the young couple’s den are all a delight to watch, adding to the appeal of the film without overpowering the proceedings. Rahman comes up with a winner of an album, contrasting peppy numbers with soulful classical ones. The strains of Carnatic music that emanate at many points in the film do their bit in communicating to the audience what the lead pair goes through.
When the bond gets deeper, the proceedings slow down and you know which way things are headed. The depth of the relationship is explored, without making it overtly melodramatic and at the same time, not dismissing it as flaky.
Dulquer is believable as the suave urban youngster of today, and Nani does his voiceover in Telugu. Nithya delivers yet another fine performance, speaking through her eyes and completely owning the character. It’s hard to imagine anyone else as Tara. Prakash Raj and Leela Samson deliver realistic performances, almost making the audience feel they’re watching an elderly couple culled out of real life.
The makers have cast a spell with a simple, endearing romance.
