I still remember going to this movie on a rainy day at an empty theatre in Thanjavur. We were exactly ten people watching the movie, and the only thing that made us sit through this lousy movie was Ilaiyaraaja’s music. It’s a mishmash of multiple romantic comedies without any real purpose, but Ilaiyaraaja provided us with some beautiful music.

While I have featured Thavikiren Thavikiren and Niram Pirithu in the first season, I am going with the another popular song from the movie Kadhal Neethana. A breezy duet between Unnikrishnan and Sujatha. The song is like a conversation between the lead pair from different places. Their wedding has been fixed by the elders but they haven’t seen each other except for their pictures.

Kadhal Neethana from Time

Kadhal Neethana from Time is a breezy duet between Unnikrishnan and Sujata. Projekt Ilaiyaraaja is a 365 day project featuring the rare gems of Ilaiyaraaja.

Prashanth was churning out more movies than any other actor at one point in time – He was doing more than 4-5 movies a year – when Vijay Sethupathi had six releases last year, it was considered a record. Mohan had ten releases in one year (1982)!!! (can you even imagine that?)

Enga Thambi was just another action entertainer that was aimed at making Prashanth as an action hero (which never happened). And of course, the music was brilliant in the movie.

Maane Maragathame

Maane Maragathame is a beautiful melody from Enga Thambi. Projekt Ilaiyaraaja is a 365 day project celebrating the music of Maestro Ilaiyaraaja

When you rope in Asha Bhonsle to sing in your movie, will you give her lyrics or not? Ilaiyaraaja had the audacity to use her only for humming “La La” in the song, and it works so beautifully that you will lose your heart to it. He could have had a small time singer to do the humming, but Asha Bhonsle gives a character to this song with her voice and modulation.

Meera was the directorial debut of PC Sreeram that was launched with a lot of fanfare but didn’t do well at the box office. Vikram and Aishwarya. The album became famous, and Oh Butterfly is played even now on Radio and TV Channels.

Audio Version (better quality)

Pani Vizhum Maalayil

Panivizhum Maalayil is beautiful melody from Meera directed by PC Sreeram. A song that doesn't have any lyrics for Asha Bhosle but only humming.

Video Version

Panivizhum Maalayil

From Meera directed by PC Sreeram

I am watching movies since my Kindergarten days (my first movie in a theatre was Mythili Ennai Kadhali). I might have started comprehending about movies probably when I was 5 or 6. In this 30 years of my movie watching, I haven’t seen such a mind-bending classic like Anbanavan Asarathavan Adangathavan. It’s so profound that it teaches you a lot about moviemaking than any other movie you have seen in your life. It teaches you how not to make a movie.

It teaches you that there can be a director like Aadhik Ravichandran who has the audacity to make such a wretched story and screenplay, convince an actor and a producer to be part of it. It teaches you that there is an artist who has created his indulgent world and didn’t want to come out of it. It teaches you that even a brilliant music composer like Yuvan Shankar Raja will be made to stoop down to the worst possible levels. It teaches you that an actress like Tamanna doesn’t have any qualms to do a role that degrades women. It shows you that you can make crass comedy and still few people will laugh at them (few did when I was watching).

If you think through, Aadhik and Simbu’s way of showing a middle-finger to the Tamil movie audience. Over the years, we have accepted crappy films, and they have created a benchmark for crappiness. When we have people laughing at “lip lock” comedy between YGee Mahendran and Simbu, when we have audience who can applaud the endless advice doled by the hero, when we have fans who will hoot and whistle for 20 back-to-back introduction scenes in the movie, when we have women who can sympathise with the hero’s one side love story, we deserve this kind of visual bullcrap in the name of a movie.

Anbanavan Asarathavan Adaganthavan doesn’t have anything right both cinematically and thematically. It’s a bunch of Simbu introduction scenes that has been patched up on the editing table. Yuvan Shankar Raja tries his level best to push the scenes through his background score (how did you do it, man?). The scenes are unimaginative, and the way Aadhik had handled the love of an elderly man is cringeworthy.

Don’t watch this movie even if you don’t have anything else to do. Find the worst Tamil TV series and watch it for three hours, it will be better than this movie. The most dangerous part is the ending because it seems we have to wait for Part 2 to find out rest of the story. We might have to take to the streets and stop the next part from releasing.

P.S., Dear fans of Simbu, it’s time you write letters/emails to your favourite star and try to change his ways. If his interviews have to be believed, Anbanavan Asaradhavan Adangadhavan was made for his fans. It’s your turn!

Ullam Kavarntha Kalvan was directed by Thooyavan. I wrote a bit about this writer, producer and director in an older post about this movie. He had a string of movies with Rajinikanth and one of those producers who had a part in the success of Rajinikanth. And of course, he did introduce Pandiarajan to Bhagyaraj.

En Manasa Parikoduthu is a sweet melody that will seep into your heart. The problem with such beautiful songs is that they get lost in the mirage of other favorite songs.

En Manasa Parikoduthu - Ullam Kavarntha Kalvan

En Manasa Parikoduthu is a sweet melody by Jayachandran. Projekt Ilaiyaraaja is 365 day project that features the songs of Maestro Ilaiyaraaja

Pudhiya Raagam was an audacious attempt by Jayachitra to revive her fortunes at the fag end of her career. The movie was written, directed and produced by Jayachitra. And of course, she played the lead opposite Rahman. Interestingly, Pudhu Pudhu Arthangal released two years before this movie, and it had Jayachitra playing the mother-in-law of Rahman.

As the movie is about two singers, Ilaiyaraaja had a ball with his music. For instance, this song allows Mano to have a controlled freedom in a ghazal based song. The flute interludes play a major role in the song.

Oh Janani - Pudhiya Raagam

Oh Janani is a beautiful Ghazal based melody by Mano. Projekt Ilaiyaraaja is 365 day project that features the songs of Maestro Ilaiyaraaja

April 1 Vidudala was one of those comedy movies in Telugu that got remade in every other South Indian language. It’s a story of a cheater who tries to be honest to marry the love of his life. The movie was shot in a short period within a limited budget. But it was a blockbuster. It was remade in Tamil with Murali and Gowthami, but it didn’t have the impact that the Telugu version had.

Ompula Vaikiri/Kanmani Kanmani has an impressive first interlude – a modern retake on Mangalyam Thanthunanena by Ilaiyaraaja. Although there is a good version of the Telugu song, this is the only version of the Tamil song available on Youtube, and I don’t know why the uploader chose to have all these images – switch the screen and enjoy the song.

Ompula Vaikiri – Telugu

Ompula Vaikri from April 1 Vidudala

Ompula Vaikiri/Kanmani Kanmani is a sweet melody that has a modern version of Maangalyam Thanthunane as an interlude. Listen to the lilting duet in Telugu and Tamil by Ilaiyaraaja.

Kanmani Kanmani – Tamil

Kanmani Kanmani from Sathyavan

Ompula Vaikiri/Kanmani Kanmani is a sweet melody that has a modern version of Maangalyam Thanthunane as an interlude. Listen to the lilting duet in Telugu and Tamil by Ilaiyaraaja.

I would call 1988 to 1994 as the golden period of Vijayakanth. He acted in 41 movies in that period, and a majority of them were hit. This is the time he moved on from Anti-establishment movies to pro-establishment and worked in “Police” roles. But he also made sure that he worked in different genres – and Paatukku Oru Thalaivan is a romantic musical that became a huge hit. And Ilaiyaraaja’s songs were one of the biggest reasons for it.

Ninaithathu Yaaro is one of the most popular songs of the late 80s. A lilting duet based on

பூவிழி மூட முடியவும் இல்லை
மூடிய போது விடியவும் இல்லை
கடலை தேடும் காவிரிப்போல்
கலந்திடவேண்டும் உன் மடிமேல்

Ninaithathu Yaaro

Ninaithathu Yaaro from Paatukku Oru Thalaivan is a lilting melody sung by Mano and Jikki. Projekt Ilaiyaraaja is a 365 day project of posting Ilaiyaraaja songs.

If I am not wrong, this is the third song from this album to be on the list, and of course, I haven’t used the popular ones. The versatility of the album will baffle you – Ennoda Raasi is the typical Rajini intro song, Veru Velai Unakku Illaye is a ghazalish lazy duet but the one I am posting today is a techno brilliance.

The prelude itself will make you go crazy – the techno beats and the blaring brass section will suck you into the song and then singers take over. If you like the 80s and 90s techno songs, this song should be on the list.

Unnaithan Nitham

Unnaithan Nitham is techno brilliance from Maapillai. This is one of the best techno songs from Ilaiyaraaja and that's why it's part of the 365 day projekt Ilaiyaraaja

This is one of the songs that resides on my “Love Duets” playlist. A song that I will instantaneously sing along. It’s that catchy because of the beautiful yet simple tune. En Mana Vaanil was the remake of Vinayan’s Oomappenninu Uriyadappayyan. Although the movie had the same leads, the movie didn’t do as well as the Malayalam version.

But the movie had some beautiful music from Ilaiyaraaja. Unnai Kaana Vennila is another beautiful melody from the film.

Enna Solli Paduvatho

Enna Solli Paduvatho is a beautiful melody from En Mana Vaanil. Projekt Ilaiyaraaja is a 365 day project of Maestro Ilaiyaraaja songs by Sylvian Patrick

Whenever I listen to sensuous songs of Ilaiyaraaja, one thing stands out, his playfulness. I remember SPB making a remark about Maadathile Kanni Maadathile, in which he asked him to emphasise the “maami” part. Listen to the song, and you will know what I am talking about.

Muthirai Eppodhu got lost in the mirage of other favourite songs in the movie, and there is almost a nil chance that it will make it to your playlist. But when you listen to the song, you will be surprised by the nuances and the playfulness in the song.

Muthirai Eppothu

Muthirai eppothu is a playful romantic song from Uzhaippali. Projekt Ilaiyaraaja is a 365 day project of Maestro Ilaiyaraaja songs by Sylvian Patrick

When I was watching Vivegam, my thoughts were moving in different directions, and I was thinking how the current movie reviewers would have reviewed a film like Aayirathil Oruvan or Ulagam Suttrum Valiban or a Moondru Mugam or Sagalakala Vallavan. On the other hand, I am quite confident that it’s futile to review big actor vehicles like Vivegam or Bairavaa because these movies are made for an ecosystem.

You can call it the “Superstar” Ecosystem (if you have a problem with me using that name, you can call it as “Big Star” Ecosystem). This Ecosystem consists of producers who are willing to spend the amount of money for a big star film. In Ajith’s ecosystem, it would be most probably a struggling producer. A director who can mashup a movie under budget and time. Theatre owners and distributors who are willing to pay the amount of money quoted by the producers so that they can charge high prices for the first four days. TV Channels and Audio companies who pay a hefty sum for rights and play the movie on every major festival days.

Online review sites, movie sites and social media trolls who scramble to get interviews, first-day reviews (this time there were half-time selfie reviews)and create memes to gather eyeballs. Above all, fans and fan associations who genuinely (or for financial reasons) want to see their favourite star on-screen. The fans of rival actors who watch the movies before others just to troll the other star and his fans. Hyperelitist reviewers like me who talk about how screenplay, cinematography and editing without knowing anything. Commentators on social media who post random posts to get likes and people who ignore these movies and avoiding an important part of pop-culture. And some social activists consider that every movie is a distraction from real issues.

These ecosystems are not built overnight, and not every actor can create one for them. Each of these ecosystems has different branding and various purposes to solve. This ecosystem started with Thiagaraja Bagavathar. MGR’s ecosystem was based on his off-screen image, and he carefully crafted it to enter politics. Sivaji’s ecosystem was based on his acting prowess. Rajini’s branding was similar to Amitabh Bachchan’s angry young man, but he is finding it difficult to move the image into politics (in 1996 it would have worked). Kamal’s ecosystem moved from masala matinee lover boy to an actor who can act different roles in every movie. He was under pressure to deliver a ‘different’ movie every single time and even his comedy movies ought to be different. Vijayakanth moved from an anti-establishment hero to pro-establishment poster boy. The transformation happened in the early 90s, and his political entry was inevitable. Vijay is taking the same path, and his movies are made anticipating his political entry. Many heroes have tried to create this ecosystem but couldn’t create one like what Vijay and Ajith did. Ajith’s ecosystem is drastically different from any celebrity that we have seen in Indian or International Cinema.

Ajith’s Ecosystem

I would call Ajith’s ecosystem is based on a phenomenon called “anti-celebrity”. He is a celebrity who has created an ecosystem around himself by not being a celebrity. He doesn’t promote his movies (even the reclusive Aamir Khan opens his doors for movie promotions), no audio release functions; no success meets, he doesn’t attend any award functions, no media interviews and even his one-off press meetings have dried up. His ecosystem starves for his presence, and the only way his fans can celebrate him is through his movies. On the other hand, every other hero has to do some or many of the above just to keep them afloat.

For instance, even a Rajini movie needs a grand Audio release celebration, livery on Air Asia and we will see marketing machinery over working for his 2.0. On the other hand, Vivegam had a list of common programs on TV Channels and interviews of supporting cast with major online channels. Inside a city like Chennai, the promotion was taken care by Ajith’s fans in several theatres and nothing else. The tickets were sold out for the weekend within few minutes of ticket booking window.

Actors have to feed their ecosystem at regular intervals. It could be through TV Shows or media interviews or even meeting their fans. Ajith doesn’t feed his ecosystem through any of these mediums. Media clamours for some news, and that’s why you get to see celebrity spotting pictures of Ajith more than any other actor. His PR is carefully maintained by a professional, and he makes sure the right dosage of news are released at regular intervals about the actor. This celebrity starving has created warp where any celebrity interview doesn’t end without questions about Ajith. Even if the person is remotely related to Ajith or acted in a small role, he is bound to give bytes on Ajith. It becomes the click bait title for all the online interviews. For instance, Sivabalan aka Appukutty’s interview on his photo shoot with Ajith has garnered 123,000 views on Indiglitz.

Why this ecosystem crap?

These ecosystems are the ones that drive the blockbusters in Tamil Cinema. The financial guarantee of a Rajini, Vijay or Ajith movie is because of this ecosystem. The problem here is that most reviewers and social media commentators are missing the ground reality concerning these films (until Vedhalam, Bairavaa and Vivegam, I also came under the same bracket). These movies are made for the fans, and these movies are financial blockbusters. Having said that, they have a low shelf-life and lacks art value. In simple words, there will be no discussion about these movies ten years later, but they are profitable than 99% of the movies in Tamil cinema. For instance, Vivegam has made pre-release business of more 120 crores. According the trade pundits, the first day collection (a working day as Vivegam released on Thursday due to Sai Baba sentiments of Ajith and Siva), was next only to Kabali and it beat the first day collection of Kabali in Chennai. 

#Vivegam 2-Days WW Box Office:#India – ₹ 48 Crs

Overseas – ₹ 18 Crs

Total – ₹ 66 Crs

— Ramesh Bala (@rameshlaus) August 26, 2017

There were such movies during Kamal and Rajini era that were hits but never had any recall value except for the songs (for instance, Per Sollum Pillai, Thanga Magan). You get reminded of these because they are played on KTV and Raj TV. They will not even feature on the hit list of these actors, but they were financial hits of those times.

The reason why other players in the ecosystem comment, troll and review these movies is that they want eyeballs and nothing else. For instance, there were half-time reviews for Vivegam, and every online outlet scrambled to release the review before others. The financial implications, the trending video craze and eyeballs are far more important than improving the Tamil cinema. The Blue Sattai review of Vivegam is past 1 million views, and he would have made enough money out of Google Ads by trolling a movie for 4 minutes. Compare it with his review for Taramani, and it didn’t even cross 250,000 views (Bhairava had more 730,000 views). The ecosystem feeds everyone from the producer to the average guy who makes comments on social media. These movies will be watched once – either in the theatres or TV (Tamil Rockers – yes, but they still would want to look at the hero on a good screen).

There will be more ecosystems created in the future when current ecosystems dwindle, but they are essential for Tamil cinema to flourish. The food chain has to be fed so that they can make and release smaller movies. The central element of these ecosystems are fans, and these fans ensure that the ecosystem doesn’t fail. In fact, they are protective of the stars and the rival stars. It was evident when Kamaal R Khan tried to troll Ajith, and the first refute came from Vijay fans. They troll each other, but they wouldn’t allow another to troll either of the stars.

Engala thaandi thodra paakalaam #thala Da – #Thalapathy fans pic.twitter.com/3oDTPvBFzT

— Cute Nithish Mersal (@CuteNithish3) August 24, 2017

https://twitter.com/sathishsri474/status/900609868268093440

Although Ajith has disowned his fan clubs and social media trolls, it’s consistent with his ‘anti-celebrity’ brand identity. The same brand identity is the reason why he gains more fans every year. The discussions about Ajith’s and Vijay’s movies fuel these ecosystems and without these deliberations, trolls and social media comments, the ecosystems will fall.

What’s the bottom line?

1. These movies can’t be stopped. Ajith and Vijay will make more such movies to feed their ecosystem as it’s important for them to feed the food chain. They might experiment in-between but if those movies are not feeding the ecosystem as expected (Yennai Arindhaal for instance), they will stop experimenting.
2. There is no point in reviewing the finer details of these movies because it doesn’t matter to the stakeholders. It does matter to the ecosystem as it feeds on bad reviews, more eyeballs and large sums of money. The reviewers are publicising the movie, and the returns are mutual.
3. If you are commenting on these movies on social media, you are part of the ecosystem and playing the game in the way they want you to play. You do get eyeballs for your posts and make elitist statements to show that you are not part of the ecosystem. But the harsh truth is, you are.
4. Step down from your pedestal and see the reality. Given a chance, you would have commented about many movies of the 1980s and 90s the same way like you are commenting for Vivegam and Bairavaa. But the truth is, it doesn’t matter.

Disclaimer:

I wrote the post because I can get more views on my blog. I am nothing but another blip in this ecosystem vying for more eyeballs.

There is a single shot scene where Subbulakshmi (played by Saranya) goes about doing her daily chores with a stone face while her husband Mangalamurthy (Livingstone) is singing after a drink. This is perhaps one of the best scenes in Tamil cinema to show the drudgery of a housewife (or should I be politically correct and call them homemakers). The stone face turns into a smile at the end when she sees a friend request from her long-lost friend.

This particular scene forms the crux of the movie. Magalir Mattum doesn’t try to harp the woman empowerment message, nor it brandishes all men as misogynists. The lead characters in the film do not seek to break-away from their lives, but they just need a break from their daily routine.

Prabha (played by Jyothika) is a documentary filmmaker and joins with her to-be mother-in-law Gomatha (played by Urvashi). They try to find Gomatha’s long-lost friends Subbulakshmi and Rani Amirthakumari (played by Banupriya). The rest of the story forms how they meet again and complete something that they couldn’t do 29 years back.

Magalir Mattum is enjoyable because of the delectable performances from the leads and supports. Bramma has brought in an ensemble cast, and they deliver their best. Be it the dialogue delivery of Banupriya, micro-expressions of Saranya, timing of Urvashi and fire-brand enthusiasm of Jyothika; you are in for a treat if you love these actors. It was interesting to note that younger versions of these stars (Vandana, Shobana and Nivedita) have done an equally good job – the casting director should be given a special pat on the back. Nasser and Livingstone are apt in their roles, but Pavel Navegeethan as Karthi steals the show. Ghibran’s songs don’t stick to your head, but his background score makes a mark.

Bramma takes excessive effort to establish the character of Prabha. The honour killing episode seemed to be forced into the narrative and does nothing to the main plot. Although Urvashi’s son is an antidote to other male characters in the movie, it would have been wonderful to see Jyothika’s father and Urvashi’s husband who seem to be better men than the others.

The best thing about Magalir Mattum is that it doesn’t try too much. Bramma has taken a simple story, and the infusion of gender equality thoughts are subtle. Prabha puts her idea of equality between the sexes during a conversation – “it’s about the choice – it’s about doing something when the women want to do something”. She reiterates the fact at the end when she and her husband talk to her mother-in-law. Urvashi’s son wants her to be with him in a foreign country, but Prabha counters it by saying “Do whatever you like.”

The underlying soul of the movie is the friendship, and as homemakers, they want some time for themselves. This is reiterated by the fact when a girl laments about her plight during a documentary shoot of Prabha. But at the end, Prabha asks whether she can get her a divorce, but the girl says no. The discussion around the movie is about the feminism the film purports or the lack of it. I think Magalir Mattum answers it correctly – it’s about the choice of women and not an idea of feminism implied by ‘specific’ groups of people.

Magalir Mattum is not anti-men like many other so-called “woman empowerment” movies, Magalir Mattum shows the life as is and expects you to understand the life of a homemaker. If your wife or mother stays at home, ask her when she met her best friends from school or college, there lies your answer.

Magalir Mattum is an enjoyable joyride and in the process gives you a glimpse into the lives of women living around you.

Magalir Mattum Review: A 3/5 for Magalir Mattum – take your parents to the movie. 

P.S., Really admired the use of 80s songs in the movie and the 1978 movie Aval Appadithan acts as the McGuffin in the movie.

In movie making, I idolise directors who change their style and not modify the story to their style. Some directors choose stories that suit their style, but there are movie directors who adapt their making based on what the story wants. In short, I respect Sidney Lumet more than Quentin Tarantino. I thought Mysskin couldn’t make movies beyond his usual style. His Mugamoodi experiment was a disaster, but Thupparivalan is a redemption. Finally, he has found the perfect recipe to mix commercial cinema with his art-house sensitivities.

Thupparivaalan is the story of Kanian Poongundran (played by Vishal), a hyper-intelligent private detective, who takes up a case of murdered pet dog of a small kid. Kanian, along with his sidekick Mano (played by Prasanna) unearth a conspiracy connected with multiple high-profile crimes in the city. The rest of the story is about how Kanian finds the reason behind the murders and ultimately the people responsible for them.

The best thing about Thupparivaalan is that it’s a straightforward, no-nonsense thriller. Mysskin has evaded the usual twist cliches of Tamil cinema thriller genre to give a brilliantly crafted movie. He carefully builds up the story for the final onslaught, and the climax sequence gives you the perfect adrenaline rush. He has deviated from his usual quirks – the low angle shots, dark lighting and at the same time he balances his avocations with Asian obsession (martial art based stunts and Harakiri). This movie could have been made in his usual style, but he has decided not to.

When I said that I want to watch Thupparivaalan, most people were not enthusiastic as it was a Vishal movie. The prejudice that people have on an actor was not surprising, but we as an audience are not willing to give him a break. Although the Sherlock inspired costume might look forced, Vishal’s underplay of the character is damn neat. No doubt that Sherlock inspired the character, but Kanian Poongondran is not a superhuman, but he is a benignant version of Sherlock that we know. It was refreshing to see such a characterisation in Tamil Cinema. Prasanna’s character doesn’t make any difference in the movie, and the same goes with Anu Immanuel. Andrea, Bhagyaraj and Vinay are apt in their roles.

Thupparivaalan was let down by Arrol Corelli’s background score. He has faltered in a movie that had immense potential for music. There are moments when the film craves for silence, and he chooses to fill your ears with a jarring score. The movie also consists of the undefined relationship between Mallika and Kanian Poongundran. I might accept the presence of her character only if she resurfaces like Irene Adler in the next movie (or will there be another movie?)

One of the major criticisms against the movie is that it doesn’t emotionally connect because there are no back stories to any of the characters except for Mallika. The stories of Vinay and Bhagyaraj are passing clouds in the movie. But such a genre need not have solid backstories. In fact, the cold-blooded murders are more effective when you are not emotionally attached to the characters.

Thupparivaalan is not a classic, and it’s not the best movie of Mysskin (Onayum Aattukuttiyum remains my favourite). But Thupparivaalan shows that Mysskin is not a template director. It sits on the sweet spot that many directors like Mysskin expect to achieve – a perfect marriage of commercial cinema and art-house sensibilities. Thupparivalan is the right step towards that goal.

If you have prejudices on Vishal and Mysskin, throw them out of your window, watch Thupparivaalan and enjoy.

Thupparivaalan Review: A 3/5 for Mysskin’s world of sleuths – Book your tickets to extend a warm welcome to Thennagathin Sherlock or our own Kanian Poongondran.

PS., Dear Mysskin, How about an adaptation of Ganesh and Vasanth?

When you choose such a list, it’s one of the toughest things to make choices. A few weeks back, I had to choose between Aboorva Sagotharargal and Michael Madana Kamarajan, and I chose the latter because of the cultural impact the movie. This week, I had to choose between Pulan Visaranai and Captain Prabhakaran. After careful and few discussions (thanks to Gopalakrishnan), I have chosen Captain Prabhakaran because it had an antagonist close to reality and also triggered the rise of Vijayakanth.

Captain Prabhakaran (1991)

It isn’t easy to make movies based on real-life people. Selvamani mastered this art but he slowly induced real-life characters into the movies. For instance, his first movie had a character based on the infamous murderer, Auto Shankar. In Captain Prabhakaran, he graduated to create a full-fledged villain character based on forest brigand Veerappan.

The movie is about an honest forest officer, Prabhakaran who is posted to Sathyamangalam, a notorious area controlled by Veerabhadran (played by Mansoor Ali Khan). He also wants to avenge the death of his friend Rajaraman (Sarathkumar). He scores small wins against Veerabhadran but finds that the Police Commissioner and District collector are co-conspirators with the criminal. The rest of the movie deals with how Prabhakaran fights Veerabhadran and the corrupt officials. Captain Prabhakaran had Vijayakanth, Sarath Kumar, Mansoor Ali Khan, Ramya Krishnan and Roopini in the lead. The movie was produced by Ibrahim Rowther and directed by RK Selvamani. Liyakath Ali Khan wrote the dialogues and Ilaiyaraaja score the music for the film.

Why is it so special?

1. An action movie becomes significant only when it has a compelling antagonist. There is a reason why Hollywood scriptwriters take extra effort to make their antagonists stronger. You need Jai and Veeru to fight Gabbar Singh; you need to have a Joker to fight the Batman. Selvamani created one of the most menacing villain characters of Tamil cinema with Veerabhadran. The character was based on forest brigand Veerappan and characterisation were inspired by Gabbar Singh but the brutality Mansoor Ali Khan unleashes through his Veerabhadran is plain evil.
   When Gabbar Singh would cut the hands, Veerabhadran would brutally slash the person to death. He rapes and murders at will just for the sadistic pleasure he gets out of it. Tamil cinema didn’t see such kind of extreme violence until then. There was no purpose to his madness, unlike Gabbar. That’s what made the character memorable. Mansoor Ali Khan in his first significant lead antagonist role sizzled on screen and is still remembered for that role.
2. Selvamani should be appreciated for two things – impeccable casting and seamless screenplay. He went for relatively unknown faces for his antagonists and supporting characters. The screenplay flows like a river and never hits a snag. He had strong influences of spaghetti western movies but made sure the cultural ethos were preserved. Blending the story with a character based on a real-life criminal was a masterstroke.
3. Vijayakanth was on a roll during those years. He had a slew of hits in different genres, but he got established in honest government officer roles through Chathriyan, Captain Prabhakaran and Maanagara Kaval. His screen presence and daredevilry provided the necessary image for the honest, righteous officer. It’s hard not to notice that he is seen only after 30 minutes into the movie as Selvamani takes his time to establish the characters and the background story but the introduction sequence is pure brilliance.
4. The grandeur, level of detailing and technical brilliance of the movie are unimaginable. For instance, Veerabhadran’s den setup and the climax fight sequence were wonderfully picturised. Selvamani was a bold filmmaker, and he stood by his guts to create a movie of his choice.
5. Selvamani had a lot of faith in his supporting actors. Ramya Krishnan and Livingston ( he was credited as Ranjan at that time) had stronger roles in the movie.
6. Ilaiyaraaja’s Music is another masterclass. For example, he uses the Prabhakaran’s theme only when he takes charge against Veerabhadran. Analysing Ilaiyaraja’s music in a big star action vehicle like Captain Prabhakaran will help you understand how uncreative are current crop of music composers. His Aattamma Therottama rendered by Swarnalatha became a staple number in all dance competitions after that.

Why is it on the list?

1. The movie boldly tackled a real-life story and blended it with the right dose of fiction. It has become a rarity in Tamil cinema. There are only a few directors who attempt such movies – AMR Ramesh was the other one who made movies on Veerappan and Ottrai Kan Sivarasan.
2. Captain Prabhakaran redefined the idea of spaghetti western action thrillers in Tamil. Until then, the movies were cheap imitations of Hollywood flicks. Selvamani adapted instead of imitating spaghetti westerns
3. The political significance of the film. Vijayakanth’s political ambitions were probably triggered at that time, and Captain became his official sobriquet.
4. One of the biggest hits in Tamil cinema and cemented the place of Vijayakanth as a force to reckon.

Trivia

1. RK Selvamani wanted to study movie making, but his father made him join Applied Mathematics. He scooted class every day and studied at the film institute. He joined as an Asst director with Manivannan and was looking for opportunities using his final project movie. He tried approaching Ibrahim Rowther (who was the manager for Vijayakanth), but he was wading off Selvamani.
   To impress him, Selvamani created a portfolio of Vijayakanth photos superimposed on Hollywood action hero pictures. Rowther was looking to make a Hollywood style cop movie with Vijayakanth. And that’s how Selvamani ended up with Pulan Visaranai. Although Rowther wanted to do Pulan Visaranai, Vijayakanth had only night call-sheets. Pulan Visaranai was shot mostly in night effect, and it suited the story too.^[2]
2. After Pulan Visaranai, G.Venkateswaran (GV) asked Selvamani to make a movie for him and offered him 25 Lakhs, but Selvamani was loyal to Rowther and Vijayakanth. He went back to make Captain Prabhakaran.He never shied away from making bold movies, and most of his movies had a real-life element. His Kutrapathrikkai on Rajiv Gandhi’s assassination stayed with the censor board for 13 years. It eventually made it to the silver screen in 2007 with substantial cuts. Except for Arasiyal and Makkal Aatchi, he didn’t make an impact after that^[2]
3. Born as ESI Muhammad Meeran in Javvadhu Patti (near Ottanchathiram), Mansoor Ali Khan went to Mumbai (then Bombay) to do an acting course and also learnt Karate. He came to Chennai (then Madras) to join the movies. He had to struggle nine years before he got a break. He did a small role in Velai Kidachachu and was selected for Pudhu Nellu Pudhu Naathu. Later, he landed up with the role of a lifetime – Veerabhadran. He got into production and direction with “Rajadhi Raja Raja Kulothunga Raja Marthanda Raja Gambeera Kathavaraya Krishna Kamarajan”. Known to speak his mind in TV interviews and public functions, now he is active in film politics.^[3]
4. Vijayakanth’s rise cannot be analysed without discussing the impact of Ibrahim Rowther. Both started their friendship in Madurai and moved to Chennai to make it big in movies. They used to stay at Rohini Lodge in T.Nagar and look out for opportunities. Ibrahim Rowther became Vijayakanth’s manager and later produced a streak of big-budget hits under Rowther Films. They had a fallout, and he was dismissed from DMDK (Vijayakanth’s political party) in 2012. Rowther joined ADMK and passed away due to multiple organ failures in 2015. The last film he produced is “Puriyatha Anandam Puthithaga Arambam” with Krish and Srushti Dange in the lead, directed by Syed Ibrahim.^[6]
5. Vijayakanth’s 100th movie. The movies of all the big stars including MGR (Oli Vilakku), Sivaji Ganesan (Navaratri), Rajinikanth (Shree Raghavendra) and Kamal Hassan (Rajaparvai) had below average collections or were box office failures when they were released.^[4]
6. An individual post on Vijayakanth’s rise in movies and politics is on the cards. I will update the link once I finish the post.

YouTube Link for the movie

Captain Prabhakaran Full Movie

Captain Prabhakaran is a landmark film for Vijayakanth, improved his career graph exponentially and also gave him the sobriquet of Captain. That's why it's part of the 50 best tamil movies list.

References

1. The Best of Tamil Cinema – Volume 2 – by Dhananjayan G 
2. Interview of RK Selvamani in Morning Cafe – Puthuyugam TV
3. Interview of Mansoor Ali Khan on Nettv4u
4. 100th film jinx grips the mighty sans ‘Captain’ (The featured image is sourced from the same article)
5. Selvamani Image source – 99doing.com
6. Ibrahim Rowther passes away – The Hindu – Dated 23.07.2015

For the rest of the movies in the list, please visit the following link –
http://sylvianism.com/50-tamil-movies-to-watch-before-you-die/

Tamil cinema directors have always stayed away from real-life stories fearing a backlash. They used specific incidents as scenes but shied away from making full-length movies on real-life stories except for a handful of directors like RK Selvamani (Pulan Visaranai, Kutrapathrikkai) and AMR Ramesh (Kuppi, Vanayudhham). While Bala and Bharathiraja are fighting to make a movie on Kuttra Parambarai (from Tamil Nadu), young director Vinoth has created a gritty thriller in Theeran – Adhigaram Ondru without any fanfare.

What made Theeran Adhigaram Ondru impressive was the extensive research that Vinoth and his team has put in. The movie is about a notorious gang (famously known as the lorry gang) from Uttar Pradesh who conducted brutal dacoity across states on highways. They were part of Baawariya sect who became dacoits due to discrimination during the colonial and post-colonial period.

If you have followed the case (I remember reading about it) or if you are reading the articles that have cropped up in the past few days about Jangit (Superintendent of Police, who headed the investigation) and team, you would know the level of detailing in the movie. Vinoth has perfectly blended the reality and fiction into a pulsating thriller that keeps you on the edge.

Karthi as Theeran has played his role in the T. Unlike many other cop movies, Dheeran’s character is realistic and vulnerable. The restrained portrayal of Karthi makes the film believable, and he has stayed away from his usual histrionics even during the romance sequences. The most important aspect is that he makes you invest in his quest like he has.

The romance between Rakul Preeth Singh and Karthi could have been inserted to play as an antidote to the intensity of the story, but it acts as a speed breaker because there is nothing new in the sequences. In fact, Vinoth could have used the time to explore the lives of other cops in the movie or the motivations behind the Baawariya group in detail. We get to see only the life of Sathya (played by Bose Venkat), but other police officers are nameless. We don’t invest emotionally with other officers as we do with Theeran.

There have been multiple reviews and posts that praise Ghibran’s music, but I felt that the music lacked substance. It follows the same pattern of Tamil movie thriller music that relies on the excessive use of percussion instruments. The loudness of the uninventive score does hamper the movie experience. Let’s not talk about the songs as they are immaterial to the movie. There is a full-length item number in Rajasthani folk setup that doesn’t make any whatsoever except for Scarlett Mellish Wilson’s gyrations. Sathyan’s camera work is exceptional, especially during the action sequences. Dhilip Subbarayan has finally emulated his father with some scintillating action blocks – the bus chase is one of the best in recent past.

In spite of a regular romance portions and music, Theeran works well because of the impeccable screenplay, restrained acting and well-researched content. It’s not easy to make a movie from real-life incidents without making compromises. But Vinoth has delivered a movie that can spawn a genre of investigation thrillers.

I judge directors by their second movies, and many of them have failed miserably in that scale. I watched Sadhuranga Vettai because the cinematographer was my school buddy – KG Venkatesh but came back impressed by Vinoth’s detailing. With Theeran, he has proved that he is going to be a force to reckon.

I go with a must-watch for Theeran Adhigaram Ondru but only 3/5 because of the flaws. 

PS: Although the movie has been certified U/A, I suggest that you leave your children back at home because the film does have graphic violence.

Anti-establishment movies were a norm during the 1980s. Either the rebellious attitude of Tamil cinema directors was healthy, or the politicians were more accommodating during the golden period of Tamil cinema. But it all changed after the 90s due to the political climate in the state. The high-handedness of censor board and the political clout in films altered the scenario.

The last few years, we see right political cinema from the new crop of directors, but also we are seeing commercialisation of activist cinema. For instance, Kaththi was a sad example of how to portray a social issue, and it even described the activist as a loser while a violent rogue takes over his place. Aramm, on the other hand, is an excellent activism cinema that perfectly portrays an issue, interestingly told but doesn’t compromise and indulge in any commercial aspects.

The movie starts with an investigation on a district collector on how she handled a crisis in her district. The story is set in a small village near Sriharikota where people struggle to get good drinking water. The commercial tankers make deeper bore wells in private lands and fetch water for business establishments while people have to travel hours to bring few buckets of drinking water. There are consistent roadblock protests from various villages, and after solving one such issue, District collector Madhivadhani (played by Nayanthara) receives news that a small child had fallen inside an unprotected bore well. She immediately gathers a team to rescue the child and meanwhile learns about the power politics, real problems of the villagers and how the system is devised against the poor. The rest of the story is about how Madhivadhani sticks to her guts to rescue the child and how it changes her life.

Although the movie is about a child trapped inside a bore well (I got reminded of Malooty – Malayalam movie with Shamili in the lead), the subtexts on politics, water crisis and organised plundering of natural resources make Aramm a compelling watch.

I found the idea of a child stuck inside a bore well as more allegorical to the fact that the real India is trapped inside a claustrophobic system that keeps on preying on them while improving the lives of select few. Gopi Nayanar (writer-director) hints us with the narrative when he switches between the scientific advancement of sending a rocket into space while there are no technologies to save a child from a bore well.

The child trapped inside the well could also be seen as a metaphorical representation of Madhivadani’s position as multiple intermittences constrain her from doing the job. Her character is a representation of various such honest officers who are stuck in limbo. Nayanthara’s calm and composed acting elevates the character, and she holds forte with her under-play. Deepa Venkat’s background voice has played a significant role in the shaping of the character.

But the movie is not just about Nayanthara, the strong supporting act by Ramachandran (Dhanshika’s father), Sunu Lakshmi (Dhanshika’s mother), Vignesh (Dhanshika’s brother) and Baby Mahalakshmi (Dhanshika) move your heart with their performances. Even the smallest of the characters make a lasting impact at the end.

The film is marred by the interspersed talk show with activists. While Gopi Nayanar took a satirical tone at every other aspect, he chose to have a TV debate with few activists he supports. It might have been included to educate the audience or to show his bias, but it reduced the tension that acted as the lifeline of the movie.

Although I agree that the scientific inventions have to be used for the betterment of people, Indian space program has become self-sustained over the years, and it has inspired many young kids to take up science. But it’s our responsibility to teach ethical values while giving the power of science to kids. The inherent bias of the director comes out during these scenes.

You might not agree with what Aramm purports. But it’s a movie that you should watch to see the alternate viewpoint. Even if you don’t want to think about the issues, it’s a beautiful drama about how a child is saved from bore well that keeps you on edge until the end.

Gopi Nayanar accused AR Murugadoss and Pa Ranjith of stealing his stories for Kathi and Kabali. We don’t know what conspired, but it’s pretty much evident that Araam is what Kathi should have been.

I go with 3/5 for Aramm, and a must watch even if you don’t agree with the views of the director.

PS:

1. I have given the same by-line that I gave for Kaththi’s review few years back. You can read it in the below link

Movie Review: Kaththi – Who’s the hero?

2. Trivia – The name Madhivadhani is the name of LTTE Chief Prabhakaran’s wife.

Year-end is here, and my annual lists are back. It wasn’t an easy year for my blog as it went through a lot of tribulation (do blogs have astrology issues?). I think even Tamil film music went through a not-so-good year. I had to scramble to finish the list because we saw a lot uninspiring musical albums this year.

There are no breakout albums this year. As music composers and audio companies worry about Youtube views and Saavn plays, the creativity in music is moving towards a slow death.

I have chosen the best Tamil songs 2017 not only based on my personal preferences but also based on observations. For instance, the popularity of Surviva and Senthoora can’t be discarded because of my personal preferences.

Disclaimers:

1. The songs are in chronological order of movie release.
2. Like every other year, the list consists of songs only from movies released in 2017 as I consider songs are an integral part of story-telling. I am not listing music albums here but movie songs. So, don’t expect 2.0 or Enai Nokki Paayum Thotta songs on the list.

You can listen to the entire list in the following links

1. Saavn: https://www.saavn.com/p/playlist/57426da34a6a34702c1bdc8bf7251d81/Best_of_2017_-_Sylvianism/YnnkVeiaGcfufxkxMEIbIw__
2. Gaana: https://gaana.com/playlist/sylvianpatrick-sylvianism-annualmusicround-up

1.Song : Nillayo

Movie: Bairavaa
Music director: Santhosh Narayanan
Singer: Haricharan
Lyricist: Vairamuthu  

Bairavaa is not the first movie you would have expected in the list but definitely Nillayo deserves a place in the list. The prelude hooks you into the song, taken over by the string section, Haricharan continues the magic, and Vijay tops it with his usual (enjoyable) antics in the video.

Nillayo from Bairavaa is one of the top 20 songs on Sylvianism's best Tamil movie songs list.

2. Song: Thandhiraa

Movie: Adhe Kangal
Music director: Ghibran
Singers: Rajan Chellaih and Sree Ganesh
Lyricist: SN Anuradha

Although, I hated the fact that this song was used as a theme to the main protagonist (didn’t suit as a background score), I loved the song as part of the movie. The speciality of the song is the playful tone and the cheekiness.

Thandhiraa from Adhe Kangal is one of the top 20 songs on the Sylvianism's best Tamil movie songs of 2017

3. Song: Senthoora

Movie: Bogan
Music director: D Imman
Singer: Luksimi Sivaneswaralingam
Lyricist: Thamarai

The best thing about this song is the rendering by Luksimi Sivaneswaralingam. Her voice and the Sri Lankan Canadian accent along with the artistic picturisation push this song to the list. Luksimi landed this gig by sending her voice sample to Imaan on Instagram. She is a music teacher in Canada.

Senthoora from Bogan is part of the top 20 Tamil songs list of 2017 compiled by Sylvianism

4. Song: Solli Tholayen Ma

Movie: Yakkai
Music Director: Yuvan Shankar Raja
Singer: Dhanush
Lyricist: Vignesh ShivN

Probably you wouldn’t have seen the movie or listened to this song, but it has more than 3 million views on YouTube and counting. Give it to Yuvan to make a funky tune and it sounds even more fun in Dhanush’s voice. It’s catchy and addictive.

Solli Tholayen Ma from Yakkai is part of the best Tamil movie songs list of 2017 compiled by Sylvianism

5.Song: Nallai Allai

Movie: Kaatru Veliyidai
Music director: AR Rahman
Singer: Sathyaprakash
Lyricist: Vairamuthu

Kaatru Veliyidai as a movie was utterly disappointing, and the magic of Rahman’s music was lost among the drudgery of the movie. The album wasn’t that bad, but it didn’t match the standards of a Rahman-Mani Ratnam combo. Although Nallai Allai sounded like Rooth Na Jana (from 1942 A Love story), I still liked it for the lyrics.

Nallai Allai from Kaatru Veliyidai

Nallai Allai from Kaatru Veliyidai is part of the top 20 Tamil movie songs of 2017 - compiled by Sylvianism

6. Song: Azhagiye

Movie: Kaatru Veliyidai
Music director: AR Rahman
Singer: Arjun Chandy, Haricharan, Jonita Gandhi
Lyricist: Madhan Karky

Azhagiye is the other pick from the album.

Azhagiye from Kaatru Veliyidai

Azhagiye from Kaatru Veliyidai is one of the best Tamil songs of 2017 - compiled by Sylvianism

7. Song: The Youth of Power Paandi

Movie: Pa Paandi
Music director: Sean Roldan
Singers: Sean Roldan and Shweta Mohan
Lyricist: Selvaraghavan

Sean Roldan had a forgettable VIP 2 this year, but Power Paandi made sure his place in this list. Simple tunes with grand arrangements combined with some beautiful picturization push these two songs into this list. I wish Sean Roldan makes more such stuff instead of trying his hand with mass masala entertainers like VIP2.

The youth of power paandi is one of the best Tamil songs of 2017 - compiled by Sylvianism

8. Song: The Romance of Power Paandi

Movie: Pa Paandi
Music director: Sean Roldan
Singers: Sean Roldan
Lyricist: Dhanush

This is my personal favourite from the movie. 

The romance of power paandi is part of the best Tamil songs list of 2017 - compiled by Sylvianism

9. Song: Vaa Vaa Magale

Movie: Enga Amma Rani
Music director: Ilaiyaraaja
Singer: Rajashree Pathak
Lyricist: Pazhanibharathi

The film didn’t have any takers albeit some decent performances by Dhanshika and Varnika. Vaa Vaa Magale might sound like a typical Ilaiyaraaja melody, but the interludes haunt you to suit the theme of the movie and the voice of Rajashree Pathak accentuates it. 

Vaa Vaa Magale from Enga Amma Rani is part of the best Tamil songs of 2017 - compiled by Sylvianism

10. Yaar, Naan Yaarada

Movie: Brindhavanam
Music director: Vishal Chandrasekhar
Singer: SP Balasubramaniam
Lyricist: Madhan Karky

Vishal Chandrasekhar sometimes surprises you with his compositions. Shoot the Kuruvi last year and this beautiful melody this year. Probably, you will not see this song on any other list. SPB’s voice is just icing on the cake.

Yaar from Brindhavanam composed by Vishal Chandrasekhar is part of the 20 best Tamil songs of 2017.

11. Nee Kavithaigala

Movie: Maragatha Naanayam
Music director: Pradeep Kumar 
Singer: Pradeep Kumar
Lyricist: GKB

Maragatha Naanayam was a hilarious entertainer, and this song is a beauty from Pradeep Kumar. Don’t let Pradeep fox you at the start because he is going to win you over after the first interlude. The use of flute was interesting. Listen to it on your headphones and enjoy the subtle nuances.

Nee Kavithaigala from Maragatha Naanayam composed by Pradeep Kumar is part of the best Tamil songs list of 2017

12. Sait Ji / Great Ji

Movie: Meesaya Murukku
Music director: Hip Hop Thamizha
Singer: Hip Hop Thamizha
Lyricist: Hip Hop Thamizha

The original song titled Sait Ji was released as a promo for the movie. It had all the favourite Tamil youtube stars with Hip Hop Aadhi. The only problem is that it was a stereotypical take on a particular community. The song was taken down, and the lyrics were changed to the current version. The song is borderline offensive, but I find Club la Mabbula more offensive because it’s misogynistic. Having said that, any artist has the right to make stuff he wants. So this song is on the list just because the original video was taken down (I did like the video).

Original Song

Sait Ji from Meesaya Murukku was taken down because it offended a particular community but I have posted it in support of the song

Rewritten Lyric

Great Ji from Meesaya Murukku

Great Ji by Hip Hop Thamizha is part of the top 20 Tamil songs list of 2017

13. Yaanji

Movie: Vikram Vedha
Music director: Sam C.S
Singer: Anirudh Ravichander, Sakthishree Gopalan
Lyricist: Yaanji
This song has made it to the list because it was a popular choice. I still don’t know why. But I have to reflect some popular choices too. (PS., I didn’t like the movie)

Yaanji from Vikram Vedha is a popular choice of the best Tamil songs list of 2017

14. Un Badhil Vendi

Movie: Taramani
Music director: Yuvan Shankar Raja
Singer: Yuvan Shankar Raja
Lyricist: Na.Muthukumar

Lot have been said about the chemistry between Na.Muthukumar and Yuvan. And it was evident with Taramani songs. Un Badhil Vendiwas presented in a typical Yuvan song template, but it’s still enjoyable. Yuvan graciously allows the lyrics to dominate the song. And you can’t complain about it. Uchi Kilai Male and Oru Koppai are other good songs from the movie. 

Un Badhil Vendi from Taramani is part of the top 20 songs of 2017 in Tamil cinema compiled by Sylvianism

15. Surviva

Movie: Vivegam
Music director: Anirudh Ravichander
Singers: Anirudh Ravichander and Yogi B
Lyricist: Yogi B and Siva

Vivegam was not a favourite of Tamil movie fans this year, but same cannot be said about the Anirudh’s music. The entire soundtrack barring Kadhalada is an adrenaline rush, but Surviva gave the repetitive hook. I don’t know how many times I would have listened to this as a ringtone during my train raids. The pinnacle was when a North Indian colleague, who doesn’t even have a clue about Vivegam, had the song as a ringtone.

Surviva from Vivegam is one of the most popular songs of 2017 and it's part of the best songs of 2017

16.Kadhalaada

Movie: Vivegam
Music director: Anirudh Ravichander
Singers: Pradeep Kumar and Sasha Tripathi
Lyricist: Kabila Vairamuthu

I personally loved Kadhalaada because of the beautiful interludes. I wish Anirudh does more songs like that.

17. Devathai Pol Oruthi

Movie: Solo
Music director: Agam
Singers: Harish Sivaramakrishnan
Lyricist: Mohan Raj

I don’t know how many of you liked Bejoy Nambiar’s experiment, but one thing worked in the movie – the use of different indigenous bands for the music. Although I am a fan of Agam’s boat song in Malayalam, I am ecstatic that it has a Tamil version now. 

The Boat Song

The Boat song by Agam - a progressive Carnatic Rock band from India.

18. Megamo Aval

Movie: Meyadha Maan
Music director: Santhosh Narayanan
Singer: Pradeep Kumar, Ananthu
Lyricist: Vivek

Some songs will not impress you as an individual song, but you feel the impact because of the movie. Megamo Aval is one such song. The way I saw the song completely changed after I watched the movie recently.

19. Thoranam Aayiram

Movie: Aramm
Music director: Ghibran
Singer: Vaikom Vijayalakshmi
Lyricist: Uma Devi

The mighty orchestration of the song (played by Prague Philharmonic Orchestra) has a healthy competition with Vaikom Vijayalakshmi’s rendering – the result is this beautiful song. The starting does sound like an old Ilaiyaraaja song – I am not able to plot it.

20. Yavvana

Movie: Sathya
Music director: Simon K King
Singer: Yazin Nazir, Kalyani Nair
Lyricist: Madhan Karky

It’s one of those songs that you will be hooked on to instantly. After a couple of not-so-popular outings, Simon K King has finally found a hit with Yavvana and Sathya.

Yavvana from Sathya is an instantaneously catchy number by Simon K King

Some of you might not like the choice of songs but I chose songs based on multiple considerations. There are songs in the list that I might not have chosen if I had done the list without discussions. You can listen to the songs in the following links if you have Saavn or Gaana

1. Saavn: https://www.saavn.com/p/playlist/57426da34a6a34702c1bdc8bf7251d81/Best_of_2017_-_Sylvianism/YnnkVeiaGcfufxkxMEIbIw__
2. Gaana: https://gaana.com/playlist/sylvianpatrick-sylvianism-annualmusicround-up

2017 was the year of low budgeted or indie films in Tamil cinema. There were 203 releases in 2017 and out of which we had 19 movies that were profitable for the producers and distributors. I had a lousy year concerning critiquing movies on my blog because of my travels and technical issues with my blog. My best Tamil movies 2017 list might not have some popular choices, and I will explain the reasons below. There are no break-out movies like Uriyadi in 2016. Most of the film in the list received 3 or 3.5 stars in my reviews.

Disclaimers:

1. The choice of movies is based on my preferences as a reviewer. It doesn’t reflect popular selections like my Annual music round-up
2. The box-office collection and popularity of the movie are not criteria for the selection
3. The films are listed in chronological order and NOT ranked.

Best Tamil Movies 2017

1. Movie: Maanagaram

Director: Lokesh Kanagaraj
Producer: SR Prabhu through his Potential Studios

Maanagaram brought out the lives of unknown faces in a metro city. Lokesh Kanagaraj’s screenplay was the star of the movie along with Charle. The delectable performances by the supporting cast made this movie one of the best in 2017.

2. 8 Thottakkal

Director: Sri Ganesh
Producer: Vellapandian

The movie that gave MS Bhaskar the role he deserves. It was like watching an aged Al Pacino on screen and MS Bhaskar is the hero of the year for me. Based on Stray Dog by Akira Kurosawa, Sri Ganesh’s 8 Thottakal worked because of MS Bhaskar and other supporting cast. The movie did have a problem with the “so-called” hero in the movie.

3. Pa Paandi

Director: Dhanush
Producer: Dhanush (Wunderbar Films)

Pa Paandi or Power Paandi is the feel-good movie of the year. Simple story-line, amazing music, beautiful performances from the leads (Raj Kiran, Revathy, Dhanush and Madonna) and above all it had the heart in its place. It was pleasing to see Dhanush choosing such a story to make his directorial debut.

4. Our Kidayin Karunai Manu

Director: Suresh Sangaiah
Producer: Eros International

I watched this movie little late and I wished I had watched the movie earlier to write a review. Suresh Sangaiah’s Our Kidayin Karunai Manu was all about subtlety – he never tries to overarch his storyline with a message and he leaves the story as is, allows it to unfold and suck you into the drama. Like Maanagaram and 8 Thottakkal, the movie features some marvellous performances from supporting characters like Yezharai, Oor Muzhungi, Vengala Thonda and many other (check out the movie to know who these people are). It’s a part thriller and part social commentary, but mostly it’s how villagers run their life. The equivalent movie that I can think of was Azhgarsaamiyin Kuthirai.

5. Maragadha Naanayam

Director: ARK Saravan
Producer: Axess Film Factory

This is hands down the most hilarious movie of the year. It was genuinely funny and it also proved that Nikki Galrani is not just a diva. Ramadoss, Anandraj and Arunraja Kamaraj gave some splendid performances in the movie.

6. Taramani

Director: Ram
Producer: Catamaran Productions

Although I still can’t fathom the end, I still give the movie a place in this list because of creating a realistically plausible relationship movie and a strong female character. Nobody else could have played Althea Johnson like Andrea did. And I loved Ram’s meta-satire on our lives through his “status messages”.

7. Thupparivaalan

Director: Mysskin
Producer: Vishal Film Factory

People laughed at Mysskin and Vishal for trying to create a Tamil version of Sherlock but they did succeed in creating Tamil’s own Kanian Poongundran. I wish we could see more of Kanian and of course, another brilliance from Andrea. Vinay too.

8. Meyaadha Maan

Director: Rathna Kumar
Producer: Stone Bench Creations 

Finally, a movie that handled one side love sensibly. But the beauty of the film is the love story between Idhayam Murali’s sister Sudarvizhi (Induja) and Vinoth (Vivek Prasanna). The references to Idhayam were perfect and enjoyable (including the ringtones).

9. Aramm

Director: Gopi Nayanar
Producer: K.Rajesh (KJR Productions)

Aramm is one of the substantial anti-establishment movies in recent times. Gopi Nayanar never digresses from the idea that he wanted to show but at the same time his screenplay keeps you on the edge. Nayanathara stays true to her lady superstar tag and I think we are going to see more of Madhivadani.

10. Theeran Adhigaram Ondru

Director: Vinoth
Producer: SR Prabhu through Dream Warrior Pictures

The only big budgeted movie in the list and the movie should be on any list just for the meticulous research and detailing by Vinoth and his team. Vinoth proved that he is not a one-hit wonder and finally a reprise for Karthi after a series of disappointing outings.

5 movies that didn’t make it to the list

1. Magalir Mattum

Director: Bramma
Producer: 2D Entertainment

I wish I could have this movie on the top 10 list. The film gave a glimpse at the life of homemakers that we see on a day-to-day basis, their desires and how they have lost their friendships after their wedding. My review was vindicated when my colleague’s mom (a homemaker) asked him to take her to the movie and loved it.

2. Kurangu Bommai

Director: Nithilan Swaminathan
Producer: Shreya Sri Movies

A slow-burning thriller that engulfs you gradually and punches you with a brutal climax. Vidharth (who is becoming a darling for Indie movies), Bharathiraja and Elango Kumaravel shine in their roles, and Nithilan makes a mark in his debut movie.

3. Maayavan

Director: CV Kumar 
Producer: CV Kumar (Thirukumaran Entertainment)

This movie just missed the cut. It was a true-blue sci-fi thriller that even worked out the minute details. I was astounded to see CV Kumar choosing such a story to make his directorial debut. The movie lost out because of excessive praise that Aruvi received. The idea of having an “intelligent” brain as villain, vulnerable protagonist and providing the right dose of thrills, this movie is worth watching.

The next two movies were deliberately left out of the list as I didn’t agree with the widespread view.

4. Aruvi

Director: Arun Prabhu Purushothaman
Producer: SR Prabhu through Dream Warrior Pictures

Aruvi is an earnest attempt at showing the mental state of a protagonist who didn’t have control over her life. The beauty of Aruvi is the performance of the actors especially Aditi Balan (as Aruvi) and Anjali Vardhan (as Emily). It’s better than lot other movies in 2017, but the excessive praise for the movie is unwarranted. I found the movie more anti-feministic (the most significant violence against women is done in the name of love and affection), absolves rape and probably didn’t provide the necessary impact that I expected from the movie.

5. Vikram Vedha

Director: Pushkar-Gayathri
Producer: Y Not Studios

The idea of telling the story in the Vikram-Vedhal pattern is structurally innovative, but it seemed to be a forced narrative. There is no reason for Vikram to sit and listen to the stories of Vedha (in the fable, Vikramadityan sticks to the Vedhalam because his head would blow into pieces). Yes, the performances of Madhavan and Vijay Sethupathi were brilliant, but I am not able to fathom the structural flaw in the movie. So it didn’t make the final list. 


5 movies you wouldn’t have seen but you should give them a try

1. Enakku Vaitha Adimaigal

Director: Mahendran Rajamani
Producer: Shan Sutharsan – Vansan Movies

An adult comedy that didn’t get the due it deserved. The movie is about a guy who tries to commit suicide after his girlfriend breaks up with him and his three friends are trying to find him. It’s not perfect, but Enakku Vaitha Adimaigal can be watched for the characterisation and performance of Karunakaran, Kaali Venkat and Naveen George Thomas. 

2. Kootathil Oruthan

Director: TJ Gnanavel
Producers: SR Prabhu through Dream Warrior Pictures

A movie about an average Joe had the same fate as the theme itself. But it’s worth the watch for the performance of Ashok Selvan. The film got into a ruckus because of entertainment tax fiasco, and when the theatres were back in operation, the movie was taken out of theatres.

3. Nibunan

Director: Arun Vaidyanathan
Producer: Passion Film Factory

A straightforward thriller with another vulnerable lead protagonist (wonderfully portrayed by Arjun) is worth a watch. You might have problems with logic loopholes and lack of detailing, but the movie will not bore you.

4. Pandigai

Director: Feroz
Producer: Vijayalakshmi Agathiyan – also Feroz’s wife

It’s tough to see pure action thrillers with intense action sequences. Pandigai is one such movie and if you are not ok with action, skip it.

5. Kadugu

Rajakumaran in Kadugu

Director: Vijay Milton
Producer: Vijay Milton – Rough Note Pictures

You will see Rajakumaran in a different light after this movie, and I think Vijay Milton took it as a challenge to break all stereotypes by casting Rajakumaran. Bharath was in an equally compelling role, and the film is about overcoming guilt. It’s worth giving a shot.

Out of the 20 movies listed here, 13 movies (7 from the best Tamil movies 2017 list) are by debutants, and it shows that Tamil cinema is going through a healthy period. As a movie fan, we need to support these small movies by watching them in theatres or legal means. The producers should start exploring alternate methods of distribution or quicker releases on online platforms.

Hoping for a better 2018 with respect to movies and reviews.

How do people narrate a story to an actor or producer? I have heard stories about how some directors would narrate with meticulous detailing. After watching Sketch, I have been thinking how Vijay Chander (Vaalu) would have described the story to Vikram? What would have made the actor choose such a movie? The number of slow-mo shots or the action sequences or it could be the stereotypical dance routines, or it could have been the Geminish hand gesture style or maybe, he was impressed by the forced message at the end. It was baffling to see such a talented actor in the most obnoxious role you can ever see.

The movie is about a group of men headed by Jeeva (Vikram, nicknamed Sketch – you know why) who cease overdue cars from owners. At one point in time (read interval), they confiscate an old car of a gangster to help their employer take revenge. After the incident, Jeeva’s friends die mysteriously, and he tries to investigate. The rest of the movie is about how he finds the real murderers (read twist). In between, add some kuthu songs, a love track and a comedy track.

The problem with the movie is that it has been conceived, shot, acted and directed. The screenplay and characterisations are so predictable that you can guess who is going to die next. But the build-up that they employ for each of the characters is laughable. Everyone including the smallest of the characters gets a slow-mo shot.The makers might have probably thought that the end message and twist would help to salvage the movie, but it looks as forced as Tamanna’s chemistry with Vikram.

I seriously don’t understand why Vikram needs to do such movies. When was the last time, he had a commercial mass masala movie box office hit? His fans or the audience yearn for his acting prowess. They celebrate him when he does a Pithamagan and doesn’t even care whether he does a 10 Endrathukkulla. His Saami 2 has a better chance at the box office due to Hari and nostalgia but is it about time for him to reconsider his choices.

Sketch is a euphemism for a detailed devious plan to grab something or kill someone. Is this ‘Sketch’ made for himself or the audience? I think it’s for both because you are sure to die of boredom at the end of the movie.

I go with 1/5 for Sketch (grace mark).  

Hope you liked this Sketch Movie Review. Subscribe to my blog if you like to receive movie review in your Inbox. 

P.S., Listen to the song and I am pretty sure it’s eerily similar to Afreen (Raahat Fateh Ali Khan’s version from Coke Studio)

Vaanam Thooramale from Sketch

Vaanam Thooramale from Sketch, Tamil movie sounds eerily similar to Afreen by Nusrat Fateh Alikhan

Afreen by Raahat Fateh Ali Khan (Coke Studio) adapted from his father’s original

Afreen Afreen by Raahat Fateh Ali Khan

Afreen Afreen by Raahat Fateh Ali Khan is an adaptation from his Father's original