|
|
Friday, September 13, 2024
|
|
TAMIL AADHALAL KADHAL SEIVEER
EDITOR'S PICK
Aadhalal
Kadhal Seiveer: A bold attempt sans cliches
Rating: *****
Tamil cinema has always turned a blind eye to social problems such as honour
killing, incest and even same-sex marriage for a very simple reason that such
subjects might not click at the box-office.
Breaking away from the aforementioned outlook, director Suseenthiran crafts an
intelligent and bold story about hormone-driven teenage romance. He makes us
look at a domestic issue through the young eyes of his protagonists who stand
testimonial to modern-day generation.
Suseenthiran handles the film bravely without compromising on the message it
sets out to deliver to its audiences. Any story dealing with a social problem is
either extremely preachy or overtly melodramatic, but what we get here is an
intelligent output sans cliches. Kudos to the director for writing and narrating
an impactful story.
"Aadhalal Kadhal Seiveer" (AKS) is a campus love story of two
youngsters and how their immature love gets convoluted by various other factors,
which impact not only them but also others. In only one hour and 46 minutes,
which is the film's biggest plus, AKS is an honest effort backed by natural
performances.
The intermittent laughs in the first half are a delight, while the slowed-down
narration post-interval may not be entertaining but definitely piques the
viewers emotionally. There are scenes, especially in the second half, that
persuade you to slip into the shoes of the lead characters.
In essence, it makes you empathize with the characters till the end.
The film doesn't present a chauvinistic view of the issue, but highlights how
carelessly youngsters take decisions in life without even an iota of guilt or
responsibility. It also presents a viewpoint of the elders.
To top it all, AKS has a very powerful and unexpected climax to send us back
home with a heavy heart. This is only to remind us about the harsh realities of
our society and how we have been living amidst all this.
The film would've been appreciated with a better lead cast as Manisha and Ramesh
deliver amateurish performance. Of the two, Manisha was far better but Ramesh,
on the other hand, turned out to be unimpressive.
Jayaprakash and Thulasi as Manisha's parents portray a very polished and
emotional performance. Their scenes in the second half weave a strong emotional
bond with audiences. Arjun as the lead pair's friend ensures some laughs even in
the most serious scenes.
Music by Yuvan Shankar Raja is a bonus, while editing by Anthony is definitely a
blessing. With most Tamil films clocking nearly three hours, to make a film that
addresses a domestic problem with unparalleled compassion in less than two hours
is an achievement.
