A period drama set during the pre-independence era is not something you come across every day in Tamil cinema. Director Vijay knows how to present it on the silver screen with the right combination of stunning picturisation and beautiful romance. The movie, if not anything else, is a treat for the eyes.

Credit has to be given to art director Selvakumar, who has done a spectacular job in recreating the ambience of the yesteryear Chennai – if not highly authentically – at least convincingly. There are the English ballrooms, dhobi ghana, the Central station, buildings of the Raj era, and what not – yet the camera pans across all of them seamlessly, and quite impressively – thanks to cinematographer Nirav Shah. The boating scenes on Coovum river will definitely enthrall every Chennaiite.

The director has to be appreciated for a simple storyline, told in an eloquent way, yet not straying away into non-issues, and delivering what is promised. The pre-independence era is just used as a back drop, and it is good that comic looking Gandhi or Nehru or Kamaraj don’t make appearances just for the heck of it. Highly appreciable for a first of its kind!

The girl Amy Jackson looks beautiful – convincing as the English Governor’s daughter. Does she have a slight Indian feel about her, or is it the director’s hand? Anyway, what is expected of her – she has delivered quite well. Arya could have been more expressive. He appears to have a plastic look right from the start of the movie to the last. VMC Haneefa (late) has succeeded in giving a few light moments. Other actors play their given roles by  the book.

Historic and technical flaws are abundant in the movie. For example, I don’t think the English had such a hostile attitude towards the natives right before the independance.  Things changed since the second world war, and the English were losing grip already. In such a situation, it does not seem logical how can would want to build a golf course, and that too dislodging natives from their land. The background score is another setback. It is too loud, and distracts you away from the narration a lot of times. I would still overlook things like these. It is supposed to be a feel good movie, and succeeds at that.

Finally, you cannot help noticing how similar the movie is to Titanic, except that it happens on land, in Chennai. And, the director should be credited for giving a simple and nice climax, without too much drama or emotions. It goes well with the premise.

Overall, you feel satisfied having watched one of the better movies of our times, and one that would set a new trend for more to follow.

My rating: 3.5/5

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The probability of a remix song becoming sooper-dooper hit heavily depends on how popular and peppy the original was, how much the music director has kept his ambitions out of the remix, and how much the female in the remix shows her skin. Taking into consideration all of these environmental variables, I have made this list.

Disclaimer: This list is a reflection of how much I enjoy when each of these songs is played on TV, and should not be construed that I am being judgemental about the composition.

10. Yemperu Meenakumari from Kandasamy

The highlight of this song does not lie in the kulukkal movements of Mumaith Khan, or the sensationalism exhibited by her pierced tongue, but instead, it lies in the amazing free style body-shaking and hand-swinging movements of the half-naked old man along with her in the bus. If not for him, the song would not have been such an instant hit in all the patties and thotties of Tamilnadu.

9. Thottaal poo malarum from New

Care should be exercised while watching this song. The best option would be to use the turn-off-video button in your TV in case it is available. For the damned souls whose TV does not have this valuable switch, be ready to watch the King of torture S.J.Suryah who will continue to haunt your dreams long after the visuals are over.

8. Yeh Aatha Aathorama Vaariya from Malaikottai

A remix that survives only on the peppiness of the original! Whether she wears a Benares pattu or mini skirt, I don’t understand why Priyamani looks like she has just got out of bed and jumped into the stage to dance. The less said about the hero, the better.

7. Ponmagal Vandhaal from Azhagiya Tamil Magan

Does Shriya look like she has an Eclairs chocolate stuffed into her cheek, or is it just me? Anyway, a neat composition, rendered magical by Asslam’s voice. The music blends with the voice perfectly. A rare Sivaji Ganesan remix!

6. Vachikava unnai mattum nenjukulle from Silambattam

Though Simbu comes back with his serial-set background reused in all of his movies for budget purposes, and repeats his painfully familiar and hysterical ’sit down, stand up, twist leg, move side’ exercise routine once more, the magic and peppiness of thalaivar’s song makes us want to listen to this remix composition again and again. Also it is a consolation that Yuvan Shankar Raja has kept his hands away from the ’sprinkle-some-out-of-the-world-beats’ button, which has paid off.

5. Ennadi Muniyamma un kannula maiyee from Vaathiyar

A song immortalized by T.K.S.Natarajan’s voice, has been neatly remixed by Imaan. I have never watched the video of this song, but listened to the audio umpteen times, and it holds the magic of the original. I guess this is the only hit song in the album.

4. Thee pidikka thee pidikka from Arindhum Ariyaamalum

“Kaamamum kobamum ullam nirambave.. Kaalamum sella madinthidavo…” – when yesteryear superstar MKT Bhagavathar sang this harmless song 70 years back (!!!) little would he have imagined a skimpily clothed chick making out with a ruffian guy at the backseat of a car, in the backdrop of his song, interspersed with dance movements similar to pulling up your loose trousers. Listen to the original here.

3. Madai thiranthu paayum nadhi alai naan from Vallavan (Yogi B)

Though not a film song, this remix from Yogi B created ripples. It could be heard everywhere from Nair chaaya shop to Bangalore-Chennai video coach. Yogi B introduced hip hop to Tamil, and used an evergreen Ilayaraja composition to his advantage. Calling rap ‘Sollisai’ in Tamil is interesting too. One of the better made packages in remix genre.

2. Ennama kannu sowkiyama from Thiruvilaiyaadal Aarambam

It is strange that one of thalaivar’s most remembered duets is with Satyaraj (a guy!). The remix had enough nakkals and naiyaandies in it that it has overshadowed the original itself. Also, the contrast between Dhanush and Prakashraj is greater than the pair in the original, that the duel of words between them in the song sounds more convincing. One of my favorites from Imaan.

1. Engeyum eppodhum sangeetham santhosham from Polladhavan

The clear winner. Surprisingly, again starring Dhanush, and Yogi B. Music by G.V.Prakash. One of the few songs where Ramya looks hot. The clear winner here is SPB’s voice. Prakash has recreated the magic of the eighties. As Yogi B promises at the beginning of the song, they bring back the classic Kannadasan-MSV-SPB composition in a fine way, retaining the party spirit of the song.

There is still a whole bunch of interesting songs out there. With almost all music directors giving remixes these days, I hope there will be more remix-rains pouring in coming days.

Aayirathil OruvanThe story is based on the struggle for power between two Tamil kingdoms – the Cholas and Pandyas. The Pandyas destroy the Chola kingdom, and the Cholas are forced to flee their capital, Thanjavur. But while escaping, they take along with them the idol of a Pandya god. The Cholas establish a secret settlement in some remote foreign island, with the hope that some day they will be resurrected back to the Chola kingdom by a messiah. The settlement is well protected by seven blockades, all of which one has to cross, to reach the place. The movie is based in the present day – a 1000 years after the Cholas are overthrown. A group of archeologists and armed men, led by Reema Sen go in search of the lost city of the Cholas, how they cross the blockades, and reach the place. Now, the twists are exposed – the Chola settlement is still alive in the foreign island, and Reema Sen is a descendant of the Pandyas, bearing a grudge to destroy the Cholas and bring the Pandyan idol back.

The movie is an adventure-treasure hunt kind of movie – at least it looks so in the beginning. The first half of the movie is all about the voyage, and the blockades the crew faces one after the other – all done in hollywood style. Karthi sizzles as a cocky coolie, Reema Sen gives a decent performance as the leader of the expedition and a Andrea does nothing more that just appearing in the scenes.The narration is catchy, and the background score is quite indulging. The crew escapes strange creatures, wades through cruel looking tribes, shoots down hundreds of red-colored men and crosses a quick-sand ridden desert to finally reach the lost city of the Cholas. The audience eagerly get ready for the team’s adventures in the new land. And then, the trouble starts…

The director seems to have become suddenly ambitious. He could have finished it off a hollywood-styled adventure movie with bigger dangers and barricades that comes the team’s way, all of which they successfully break to attain their goal. But instead, the director choosed to become adventurous. He keeps the lost Chola settlement alive in the remote land, and makes Reema Sen the descendant of the Pandyas, seeking to destroy the Cholas once and for all. From here, the movie becomes a torture porn, using the excuse of war, superstitions and agony. The director aspires hard to show how barbaric the Cholas are, and how crude things move about in this land, which makes the audience say, ‘Yuck!’. The script becomes slow, and all characters other than Reema Sen bear a zombie like dumbness about them, while Reema Sen becomes the like of a blood sucking vampire. The audience soon start looking at their watches, mocking at the silliness of the things happening on-screen, and how the movie that started off in a great way, was getting into the boring old rut.

Right from the start of the movie, where a voice narrates the backdrop of the story to the dialogues renders by both the female leads, the pronunciation of Tamil is grossly bad. The difference between ‘la’ and ‘zha’ in Tamil has been sadly ignored almost everywhere. Another thing that was odd about the dialogues was the so-called ancient Tamil used by the cave-dwelling barbarian Cholas. It could have been in normal Tamil itself – at least it would have reduced the zombie-ness of the characters. When a lot of logic has been compromised in the movie, I don’t see the reward in painstakingly bringing in an ancient diction of Tamil, which only alienates the characters from the audience.

‘Logic’ is something missing thoughout the movie. Cell phone works seamlessly in a place which has never been explored by humans. The army from India is able to get to a foreign land and kill hundreds of people there, without any issues or implications. If the army could be air-dropped in the Chola-settlement so easily, why should the crew travel over land, facing so many dangers and losing so many lives? Why do the Cholas look, act and behave like barbarian cannibals? Even though they are shown to have magical powers, how do they get cheated so easily by a girl? When all of the Chola women are raped and tortured by the army, how does Andrea escape, always standing by the side, watching all the horror?

Two good things about the movie are its stunning camera work by Ramji and wonderful music by G.V.Prakashkumar. The songs are indulging, and the background score is good too. ‘Un mela aasai thaan’ and ‘O Eesa’ are tunes that linger along. The computer graphics looks amateurish at some places, but the overall cinematography is quite good.

Reema Sen has given a splendid performance in the second half of the movie, as a vengeful and ruthless female. Karthi disappears in the second half and reappears to sum up at the end. Andrea is more conspicuous by her lack of any part to play in the second half. Parthiban is a huge let down. The most hyped character of the movie – the Chola king – behaves no more mature than the leader of a cannibal tribe. He is speechless and expressionless most of the time, except when they show his large eyes in close-up, trying to make up for the boring screenplay.

The movie is a new venture in Tamil. I have always wondered when the Tamil movies would move ahead of love, revenge and sentiments. This could be a first step, at least the first half. If the excessive gore, barbarianism and blood shed is removed, the characters are made to talk normal Tamil, and the movie is cut down by half-an-hour, the effect could have been completely different. Overall, the movie is nothing close to a must-watch!

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What’s much better than a hot cup of strong coffee? And for a Chennaiite, a cool breezy evening over a cup of coffee is heaven. What more… Koffee with Anu the chat show on Vijay TV does impress the audience, against the army of other soaps on TV. I have never got to watch the original show “Koffee with Karan” on Star World with Karan Johar. Nevertheless, Anu Hasan, the hostess of the Tamil version, makes the guests feel at home by her avid and bubbly tone.

Originally hosted by Suchitra, an RJ with Radio Mirchi, as ‘Koffee with Suchi’, this programme had lukewarm response, until recently Anu Hasan, niece to Kamalhasan, took up, giving the show a much-needed facelift. Although at times Anu Hasan tends to boss the guests around, the show is fun. The part where people close to the guests speak out trivia about their childhood and personal life, the audience reflect upon their own experiences, and ultimately wear a smile on their faces. Anu Hasan, with her good sense of humor and timely gestures, builds a good rapport with the guests, and the guests feel comfy answering her naughty questions at ease.

I happened to watch last week’s show with the grandmaster Viswanathan Anand and his wife Aruna Anand. I bumped into the show when Anand was already answering a truckload of questions on AIDS and HIV awareness. I was wondering who this doctor, a look-alike of Anand is, answering questions on AIDS… My brother joined the debate, arguing if the person on screen was Anand or somebody else. When Anu Hasan addressed him by his name, we had a good deal of laughter. Anand is an ambassador for the AIDS awareness campaign, and Anu Hasan shooting questions about AIDS was already raising grave doubts in us if that was really Anand!

It was fun knowing the other side of the chess maestro, where he got his wife’s hand because of a cup of coffee. Actually, it was not one cup, but two, and not from his wife, but from his maamiyaar. Also, Aruna Anand, his wife, was a highlight in the show. Her mother’s story of Aruna being a talkative little girl at school gave us a hearty laugh.

The first episode, where Vikram and Simbu were the guests was equally entertaining, and promising too. The show could do further well by bringing in celebrities from different aspects of the society, rather than from films alone, and it is already heading there. The show brings up the hidden other side of the guest, which is why it is a wee bit better than other contemporaries.

Vijay TV, with its plethora of creative programmes seems to be advancing ahead of the other channels in Tamil. Especially, with this sweet cup of coffee…