Category Archives: Comedy

Pannaiyarum Padminiyum

Pannaiyarum Padminiyum – is a Tamil Comedy Drama released in 2014. A village head man falls in love with the Fiat Premier Padmini car left behind by his friend for few days. The car soon becomes a integral part of the family and the village. The film narrates a deep love between man and machine in a native backdrop.

Naalaya Iyakunar reality show has produced some gem of directors for Tamil Cinema. Director Arun Kumar joins the elite list. He has taken a simple joy of life and created a feel good entertainer. Right from the start of the movie you would find yourself laughing, smiling and connecting to many portions of the movie. Jayakumar and Thulasi are perfect fit for their roles. Vijay Sethupathi and Bala Saravanan have performed their part well. Tale of love between man and car has always been a successful formula like the Herbie series, Padikathavan (1985), Transporter, Ferrari Ki Sawari. Pannaiyarum Padminiyum recreates the magic once again in a different style and in a different backdrop. Watch the movie to feel good and come out with a smile.

Must Watch

 

Om Shanthi Oshaana

Om Shanthi Oshaana – is a Malayalam romantic comedy released in 2014. The story revolves around a girl who falls in love with a guy in her teens. The guy doesn’t accept her love as she is still a kid. She waits six long years till she is on her own and completes her degree. Was she able to get the guy of her dreams is the plot of Om Shanthi Oshaana.

The plot is a very old one and has been dealt in numerous movies. Certain plots are like a fresh coffee in the morning… no matter how many years you had been having it, the first sip in the morning always tastes fresh. Only thing to take care is to make the coffee right. Director Jude Anthany Joseph with his fresh screenplay has made a perfect blend. Being his first full length movie he hasn’t compromised on the elements of his plot. Nazriya is cute with her performance and the story sails around her. Nivin Pauly has given a much matured performance and the Neram pair strikes gold again with their onscreen chemistry. All the characters you meet are positive, “there is a cool breeze, general warmth and greenery” (you will understand this phrase once you see the movie) throughout the movie. It is one of the movies where even the sad scenes look beautiful. While people are struggling hard to make something big, innovative and out of the world love stories… this one comes with simple, beautiful and down to earth love story. If you are girl kid of the 90’s you will have more things to relate in the movie. The dialogues are witty and makes you laugh at many places. Overall the movie is right for the season  and it is a feel-good entertainer throughout.

Must Watch – for all rom-com lovers

American Hustle

American Hustle – is a crime drama released in 2013. The movie is loosely based on the ABSCAM operation that had happened in the late 70’s in the United States. A FBI agent persuades two con artists to help him make some high profile arrests in return for not arresting them for their con. The operation leads them into a world of politicians and underworld mafias. What transcribes is the part of the story.

Director David O. Russell yet again pulls a very intriguing movie after Silver Linings Playbook. American Hustle is loaded with powerful star cast whose performance will impress you through the movie. The screenplay is witty and subtly touches on the ambiguities involved in the ABSCAM operation. Christian Bale, Amy Adams, Bradley Cooper, Jeremy Renner and Jennifer Lawrence have performed brilliantly and are very convincing of the characters they had portrayed. The movie is high in drama value and background knowledge of the ABSCAM operation would make it more interesting. Overall it is a must watch for all crime drama lovers.

Must Watch

Kalyana Samayal Saadham

Kalyana Samayal Saadham – is a Tamil romantic comedy film released in 2013. The film revolves around the various situations that occur in planning and organizing an Indian wedding. The story is narrated through the various events that occur during the arranged wedding of Raghu and Meera. When the wedding is finalized everything seems to be breezy until they face a problem that could potentially call off the wedding just couple of months ahead of the actual wedding. Added to this everyone in the family thinks they own the wedding and orchestrate the events much to the dislike of the to-be wedded couples. Were they able to resolve the issue, did they find a soul mate in each other remains the rest of the plot.

Director RS Prasanna has not only captured the essence of an arranged Indian wedding but also has subtly covered many problems that occur in organizing one. The problem that the couples face would be new for the audience to see it on screen. This kind of keeps the story engaging and not let it fall apart as a usual wedding drama which we have seen in many movies.  Actor Prasanna has essayed his part very well and Lekha Washington just fills in sufficiently. She has a limitation on the number of expressions she could bring out on screen.

What you would like: Very fresh screen play, comic portion of the movie, typical wedding time drama elements that most of us would have experienced

What you would not like: Certain shots look disconnected without an establishing shot. Lack of  strong drama element due to too many positive characters might bore you in parts

Overall the movie as a complete package is definitely watchable despite its few short comings.

Watchable

Sutta Kadhai

Sutta Kadhai – is a Tamil Slap stick comedy released in 2013.  In a fictitious tribal region Kora Malai the tribal head Ottagam is shot and killed when he is out hunting for birds. The daughter of Ottagam, two new recruits in the police are out to solve the mystery. Were they able to find the killer? is the plot of the movie.

Although the makers have tried to call it a dark comedy it is far from being dark and I would consider this as a slap stick comedy for the review. Director Subbu has struck upon a good concept, backdrop, characters and shots for the movie and where he has failed doing a good job is stitching the sequences together. It does however make you laugh occasionally. The casting for the movie is done well; you see experienced actors and newbies from Chennai Theatre group. The movie starts very well and demands a high degree of attention but after 30 mins into the movie it starts dragging as there are repeated and elaborate sequences. Before the knots are tied for the audience to keep guessing how it would be untied the story starts untying it. What they claimed to be a complex knot proves to be a very weak one.

What you would like: Concept and Characters, Absurdness in the script, Sambasivam comics

What you would dislike: Dragging and repeated sequences, Not so complicated problem, disconnected flow in the screenplay

Overall the movie is a forgettable affair.

Can skip it

Rejected – Short film

Rejected – is a short film made for 48hfp (48 hour film project www.48hourfilm.com) Delhi in 2013. The film is about a girl who is rejected a UK visa and the life threatening measure she takes after that. The movie is of comedy genre and is a very light watch. It also has a very satirist take on the addiction many of us have in the present day.

The movie is made by Petromax Films and directed by Arko Provo Bose. It has won 6 awards including best picture in the Delhi 48hfp. The story is very simple and would make you laugh. What I liked most about the film was its editing by Raja Gurpal Singh and Sound Design from  Shuaieb Alam Babar. It really gave the film a very professional finish. Good work by the entire team. It is a must watch!

 

Idharkuthane Aasaipattai Balakumara (Idhaaba)

Idharkuthane Aasaipattai Balakumara (Idhaaba) – is a Tamil Comedy movie released in 2013.  One day in a wine shop three incidents happen. A Roadside Romeo who has been stalking a girl in the neighborhood is being interrogated and warned by a local goon. A young sales representative stressed out balancing the demands of his boss and his girlfriend’s expectations, is drinking with his friends. Two contract killers stab a man to death. The paths of all these stories cross and what happens is the rest.

The movie starts in a lighter note and travels with the three story lines in parallel and convincingly ends with a much needed social message. Director Gokul has done a good job in engaging the audience to a greater extent compared to his earlier outing with Rowthiram. The screenplay is brilliant and keeps the interest going on. The cast, music and the locations all fit in apt with the story line.

What you would like: Comedy, Social message, Engaging Screenplay

What you would dislike: Too much of wine shop

Overall the movie is definitely a good watch.

Watchable

Moodar Koodam

Moodar Koodam – A Tamil Dark Comedy movie released in 2013. Four strangers come together under a strange circumstance. They decide to loot the house of a business man running a financial investment company. The business man is about to elope with his family cheating people of their money. The four strangers enter the house and hold everyone captive to get money. Did they succeed in their attempt is the rest of the plot.

Dark comedy as a genre is now picking up for Tamil Cinema. The new comer director and actor Naveen should be praised for choosing such a subject for his first movie. The story stays true to its title Moodar Koodam (Fools Gathering) and brings the fool out of every character. If you have a taste for dark comedy you will enjoy and laugh at the incidents. The techniques used in the five flashback stories have been brilliant each depicting a type of film making. The movie starts with a bang, slows down in the middle and picks up during the climax portion. The drag in the middle portion is because of the fact that there are no thrilling moments which could have kept the audience excited. All the cast have played their part well and the screenplay for the climax sequence have been done well. Overall the movie is a good attempt for a beginner and deserves a watch.

Watchablefor dark comedy fans!

Varutha Padatha Valibar Sangam

Varutha Padatha Valibar Sangam – a tamil romantic comedy film released in 2013.  Sivanandi is a village head who is known for his violent nature. Among his priceless possession is the rifle presented to his father by the British. The movie starts with police investigating about Sivanandi’s third daughter who is known to be shot by Sivanandi as she eloped from his house along with her boyfriend. Once the news is confirmed police arrests Sivanandi and the movie travels into flashback of incidents that had led to this. Why did he kill his daughter and under what circumstances is the rest of the plot.

Director Ponram comes from the school of Director Rajesh (Boss engira Baskaran and OK OK). The movie has the same flavor of Rajesh’s movie but in a village background. Sathyaraj has a good presence in the movie and has done his character with ease. Siva Karthikeyan and Suri has been successful making audience laugh occasionally. The movie runs with the weight of its title thanks to Vadivel for getting this name in Winner. The plot is very simple and doesn’t warrant a 2.5 hours script. The sequences and situations of village fights, father not approving the love, jobless youth roaming in the village without taking anything seriously are all what you would have seen in previous movies numerous times. The only difference is the climax of the movie. Overall the movie is just an average flair and you cannot take it seriously as its lead characters do not take anything seriously, the movie just remains a forgettable one.

Can Skip it 

Shuddh Desi Romance

Shuddh Desi Romance – is a Hindi romantic comedy film released in 2013. The plot deals with the confusions in the minds of the present day youngsters about marriage and commitment.  Raghu a tourist guide meets Gayatri an open minded independent girl on the previous night of his wedding and likes her. He elopes from the wedding stage just before his wedding ceremony. Later he meets Gayatri and both of them start a live in relationship which eventually leads to wedding. But few minutes before their wedding Gayatri runs away. What happened to Raghu after that, Did Gayatri come back? Were they able to change their perception on wedding is the remaining story.

Yash Raj Films comes out with yet another bold concept of live in relationship that is not often talked about widely in Indian families. Director Maneesh Sharma has used Baraat and Wedding planner backdrop which worked for him in Band Baaja Baarat to convey the story. It is not just a romantic comedy film but has a strong take on the confused mind of present day youngsters regarding commitment. Maneesh should be praised for taking up such a concept. However once the lead characters get into live-in relationship the movie slows down and he has used intimate scenes as the mode to move the story which makes it sluggish.  Shushant Singh Rajput and Parineeti Chopra has played their part well. Many of the audience might find Shuddh Desi Romance to be “adult”-e-“rated” because of the concept it deals with.  Overall the movie is different for the new plot and the actual problem that is bothering the current younger generation, however due to the lack of substance in the screenplay you might find it slow. It might make a good watch in TV or DVD.

Wait for TV/DVD – for the plot

Sonna Puriyathu

Sonna Puriyathu – a Tamil Comedy movie released in 2013. The plot deals with the common problem of bachelors who have apprehensions about getting married.  Shiva a dubbing artist wants doesn’t believe in marriage while his mother forces him to get married. She tries to fix his marriage with Anjali who seems to be very orthodox. When Shiva tries varioud ways to cancel the wedding he finds that Anjali also does not believe in marriage and is trying to cancel the wedding. The rest of the story is about how their relationship develops and did they change their opinion about marriage.

Director Krishnan Jayaraj has used comedy as the flavor to tell the story. Coming from Tamizh Padam fame CS Amudhan’s school and with Shiva in the lead this is a given. The subject is very niche and many of the audience may not have connected well to the actual problem. Also the director has used various techniques to keep the audience laughing which again lightens the actual intensity of the problem and the story wavers around incidents which may not be relevant to the plot. Shiva’s template script and he has done what he usually does. Overall the movie is not bad it would make a good watch on TV and may make you laugh even if you do not connect to the plot.

Wait for TV/DVD 

Pattathu Yaanai

Pattathu Yaanai – is a tamil action comedy movie released in 2013. Five cooks create enmity with a  local rowdy in Karaikudi and move to Trichy to setup their business and lead a peaceful life. But with the turn of events they get entangled into a gang war in the city. How they get out of it and setup a peaceful life is the rest of the story.

The movie has the usual elements that you would have seen in many of the commercial entertainers that cash in on the star value of the lead actor. Boopathy Pandian who is known for his commercial script writing and direction of movies like Devadhaiyai Kanden, Thiruvilayadal Arambam has once again created a script that  is entertaining in most of the parts. At the end of the movie what stands out is its comedy than its action. Once the movie switches into action mode you find that there is nothing new in it. The plot was different and had all ingredients in it to become a good slap stick comedy but fizzles out with its dose of action. Even the characters seem to be confused if they are part of a comedy film or an action film. Vishal has done a decent job, Aiswarya Arjun needs to work on her acting skills, Santhanam has yet again made a movie more enjoyable. Overall the movie is not bad and would make a good watch and make you laugh at various points in time, thanks to Santhanam. It would be a good watch on TV/DVD.

Wait for TV/DVD – for its comedy elements