Ranjit Jeyakodi’s second film, Ispade Rajavum Idhaya Raniyum, begins with Socrates’ quote: The hottest love has the coldest end. The film’s an attempt at introspection upon the nature of romantic love, on broken men, on unhappy women.
“At the end of the film, one of them asks, “Enakku mattum yen ushaaraaga maatengudhu?” Playing a cameo, STR — whose percussion-heavy loud music in this film I didn’t much care for — retorts with a dull response. I wish he’d said, “Nee ‘ushaar’ nu laam pesara varaikkum, unakku yaarume kadaikka maataanga.””
“I see this film more as a satire on the ills of social media. The most enjoyable parts of the film concern this. Like when a live video of a school’s squalor is being streamed on Facebook, and a random commenter goes, “Thalapathy 63 update please.” Later, in another live video, another one goes, “Thala Ajith massu”. I laughed out loud, at the truth of it all. It’s the sort of tragic silliness we are surrounded by, and while most films use references of these top actors to cash in on their fan base, LKG does it too, but subverts it.”
“I never truly understood what Meghna brings to her relationship with Dev, save for a supposed air of arrogance which turns bizarrely into unbearable clinginess. I think even she doesn’t get it, for, she keeps asking Dev why he’s into her.”
“At a time when the genre has all but died an ungraceful, extended death, this sequel tries to bring it back into fashion… rather unsuccessfully, and with little novelty.”
