Whenever god takes on anyone, the battle is usually, almost unfairly skewed. That’s why the coolest idea in Karuppu is when god is challenged not to exercise his super-powers in enforcing justice. The question Baby Kannan (RJ Balaji) seems to pose is this: if Karuppu (Suriya) can use his superpowers, an unfair advantage over humans, why should…
Author: Sudhir Srinivasan
29 Movie Review: A film of tender fragments
Clearly, Rathna Kumar is a poet. You see it in the chapter titles. You see it in how the protagonist Sathya (Vidhu) describes Viji’s (Preethi Asrani) lips: ‘Thiruppi potta Thirukkural.’ You see it in how Rathna films a song around the beauty of physical intimacy, and in how he seems particularly interested in the woman’s…
Kara Movie Review: A Sentimental Heist
Bank robbery, heist, a team forming, an expert who’s figuring his way around new challenges… these are all such cinematically exciting ideas. In the case of Kara, director Vignesh Raja tries to marry them with Tamil film ethos: Small-town setting, farmers, theism, Robin Hood figure… and of course, the mother of them all: melodrama, which…
LIK Review: The future may be flashy, but the love is very much old-fashioned
If you’re on the verge of making your film, I swear to god… check if Anirudh is free. Get him in, and half your work is done. He lifts LIK with such energetic, happy music, and when you couple it with the colourful, neon-flavoured digital world, complete with funky sunglasses, hairstyles and costumes, there’s already…
Aaranyakaandam Review: Righteousness is a luxury
Edhu thevayo, adhu dharmam, Aaranyakaandam says at the beginning and at the end. Righteousness is whatever is necessary at any point. It means there can be no objective morality in a world that isn’t an equal playing ground. For some privileged and comfortable enough, a belief in virtue and righteous behaviour may be possible. For some others, survival…
Sudhir Srinivasan 