Vada Chennai: A gritty, even if rushed, gangster drama with unforgettable stretches

“In the other murder sequence, you have two novices undergoing a rite of passage of sorts. The event is the equivalent of two young lion cubs hunting a weary hyena. It’s fascinating to see as they, full of vigour and inventiveness, wake up to what they can actually do. It’s a sequence Santosh Narayanan’s music stands out in.”

NOTA: This coming-of-age story doesn’t live up to its early promise

“It’s tempting to think of a Mudhalvan, whose protagonist too gets forced into the Chief Minister seat. And just as with that film, it’s important that you don’t really question the practicality of it all. These films are targeted at the impractical idealist, I suspect, resides in all of us.”

96: A beautiful idea, an efficient film

96 works beautifully in theory… in the head. Long-lost lovers fitting together again — like two pieces in a jigsaw puzzle — just for an evening, after more than a decade, is a dreamy idea. He’s Ram (Vijay Sethupathi), and she’s, no surprises, his Janaki (Trisha). He’s become a photographer, and sought refuge in the…

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Chekka Chivantha Vaanam: An in-form Mani Ratnam hits this gangster film out of the park

“While people pump each other with bullets, Rahman’s music remains observant while being strangely detached. It’s a shrug of the narrator’s shoulder, at the unstoppable tragedy of it all.

Chekka Chivantha Vaanam is a shining example of song integration into story. Pay attention to how variations of Sevandhu Pochu Nenju get used in this film in bits and pieces. Or even better, how about Mazhai Kuruvi, which transforms from love to lament?”