Tag Archives: Madonna Sebastian

Kavan Review

Kavan Review – Kavan is a Tamil thriller released in 2017.  Thilak an aspiring Television anchor takes on the task of exposing an unethical practice of the media to sell news.

(Since IPL 10 has started I have used cricketing metaphors :))

Director K V Anand has batted in his home turf. He has also eliminated some of the mistakes in his recent movies. Instead of playing defense there are sixes flying all over the park in the first half. What happens to a match that starts so exciting and a wicket falls? Even some good stroke play gets boring. Kavan’s wicket falls in the interval block. The second half becomes a customary end to the proceedings with some cliched twists.

The first half of the story not only introduces the main characters of the plot but also introduces what happens in the media world to the audience. The tiff between the two lead characters, the social issue all of them adds extra flavour to the whole scene. The only flaw you could point out is some of the elaborate scenes of the reality show and lengthy TR dialogues could have been made crisp. Nevertheless, it is an entertaining first half and sets up your excitement for the second half.  K V Anand also has teased the audience with a dramatic interval block but reverses it to what fits in with the story.

The second half is a let down for me. Although the social issue takes the center stage, the script runs out of ideas for moving the story adding additional knots and removing them very convincingly. Everything looks a bit artificial. In the climax scene, there is no tension at all as you know the hero is going to win as he has the upper hand. If you had empathized on the villain you might have some thrilling moments here.

Coming to the checklist of KV Anand, many of it is fulfilled in this one like a party song, romance on the top of a high mountain peak, KV Anand trolling himself, a social issue. But for one thing having a song after the death of a character.

High Points: Very engaging first half, the core plot of exposing unethical media practices, Vijay Sethupathi and Madonna Sebastian’s screen presence.

Low Points: Lengthy dialogue scenes, Cliched second half.

Overall Kavan would be a treat for masala movie lovers where you want to watch a movie without thinking anything. Hence this gets a Worth a Watch verdict.

Worth a Watch

Kadhalum Kadanthu Pogum Review

Kadhalum Kadanthu Pogum Review – Kadhalum Kadanthu Pogum is a Tamil comedy-drama released in 2016. The movie is an official remake of the Korean movie My Dear Desperado. Yazhini a woman struggling to find an IT job has a  weird neighbour who is a gangster. The plot of the movie revolves around the two characters and an unexpected relationship that grows in between them.

Reputation from the previous movie and its associated expectation can spoil the fun. Many directors suffer from this and they tend to recreate a similar tale that had worked in the past. However, director Nalan Kumarasamy has moved away from a dark comedy to a breezy comedy-drama.  This is definitely in contrast to his previous outing. If you were to take away the expectation and don’t compare it to Soodhu Kavvum you would appreciate the movie.

There is a good 50 minute spent in building up the lead characters and one would experience a slight sluggishness in the proceedings. However, it eventually picks up and engages with the audience. The big plus for the movie is the contrasting behaviors of the lead pair. This hero doesn’t bend down and pick up the fallen items to help the heroine, he pays the bill in the restaurant but later gets the money for the items she had eaten. Such sequences make the movie stand out from the typical run of the mill romantic drama.

Vijay Sethupathi has performed well as usual. His character does bring in the shades from Naanum Rowdydhan in few instances. Madonna Sebastian is eye candy in the movie and she sure has created an impact in her entry into Kollywood.

High Points: The characterization of the lead pairs, No unnecessary frills attached in the screenplay, The sequence where the gangster ends up for an IT job interview. Vijay Sethupathi’s performance and Madonna Sebastian’s cuteness.

Low Points: Vijay Sethupathi’s character has shades from Naanum Rowdydhaan, Slow screenplay during the build up phase.

Overall Kadhalum Kadanthu Pogum is a feel good drama that might be slow to begin with but eventually would reach your heart.

Worth a Watch