Kannum Kannum KoLLai Aditthaal

Kannum Kannum KoLLai Aditthaal

By Venkat Raghavan

(Again) With no expectations I went to see this movie.  The title was catchy.  It seemed to say something beyond the romanticism of the phrase.  Posters alluring.

There was one more reason.  Dulqar Salman.

The director was unknown (maiden venture) but Dulqar Salman as an actor wouldn’t feature in a trash was my thought.  

No, this is *NOT a game changing* movie like a _Vikram Veda, Super Deluxe_ or totally experimental like my previous review _Othaseruppu_ either.  

But it is a thoroughly entertaining new age movie that is reflective of talent and outlook of the current crop of young movie makers and their *bold departures* from norms.  

Siddharth (Dulqar) sees Meera (Rita Varma -oh she acts well) and there is instant spark.  He follows her everywhere.  And on a fine day tells her that he is totally in.  She is taken aback but is persuaded to think over and she leaves irksome.  On the appointed day, Siddharth and buddy Kallis (Kaleeswaran) expectantly wait for her at a park and she turns up ridden by someone in a Royal Enfield bike.  After moments of anxiety, they see the rider is also a female.  And after further tense moments she agrees to court him.  

Siddhu is a freelance app developer. Kallis a freelance graphic designer.  Meera is a beautician who renders services at clients’ home.  She is meticulous, values every penny. (teaches shop keeper a valuable lesson when instead of small change he offers toffee).  She grew up in an orphanage and obviously is charitable towards needy.  As Siddhu tries to keep Meera amused Kallis tries to woo Shreya the bike riding companion of Meera.  She is an independent small time caterer. 

Siddhu and Kallis in their romantic spree, find themselves completely emptied of their pockets as they were busy gallivanting with girls for a month without bothering to work.  Time to get back to work so coffers can be replenished.  Now we get a real peek in to their ”actual” work!!   It is not app developing or graphic designing.  It is *online shopping fraud*.  

_Modus Operandi:_ they shop online for expensive high spec laptops.  They do it under bogus names, addresses and payment methods.  When the goods arrive they collect in the vicinity of address (and not at the exact address) making it appear as though accidentally they had stepped out or some such.  They skillfully replace the original expensive parts inside with cheap alternatives and then return the merchandise on some excuse under the policy of goods return within a few days.  These expensive parts they sell and make money.  

They don’t do the same thing too long.  So they switch to robbing things left inside luxury cars by copying the radio signals of the remote unlock.  

The scene then shifts to a tough Asst Police Commisoner’s (Gautham Menon) house where his daughter who is playing on her new laptop providentially escapes as the laptop blows up.  ACP after going through gadget experts, doesn’t take long to smell the mode of crime, gets police cyber cell follow the online goods return trail and is waiting for the next such return to happen.   But it is not happening. (the boys are now on cars remember?) 

But Siddhu and Kallis are done with.  They are done with their con life.  They have now made 40 Lakhs of rupees and propose to Meera and Shreya they start a new career setting up a Saloon (for Meera) and a restaurant (for Shreya) in Goa with 40 lakhs as investment from their life long savings.  They also plan to get married first.  They drive down to Goa in Siddhu’s car.  They are put up in a nice hotel.  The night falls, as the boys come back separately from the bar back to their rooms, they see ACP at the hotel reception making enquiries.  Even as they head to their rooms, they find the ACP already there with a few cops.  The totally flustered guys in complete pale open the rooms and the *girls aren’t there!!*

Now this is HALF-TIME guys.  If you think I have given away anything, there are more twists and turns in the second half.  The narrative and scenes are built around cyber crime.  

_Now what did I most like about the movie?_

It is a movie with no judgment on morality. No justification for character’s choices or actions. No intimate duets or female exposure.  No pretense whatsoever.  The only niggling thing is the apparent ease with which they break technology. (some logical liberties)

It is two happy go lucky couple who are extremely clever.  The movie is light, romantic, suspenseful yet humorous.  

Ultimately there is no compulsion for justice or karma.  

_That is Tamil mainstream movie making at its new age best._