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._

Ottha Seruppu Tamil movie review

*ottha seruppu*

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By Venkat Raghavan

I saw this movie over the weekend.  At my friend’s place.  His son recommended we watch it, and when he put this on screen I had no clue what to expect.  The official title is *ottha seruppu size 7.*

The movie is produced, written and directed by Parthiban.  And acted. 

Wait.  That is what he does usually.  Isn’t it? 

*There is no other actor.* 

In the visuals.  Only Parthiban.  In the *entire movie the only human you see* is Parthiban.  There are a few other characters, but they are not shown, you only hear their voices.   The setting for the entire movie is one room in a police station.  A table, a chair (which the character barely occupies) a mobile phone, a walkie talkie radio of police, a camera recording the interrogation, a file, a few papers, a wash basin and a paper kite are the only props.   There is a window which the actor walks to occasionally as he demonstrates more histrionics.

Giving away no spoilers, the 105 minute movie is about interrogation of the murder suspect Parthiban.  He is a poor security guard in an elite city club arrested for murder.  Due to the high profile of victim, Deputy Commissioner and Asst Commissioner are involved in the interrogation in addition to the Inspector.   The scenario; the police want the suspect to detail the murder act and also establish the motive. 

Seeing just one actor on screen could be tedious.  That too a middle aged scruffy looking Parthiban may not be one’s idea of immensely watchable.  Parthiban’s biggest victory here is he sustains your interest throughout, a win for him as a writer, director and actor.    The movie doesn’t lose the grip at any time; the frame at no point moves out of this room, even as the suspect narrates the scene there is no flashback visual, it is _all described verbally_ maintaining the tempo. 

The suspect at the beginning seemingly is pleading innocence, but that is a deception and soon it is clear that he is actually confessing to the murder detailing the modus operandi.  When the police seem satisfied with what they heard, there is a twist which the suspect introduces and the interrogation prolongs.  When that part is done, there is another turn.  To the total annoyance and utter frustration of interrogating officers.  The poor simpleton suspect is not after all stupid.   In one of the earlier scenes, when a cop asks why a gullible guy like him should get involved in a murder crime and get trapped like this, Parthiban asks naively if it is not the cops who are trapped?  When the miffed cop asks him to explain, Parthiban says he feels bad for the cops who are staying overnight interrogating him leaving their families trapped in their jobs.   But we come to realise later what he actually meant. 

It is almost a flawless movie, though the ending may be debatable.   In Tamil we have a few experimental movies being made nowadays, but in the degree of experimentation it would be hard to beat this.   A single sandal (without its pair), utterly insignificant and most dispensable.  One doesn’t give a second look.  But Ottha Seruppu is not.  Give it a watch.