Janani K

Almost half an hour into director Pandiraaj’s ‘Thalaivan Thalaivii’, Nithya Menen’s Perarasi receives a phone call from her husband Aagasaveeran (Vijay Sethupathi). Her phone displays his name as ‘Kirukku Payya’, which loosely translates to ‘mad or crazy man’. This name is not just perfect for Aagasveeran, but for every single person in the world of director Pandiraaj’s ‘Thalaivan Thalaivii’. Set in Madurai, ‘Thalaivan Thalaivii’ begins with Perarasi, along with her parents, performing a tonsuring ritual at a temple for her daughter, but without her husband Aagasaveeran. The couple has been living separately for three months, and we soon learn that Perarasi is seeking a divorce. As their families get involved, and after hundreds of ear-splitting arguments, it becomes clear that Aagasveeran and Perarasi are two crazy, indecisive people who are stuck with each other.

‘Maareesan’ brings together Tamil comedy legend Vadivelu and brilliant performer Fahadh Faasil for the second time after ‘Maamannan’. While the two have their individual strengths, they are terrific performers. Give them any role, their eyes are enough to pull them off. Director Sudheesh Sankar’s ‘Maareesan’ is a comedy thriller, a genre that could either be effective or a total misfire. Dayalan (Fahadh Faasil) is a thief who is just out of the infamous Palayamkottai prison. In his words, certain houses talk to him and call him, so he could rob them. Soon after his return, he finds Velayudham Pillai’s (Vadivelu) house calling him. He breaks into the house to steal, but only to find Velayudham chained to his bed.

Telugu film C/O Kancharapalem, backed by Praveena Paruchuri, is one of my all-time favourite films. Directed by Venkatesh Maha and presented by Rana Daggubati, the film was fresh, innovative, profound, and exhilarating. All at once. With ‘Kothapallilo Okappudu’, Praveena Paruchuri makes her debut as a filmmaker, with Rana backing her once again. The trailer hinted at a quirky satire and a social commentary wrapped in humour. Ramakrishna (Manoj Chandra) works under loan shark Appanna (Ravindra Vijay), who sexualises women at the drop of a hat. Ramakrishna is smitten by his school love Savitri (Monika), who is the granddaughter of Reddy (Benerjee). Benerjee and Appanna are at odds with each other, driven by ego, caste, and privilege. Yet, both are vying to become the dominant force in the village.

The early 90s were testing times for Sri Lankans. For those who grew up listening to the gut-wrenching stories of torture and killings amid a civil war. Any story that’s centred on Sri Lanka will always hold high emotional intensity. When a filmmaker crafts a story based on Sri Lanka, political correctness aside, the film should encapsulate the trials and tribulations that the people went through. ‘Freedom’ is one such film which is inspired by true events, which have ample scope to move you, shock you and enthral you. But, did the film manage to make the desired impact? Let’s find out! In 1991, many Sri Lankan refugees sought shelter in Tamil Nadu and were put in camps all across the state. However, when former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated, these refugees became suspects to the police. The police took some of the men and women into the camps for investigation and held them captive at the Vellore Fort. They chose Vellore Fort because of the high walls and trenches surrounding the old fort.

Gone are the days when feel-good romantic entertainers filled theatres every week. And even when they do, most of them tend to feel flavourless, prompting us to revisit old classics from the ’90s and 2000s. When the trailer of ‘Oho Enthan Baby’ was released, it gave the vibe of a vibrant love story that speaks about the relationship troubles of today. Has ‘Oho Enthan Baby’ struck the right chord with the audience? Let’s find out! Ashwin (Rudra), a struggling assistant director, gets the opportunity to narrate his stories to actor Vishnu Vishal (as himself). He is accompanied by his manager, King (Redin Kingsley), who is a sounding board that tells only the truth. Vishnu rejects the first two ideas and asks him to narrate a love story as he hasn’t done one in his career. Ashwin hesitates at first, and then narrates a coming-of-age love story that has an abrupt ending.

Prime Video’s latest offering, ‘Uppu Kappurambu’, revolves around an interesting premise, albeit set in a fictional village. A quirky comedy, the Ani IV Sasi-directed film is a clever social commentary on dignity in death and how people are now easily divided over communal differences. Has ‘Uppu Kappurambu’ hit the right notes? Let’s find out! Chitti Jaya Puram, a fictional village, is full of zany characters who follow age-old practices that reek of ignorance, patriarchy and what not. Apoorva (Keerthy Suresh) becomes the village head following the death of her father, who died on duty. But, Apoorva’s father fully prepares her to take on duties and calls it the easiest job ever. One day, the village’s graveyard caretaker, Chinna, approaches Apoorva with a real problem. The graveyard is now short of space, and she is stuck figuring out a solution. Meanwhile, there are influential people in the village, Bheemayya (Babu Mohan) and Madhubabu (Shatru), who want to bring down Apoorva because they do not want to be under a woman’s leadership. How does Apoorva deal with these patriarchs amid a brewing cultural problem that forms the crux of the story?

For a middle-class family, owning a house is a distant dream – one that not many can afford. For some, this dream is their sole identity. For others, it is a mark of respect. But how long must a middle-class family of four toil to own a 3BHK flat in a high-rise building, especially when life keeps throwing curveballs their way? That’s exactly what director Sri Ganesh’s ‘3BHK’ explores. Vasudevan (Sarathkumar) is the sole breadwinner of a middle-class family of four. He and his wife Shanthi (Devayani), along with their son Prabhu (Siddharth) and daughter Aarthy (Meetha Raghunath), move from one rented house to another as he continues to save for a home of their own, because for Vasudevan, house = respect. ‘3BHK’ chronicles several decades of Vasudevan and his family’s life and their struggle to fulfil their dream. Every time they get inch closer to it, life intervenes – where needs become more important than wants. Vasudevan invests in Prabhu’s education, so he can share his dream and the burden of saving money with him. But, Prabhu, like Vasudevan, is fighting his own battle – one that drains him physically and mentally. When will Vasudevan’s dream come true?

What does an eight-year-old want? His parents, who enroll him in a prestigious elite school, give him access to everything. He has access to a computer, Zomato/Swiggy, expensive waveboards, all materialistic things, and has enrolled him in all classes and extracurricular activities. Yet, the eight-year-old is not happy and craving something that is beyond his and his parents’ understanding. What more can the parents do? This is what Ram’s ‘Paranthu Po’ is all about. Gokul (Mirchi Shiva) and Glory (Grace Antony) lead a hustling life, bound by countless EMIs and their dream of giving ‘everything’ to their fussy son, Anbu (Mithul). Gokul is a man who is struggling to set up a shop, while Glory owns a saree shop to sustain their life. When they are at work, Anbu, who is on his half-yearly holiday, is locked up inside his home and forced to take part in the classes his parents have enrolled him in.