Janani K

Tamil director Nelson Venkatesan has been in the industry since 2016. Nearly a decade in Kollywood, the filmmaker is just three films old, and all three films have made noise for their themes and filmmaking style. After the underrated ‘Farhana, he returns with his fourth offering, ‘DNA’, starring Atharvaa and Nimisha Sajayan. Anand (Atharvaa) is a brooding alcoholic drifter who is struggling to come to terms with life after a breakup. Divya (Nimisha Sajayan) is a naive woman diagnosed with borderline personality disorder, who often gets branded as paithyam (a derogatory Tamil term for someone with mental illness). One good-for-nothing man deserves a woman with a condition – this is what both families decide as they come together for a marriage of convenience. But, Anand and Divya navigate through this and find love in each other. He is a man who makes life easier for Divya, while she is a woman who lights up his life. When they get pregnant and are all set to step into their lives as new parents, tragedy strikes - Divya finds out that the infant handed over to her is not her child. Anand, who initially doubts Divya, eventually believes her and takes the police’s help to find their missing child.

Telugu filmmaker Sekhar Kammula’s reputation speaks for itself. With films like ‘Anand’, ‘Godavari’, and ‘Fidaa’, among others, his films are rooted yet progressive at the same time. His films, even after years, make you fall in love with it all over again. His latest offering, ‘Kuberaa’, with a power-packed cast including Dhanush, Nagarjuna, Jim Sarbh and Rashmika Mandanna, is a film that touches upon various topics including power, money, betrayal, humanity and justice. Has he managed to strike gold again? Let’s find out! Neeraj Mitra (Jim Sarbh) is a powerful and ruthless businessman who discovers oil reserves that could support India for the next 15 years. He strikes a deal with the ruling government that would benefit both parties in the long run. To help execute his plan, Neeraj approaches Deepak (Nagarjuna), an honest CBI officer who is in prison due to a false case. Although Deepak initially refuses, he eventually joins forces with Neeraj and his father after much prodding.

“You saved me from death. From now on, you and me are one,” says Kamal Haasan in one of the most strikingly shot scenes from Mani Ratnam’s ‘Thug Life’. The dialogue, albeit simple, has a profound touch to it. As the story progresses, you realise he meant what he said. Kamal Haasan’s Rangaraya Sakthivel and Silambarasan’s Amar are indeed one. But, what causes a rift between them in this world of thugs? Mani Ratnam’s ‘Thug Life’ aims to present a full-blown gangster drama rooted in this very question. Rangaraya Sakthivel (Kamal Haasan) is a gangster in New Delhi and has a bunch of trusted aides, all recruited and raised by Manikkam (Nasser). An encounter leads to the death of a local newspaper vendor. Sakthivel, who is deeply disturbed to see the newspaper vendor’s son, Amar, takes him and raises him as his own son (Silambarasan) along with his wife Jeeva (Abhirami).

What do ‘Jigarthanda Double X’, ‘Viduthalai 2’, and ‘Narivetta’ have in common? It has protagonists who fall victim to systemic oppression - a hero who represents a system, later realises the truth, who represents the right, and who fights for what’s right, even if it means an end to one’s life. Varghese Peter (Tovino Thomas) is a man, much like his father. The two men are not interested in doing simple jobs to pass the day. They aim high, which is a testament to their potential. Varghese lives with his mother after his father took his life. He is awaiting calls for two jobs – a village assistant and a police constable. Varghese, who doesn’t think twice about borrowing money from the women in his life, is uninterested in both jobs.

Vijay Sethupathi and director Arumugakumar’s debut collaboration ‘Oru Nalla Naal Paathu Solren’ polarised audiences completely - viewers either loved its zany approach or absolutely despised it. There’s no middle ground. When the duo reunited for ‘Ace’, expectations were quite so-so. The question remained: Could they craft a film with universal appeal this time around? Let’s find out! Bold Kannan (Vijay Sethupathi) is an enigmatic figure desperate to shed his criminal past and start a new life. His only link to his former life is his last phone call to imprisoned associates. Relocating to Malaysia, he befriends Arivu (Yogi Babu), a rag picker who masquerades as a businessman to impress Kalpana (Divya Pillai), a hotel owner.

Family dramas always make up for great stories. There’s drama, never-ending conflicts, and a whole lot of plots and sub-plots to make for a wholesome script. Yet, this is one such genre that could always fail, if the script is not taken care of. Director Prasanth Pandiyaraj’s ‘Maaman’ is one such film that explores the relationship between Uncle Inba and his hyperactive nephew Laddu. Inba (Soori) is a perfect husband-material according to Rekha. He respects the women in his life – his sister Girija (Swasika) and his mother (Geetha Kailasam) – the most. Inba’s sister Girija has to bear the brunt of society’s sharp words because she has been childless for a decade. When she gets pregnant with Nilan aka Laddu (Prageeth Sivan), Inba is more present than her husband (Baba Baskar). Let’s put it this way – Inba’s overpowering love doesn’t let her husband be the husband and the father he wants to be.

If anyone who follows movies says that horror comedies are a thing of the past, show them the Tamil film slate. Almost every two weeks, a horror comedy takes over the screens. Whether it lives up to the horror or comedy genre is debatable. This week, we have Santhanam’s ‘DD Next Level’, the fourth film in the ‘Dhilluku Dhuddu’ franchise. Is it a great addition to the franchise? Let’s find out! DD Next Level’s premise is fascinating, especially because it includes a film critic. Krishna aka Kissa 47 (Santhanam) is a film critic on YouTube, who uses rap to share his views. He gets called to a special screening along with his family. When he reaches the venue, he feels that something is off and returns. Upon returning, he finds out that his family, including his mother, father and sister, are already seated inside a theatre.

Tired of watching guns, gore and blood splashing all over the big screen? Are you obsessed with films featuring hardcore action and violence and looking for a breather? Have you ever thought about wanting to watch a no-fuss film that reminds you to look for goodness in people? If a film can put a smile on your face this weekend and offer you some respite, it is director Abishan Jeevinth’s ‘Tourist Family’. Dharmadas (Sasikumar), the epitome of ever-helping Mr Goody Two-Shoes, and his wife Vasanthi (Simran), along with their two children Nithushan (Mithun Jai Sankar) and Mulli (Kamalesh) are Sri Lankan natives who illegally hop on a boat to enter India. They end up in Dhanushkodi, only to be caught by the police. But, the innocence and sharp presence of mind of Mulli help them escape.