Udhayam NH4 music review

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2.75 / 5

Udhayam NH4 is a GV Prakash musical and features Siddharth and Ashrita Shetty in the lead.

Vaa Iravugal - This one is a synth-driven EDM track which is a staple at clubs and dance floors. We have a rap segment, hints of dubstep and a lame kuthu routine in the end. The end result isn’t appealing and the track is average at best. Such club songs aren’t GV’s cup of tea and this is something that Yuvan aces in every album.

Indrodu Thadaigal -The rhythm of this song is similar to DSP’s signature beats and the tune isn’t anything special. One gets a feeling that this one is a really noisy track particularly the passé trumpet segment. Dancers might enjoy this one for its pace.

Maalai Pon Maalai - This breezy melody is bound to garner all the likes, tweets and shares in the online space. It is immediately endearing thanks to its gentle clap-like rhythm, the pleasant vocals of Bela Shinde and the elegant guitar and flute instrumentals. We also get to hear the talented S.P.Charan, making one of his sporadic appearances in the Tamil music scene.

Yaaro Ivan - This superhit track features real-life couple GV (sounding heavily nasal) and Saindhavi perfectly in sync and delivery a harmonious duet. The gentle rhythm of the number, the classy guitar touches and the Raja-esque use of strings, flutes give the song its charm. Note to forget the cool whistle piece which is sure to become a popular ringtone.

Ora Kannala - Gaana Bala belts out Ora Kannala in his typical earthy style. The song is tailor-made for him and the typical native instrumentation is reminiscent of Thenisai Thendral Deva’s countless yesteryear gaana songs. A different attempt considering GV’s repertoire till now.

VERDICT: The two melodies lift the album big time while the gaana is a cheeky little addition.

Django Unchained movie review

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The movie is set at a time in the 19th century when America (particularly the Southern states) is dominated by slavery and when blacks are termed niggers and totally kept aside from mainstream society. Even members of the black race can’t stand the sight of a freeman among their own race.

Django is one such slave who is freed by a dentist turned bounty hunter, Dr. King Schultz, to help him spot and kill the Brittle brothers. Django does so and also earns the liking of the doctor for being a natural and a man with purpose.

Django’s ultimate motto is to free his wife who has been sold as a slave. The Doctor and Django team up for more bounty hunts and they also plan to get back Django’s wife, who they find has been sold to Calvin Candie, a big-shot businessman in Candyland Mississippi.

The movie has panache, showmanship and extravagant violence with blood splattering all over, like other Quentin Tarantino movies and also shows us the kind of brutality that blacks were subjected to, like the Mandingo fighters who are purchased by the whites to fight viciously. In stark contrast, the director also shows Django as a freeman who more than holds his own as a bounty hunter and confidently encounters any racial slurs. In that sense, the director has shown the blacks’ oppression as well as the revolt by one among their own.

The soundtrack of the movie is a major plus and has a cult quality to it. Each scene is lifted by the eclectic soundtrack which is a collector’s item for sure.

Among the performers, Academy Award winning Christoph Waltz is restrained and methodical and uses his aggression only when required. Jamie Foxx has among the best roles in recent times. which is stylish, has a lofty purpose and kicks a lot of ass as well. Leonardo Di Caprio unfurls his range in that classic dinner table scene when he comes to know of the real motives of the doctor and Django. The ace actor really puts on a sinister and fiery face in this segment which is the highlight of the movie. Samuel Jackson as Candie’s loyal black servant who just can’t stand the sight of a free Django is terrific and equally evil in his motives. Kerry Washington as the damsel in distress Broomhilda is put through fair bit of pain in the movie.

Ultimately, the movie despite being 165 mins long is engaging all the way thanks to the Academy Award winning screenplay, which takes its time to buildup and explodes in the end as a literally unchained Django goes on a vengeance against the bad guys. Afterall, watching a man's balls getting shot at, isn't an everyday occurrence rite?

MUST WATCH.

Himmatwala movie review

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1.5 / 5

The promos of Sajid Khan’s remake of the earlier Himmatwala screamed out aloud that the 80s will be back and we were led to believe that the movie would be an unabashed commercial masala with oodles of glamour, sentiment and of course over-the-top heroism.

What we get from the movie is pretty much the same but the comedy quotient of the movie is what makes it watchable right till the end. The plot is typical of a 80s movie – that of an invincible hero coming back to his village to unite with his mom and sister and also to avenge the evil guy who happens to be the village’s head honcho. There is a small suspense about the hero and of course we have a glamorous heroine as part of the mix too.

Paresh Rawal in a weird makeover and with a funny accent exhibits his full histrionics range and is a riot. Mahesh Manjrekar, though the villain, comes a close second in the comic histrionics department.

Ajay Devgn as the all-conquering hero has solid screen presence and is at ease in the comic scenes and also while bashing countless goons to pulp. But the action choreography is too far-fetched like other recent Bollywood mass movies and the involvement of a tiger in the fight scenes incites as many laughs as the funny scenes.

The songs of the movie such as Naino Mein Sapna and Taki Taki, which are already on air, showcase Tamannah flaunting her ‘hour glass’ curves without any inhibition. She sure steals the show whenever she appears on screen as the typical commercial cinema heroine who dominates the songs, with her sexy navel and shapely thighs garnering all the eyeballs. On the whole, she has all the qualities to become Bollywood’s next dream girl and she performs confidently in the limited scope she has.

Among the other performers, the perennial mom Zareena Wahab and Leena Jumani as the sister in distress are adequate and provide plenty of old-fashioned mush. Ritesh Deshmukh has a sad cameo while Adhyayan Suman proves why he was a failure as a lead hero. He has no screen presence whatsoever.

Sachin and Jigar have composed the title track ‘Thank god it’s Friday’ and we have the bubbly Sonakshi Sinha grooving stylishly to this track. The item song Dhoka towards the end is an eye sore though.

Though Himmatwala wouldn’t appeal to the current multiplex audiences who have been bred on city-based subjects, those looking for some mindless fun and popcorn entertainment might find this passable. Single screens are bound to offer good patronage given the massy nature of the film.

Verdict: Typical hero-centric masala with slapstick comedy being its highpoint

Kedi Billa Killadi Ranga movie review

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2.75 / 5

Theni Kesavan and Patta Murugan are thick friends and Rajini fans since childhood and they are jobless loafers around Trichy. They have few more friends and their only work is to indulge in petty talks, drink and loaf around a railway station where Murugan's father works.

Both of them get lucky in love after some struggles with Mithra and Paapa respectively and they aim to make it big as politicians by eyeing the local elections.

The scenes revolving around the public political meetings, the events on the election day and on the counting day are all hilarious.

The movie offers plenty of LOL moments and the comedy timing of Siva Karthikeyan and Parotta Suri is supreme. There are many instances and enjoy them with a crowd in the cinema hall. Vemal is adequate as a small-time local and the two girls Regina and Bindu are cute enough. Bindu's big eyes are such a delight while  Regina looks homely.

Yuvan's songs such as the haunting Deivangal Ellam, Konjum Kili and Oru Porambokku lift the movie a notch and his RR sounds good in the romantic and sentimental scenes.

KBKR also has a really heavy father-sentiment portion towards the end which is sure to leave a lump in the throat of every young guy watching. Delhi Ganesh and the other father character are natural to the core. Death has been used as a 'script tool' to evoke sympathy and it works big time.

On the whole, KBKR is a perfect summer stress-buster and is worth a watch with family and friends. You won't mind watching it again too. Go, laugh aloud and enjoy in the theater... 

Chennaiyil Oru Naal movie review

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3 / 5

The Tamil remake of the acclaimed Malayalam hit Traffic, Chennaiyil Oru Naal, comes with a stellar cast list and fair bit of marketing push thanks to the involvement of Sun Pictures.

The movie serves as a nice platform to educate the audience about the novel concept of organ donation. It does so through an action-packed premise which also tugs at our heart strings, as a police car has to deliver a heart from Chennai to Vellore just in time to save the life of a 13 year old girl.

A lot of characters are involved in this gripping mission such as the police commissioner who has to manage the entire logistics and practicalities of the trip, a tainted police constable who seeks redemption, a narcissistic superstar who encounters the realities of his personal life and a young doctor who is caught in a fix to name a few.

The emotional quotient of the movie is also pretty high as we have one family which is grieving the loss of their dear one while another is desperately waiting for the heart to arrive.

So we have dramatic action on one side with a nice emotional undercurrent running through. The script is the main selling point of Chennaiyil Oru Naal and kudos to the director Shaheed Kader and the screenplay writers Bobby-Sanjay and Ajayan Bala.

The movie does have some unwarranted frenzy towards the end and this episode turns out to be a bit far-fetched as the car is in a race against time through a crowded narrow alley to reach Vellore in time. But, the overall motive of the movie and the way it has been presented makes this particular episode just a minor blip.

Chennaiyil Oru Naal owes a lot to the solid performances by all the acclaimed actors in the cast. Cheran has the best role as the man who executes this high-stakes mission while Sarath Kumar is the brain of the mission as the city’s police commissioner.

Prakash Raj as the self-centered superstar, Radhika as his concerned housewife, Prasanna as the distressed doctor, Jayaprakash and Lakshmi Ramakrishnan as the grieving parents and Parvathi Menon as the heartbroken girlfriend are among the other notable performers. We also have Mallika uniting with her Autograph pair Cheran after close to a decade and Iniya’s role throws the script open to more tension in the second half.

Suriya is also there in the movie in a cameo which could have been woven better into the script. The star also promotes the cause of organ donation in the end as the credits roll.

Mejo Joseph takes care of the music and there are a couple of songs at the start as the premise and characters are set up. His RR is mushy and dramatic as per the demands of the script.

The cinematography by Shehnad Jalal shines in the scenes when the accidents in the movie are portrayed and also while covering the fast moving car on the highways of the state.

Mahesh Narayanan’s editing patterns add to the excitement and tension among the audience when we are waiting to see how all the characters are thrown into the mix by one particular incident. Interesting work indeed

On the whole, we have a movie which offers excitement and also educates us about a vital concept which can prove to be a life-changer to any of us in need.

Verdict: Definitely worth a watch for its novel intent and the way it has been presented.

Soodhu Kavvum music review

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2.75 / 5

Composer Santhosh Narayanan is back to consolidate with his latest soundtrack for Soodhu Kavvum, after a successful debut in 2012 thanks to Attakathi and Pizza.

Come Na Come starts weirdly with a man detailing the recipe for some weird dish and then the catchy ‘Come Na Come’ refrain starts. The beats of the song are groovy while the vocals sound untrained. The rap is another likable part of the song along with the recurring and imaginative violin usage. Don’t miss the female voice which goes ‘Hey Ennada’ from time to time.

In Mama Douser, Andrea is in top form in a typically energetic jazzy number. Though there have been similar jazz numbers before, Andrea coupled with the terrific instrumentation make this one enjoyable. Notice the trumpets and the guitar solo towards the end.

Ellam Kadandhu is a nostalgic trip down memory lane to a bygone era. This old-school song sure comes as a pleasant surprise. Have to see the movie to get the idea behind such a song.

Sudden Delight is an eclectic theme with a mix of chaotic electronic sounds and striking strings. The vocal element in the theme is very limited.  

Sa Ga has a beautiful string symphony at its heart and Divya Ramani comes across as a fresh voice.

Kasu Panam is an electronic dance track with contrasting earthy vocals. Gaana Bala is in charge of this song where a video-gameish sound keeps repeating throughout.

VERDICT: In all, Santhosh Narayanan lives up to his reputation as an ‘out of the box’ composer.

Vallinam music review

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3 / 5

Director Arivazhagan of ‘Eeram’ fame is back with Vallinam starring Nakul and Mrudhula Basker. Thaman is in charge of the music yet again.

The title song of Vallinam comes across as fierce and one with lot of drive. The trumpet arrangements are all dramatic and the vocals are spirited. This one will scorch the screens with the right visuals. A typical Thaman mass song on the whole

Simbu, Thaman and Mukesh team up to give this typical youth anthem, Maaman Machan, which is understated yet peppy. The rhythm of the song never goes overboard and there are some nice electric guitar touches peppered across it. The ‘Simbu Hit’ tag will be attached to this one too in all probability.

Nakula is a sensual melody rendered by the inimitable Andrea with Nakul providing apt support in a little portion. Expect some passionate visuals on screen. The song also has some elegant notes on the keys in the interlude.

Haricharan is spunky as ever in Uyiril Uyiril which has racy electronic beats and a nice sporadic guitar presence. This has turned out as a nice romantic dance number. The ‘Idhudhano’ ‘Adhudhano’ ‘Avaldhano’ refrains give the song a lot of pep.

The reprise version of Uyiril Uyiril has Thaman in his customary auto-tuned nasal avatar. The strings in the base are the lifeline of the song and make it haunting.

VERDICT: Vallinam’s music is youthful, peppy and romantic as well.