Vettaiyaadu Vilaiyaadu (2006)

Language: Tamil

Actors: Kamal Hassan, Prakash Raj, Jyothika, Kamalinee Mukerjee

Director: Gautam Menon

If you have watched Kaakha Kaakha by the same director and think, OK yet another cop flick by Gautham Menon then you are in for a big surprise. To summarise the difference between the two movies in simple terms…

Kaakha Kaakha was about enforcement… Vettaiyaadu Vilaiyaadu is about investigation.

The best thing in this movie is that the protagonist Raghavan (Kamal Hassan) does his investigative policing work & the camera just follows him. As a "super" rightly says in the start of the movie, this is another episode in a police officer’s life.

As any Tamil movie demands, there are the human elements in this movie too. When we say human elements, we talk about 3 things – Romance, songs & comedy. Thankfully the director hasn’t forced any comedy in this movie by plugging in 2-3 cops who ass around in the name of a comedy track.

There is romance & songs but they are a seamless part of the movie. It is not like the police officer sees this girl on the way to a crime scene, cut to a dream sequence and cut back as they propose to each other following which is the customary kidnap and release scene and then the end !! The director has handled this part with utmost care and Jyothika has delivered one of her most powerful performances. Surya’s gain is the Tamil film industry's loss !!

The next important mention is the music of Harris Jeyaraj. It is pleasing and not on the face, although I personally feel that the song sequence in Goa is unnecessary and could have been avoided. Except that one instance where you get a Tamil movie feel, this one is a great movie otherwise.

I kicked myself for having not watched this one for almost 5 years since it was released.

Amazing movie, recommended for all those who love crime thrillers and that too a well-made & matured one…

PS: I was laughing when I saw the English title (that would go on the posters for the foreign market) “Hunt, Play” couldn’t they have thought of something better