Vazhakku Enn 18 / 9 (2012)

Language: Tamil

Director: Balaji Sakthivel

Actors: Sri, Urmila Mahanta, Mithun Murali, Manisha Yadav

Cinematography: S D Vijay Milton

Music: R Prasanna

A crime thriller that has a real feel, you don’t feel this is a movie till the last frame where the lead artist says, “However long it will be, I will wait for you”. The highlight of the movie is how the director tells the story. He chooses to do that through a series of flash backs as seen from the point of view of two people. One, a boy (the lead) who is accused of throwing acid on the face of the girl (the lead) and the other a girl (the second lead) for whom the acid burst was meant for. 

The storyline is simple acid is thrown on the face of a maidservant of a middle class household. The police interrogate a boy who has had a couple of run-ins with the girl (maid servant). But another unlikely angle arises when the young girl in that household suspects it could be her neighbor, a rich boy who is after her. Then comes the rich boy’s influential mother, a minister and the police and the director’s knack to draw you to the edge of your seat.

This movie has all the ingredients to rocket Tamil cinema into the world stage. All the characters in the movie are so real and you could relate to most of them. The cinematography is another huge plus for this movie, purported shot on a Canon EOS 5D digital camera the images speak volumes. Prasanna’s background score adds strength to this classic. One can keep talking about the director’s attention to detail and the way he has chiseled his characters, it looks so real. Every single actor / contributor to this movie needs to be commended. Director Linguswami deserves a very special mention for producing such a classic in this age of commercialism.

There have been many comparisons of this movie with the Oscar winner, A Separation which I think is very unfair. That I think is the Tamil jingoism we are used to, that makes us get into such comparisons. Vazhakku Enn stands out, it would be unfair to compare this masterpiece with other movies.

I loved the way Director Prabhu Solomon & Mysskin talked about this film (on two different occasions).

“The days of us watching good movies from Iran, Korea etc. is gone. The time has come for them to watch our movies, this will be the first” says Solomon.

“I asked Balaji Sakthivel how this movie is doing and he said it is doing okay…. This is a movie that should be celebrated… A movie each and every one should be talking about” says Mysskin.

This movie is a gem, a must watch for all movie lovers. A sure super dooper watch and most recommended. 

Marina (2012)

Country: India

Actors: Siva Karthikeyan, Oviya, ‘Pakoda’ Pandian, Sundararajan, ‘Jithan’ Mohan

Director: Pandiraj

This film has a documentary feel to it (in bits and pieces). The hero of the movie is the Marina Beach of Chennai, the second longest beach in the world. The movie is complete with the inhabitants of the beach – Beggars, love birds – illicit & otherwise, children hawking things, joggers, petrol thieves, singers & dancers and of course the police.

The movie opens with a young boy landing in Chennai to make his fortune. He lands up in the Marina Beach selling water packets. Then you see the boy making friends, friends with fellow hawkers, beggers, guys who rent horses and a guy who comes to the beach with his love interest. As the director documents the life and times of the people in the beach we are suddenly distracted as police comes in search of one of the boy hawkers. And then comes the usual trivialization of things that happens in Tamil movies – Why, what, how and all that.

You could dissect the movie into 5 segments – (1) The boy hawkers (2) The young couple in love (3) The old man / begger (4)The police men / trivialization (5) Others: Including the Postman, singer father & dancing daughter and the moral of the story. All but the policemen segment lend to the strength of the film.

The music is likable and is not on your face like a normal Tamil movie. For once, the background score plays an important part in a Tamil movie. The actors do well to live their parts without naming names every single actor have delivered a great performance. The script seems tight except for a while when it strays out with the police searching the young hawker episode.

This is what they call a “feel good” movie that delivers a powerful message against child labour in a way you wouldn’t even know what hit you.

Good work by Pandiraj and his team. Had the director clipped that trivial segment it would have made the film a bit tighter and shorter by a deserved 15 minutes (and may be a SuperWatch).

A good watch !!

Vanavasam (1965 ?)

Language: Tamil

Author: Kannadasan

Kannadasan, Kaviarasar or King of Poets for many of us Tamils was and is still one of the best contemporary Tamil poets the world has seen. Vanavasam is the first part of his two part autobiography. This culminates with him leaving the DMK (a political party from Tamil Nadu), disillusioned by the internal politics and personality clashes.

In the interim there are some grim moments which force the King of poets to discontinue studies, flee his home in search of greener pastures, finding his foot, stepping on the first step to the gateway of recognition, friendships, courtships, controversies, heartbreaks – emotional & economic and realization.

It is a fabulous rollercoaster ride through his life in second person. For there is no I in this book, there is a he. There are times when you feel the details are overdone, like the woman he loves from Mylapore episode and like where characterless, promiscuous politicians make an appearance. You like a true blue voyeur want more but there isn’t any more detail.

Overall I would say this is probably one autobiography from where you can’t take much out. The author himself says that in the start. That one can’t take much out as the moral of the story but can understand the things that need to be avoided to be a better human being.

For those who have an interest in Kannadasan this book is a primer, for it gives details of where, when and how he made it big and the circumstances surrounding that. The circumstances interest the reader more because they involve the politicians and famous people who have ruled page 3 and also our lives (literally and figuratively) .

This one is a good book to read if you satisfy one primary condition and two secondary conditions. (1) is the primary which I’m not sure everyone would satisfy but (2) & (3) is something most of us are.

1. If you can read and understand simple Tamil
2. If you are a voyeur (If you say you aren’t, sorry you shouldn’t be reading this blog. For you are not a human !!)
3. If you like literature of any kind

A very good read.

I love Kannadasan, but I still believe there is something that stops me from marking this a Super read. That said this one is really, really worthwhile, buy it and read it if you can read Tamil.

PS: In the foreward to the 1981 edition the author says that this book was sold for INR 4 in 1962

8am Arivu – A sequel to the great movie

This one is a story made for “Namma Captain”, yes Vijayakanth. Whatever said and done A R Murugadoss has moved the goalpost for the Indian movie scene. He has introduced China into the scheme of things. Thank you kind sire, we were bored of seeing all those Pakistan themed movies. This movie, the sequel will cash in on this new phenomenon. The evil Chinese design and how Captain Vijayakant singlehandedly saves India and its people.

Now to the story, most of us who took fancy of the Wikipedia page of Bodhidarma wouldn’t have progressed beyond 2 pages of the long write-up. According to the legends Bodhidharma woke-up from his grave and walked back to his home, India with one shoe in hand. Now comes the story for Captain Vijayakanth.

The movie starts with the riots in Guangdong, China. Cut to the ethnic riots in Xinjiang province and then the devastation of earthquake.

Cut to a secret meeting between the Tamil speaking Chinese politburo and the Shaolin monks. The monks trying to reason that the riots and all these calamities are happening because Bodhidharma has left his grave and gone back to India. Here we fan some nationalistic feeling with one of those present saying, “Look at how the Indians have progressed and prospered. We have to do something to stop them. We have to bring Damo back and have him interred in the grave. Then we shall be superpowers, as we were”. So they set up operation “Qilai” or “Raise” to get Bodhidharma back to his grave in China.

Cut to India, there is this boy who is 16 who still works in the same circus where his grandfather worked. This boy can’t act but has a well-built muscular body (because he is the descendent of Shruti Hassan & Suriya from the previous installment). The Chinese send an old Dong Lee back to India to kidnap this boy and transport him back to China so that he can be killed in interred in the grave of Bodhidharma.

And there comes Captain with his red eyes and punch dialogue, “Chinese-la enakku pudikkatha vaarthai Qilai da” (the word I don’t like in Chinese is qilai). And demolishes the Great Wall of China to save India and restore Tamil pride. In the interim we have 3 item songs, one for the Chinese (the politburo & Shaolin monks) and 1 for Dong Lee and another for Captain himself when he goes to a dance bar for an encounter.

We also have the boy’s elder sister who romances Captain as he tries to save the universe and of course have two songs with her. One on top of the Great Wall in Chinese costumes and another in some European location.

This film I’m sure will be a super dooper hit with much better commercial value and restore Tamil pride better than what 7am Arivu did.

The movie will be called "8am Arivu - Saving 7 worlds and beyond"

Serious producers who can reach this story to Captain can contact me for taking this further.

7am Arivu

Language: Tamil

Actors: Suriya, Shruti Hassan, Johnny Tri Nguyen

Director: A R Murugadoss

The first 30 minutes moves like a documentary, one of those “The floods of Bihar” or “The visit of the Indian prime minister to Zambia we would have seen in the 80's before the start of a movie. Those are the 30 minutes spent to tell us who the principal protagonist of the movie is, Bodhidharma.

And then come a group of Chinese plotting against India and one woman who stands between their plots success or failure. And then of course the protagonist who will ensure the plot failed, his DNA, research lab, 3-4 songs and then the usual vanquishing the antagonist and the end.

The film starts okay but then nosedives to abysmal depths. Only Ravi K Chandran’s camera work and some slick stunts, thanks to Peter Hein and Suriya & Johnny’s acting skills are things worth a mention. Murgadoss even tries the tested formula of infusing / invoking the Tamilian pride but the attempt falls flat as one can’t understand what pride he’s talking about.

Let’s get one thing right, we are talking about someone who lived in the 5th or 5th century AD. At that point in time there wasn’t any Tamil Nadu (Tamil Nadu or Tamilian came into being only in the 50’s when the linguistic splitting of states happened). So there couldn’t have been a Tamilian and hence any attempt to colour anyone who lived in that era as a Tamilian is a convoluted argument (he was a Pallavan citizen who spoke Tamil, get that right). That is the argument our Dravidian politicians make to fool us. At max the only thing common between us and Bodhidharman is the language Tamil.

He is supposed to be a master in Charaka’s medicinal science – Charaka is not from any of the Tamil speaking kingdoms. He is supposed to be as expert Kalari practitioner – Kalari is a martial arts form from our neighbouring Kerala (we have Purananuru texts that say this art form was practiced in the Chera, Chola & Pandiya kingdoms). He is supposedly a Buddhist monk – Buddhism isn’t a phenomenon that originated from Tamil speaking kingdoms. So just because he came from a Tamil speaking kingdom we try to sell him as a great Tamil icon and invoke Tamil pride ? Isn’t that stretching the rubber a bit too far ??

The director could have invested in 2 or even 3 new faces (who could act) as heroine for the money he would have paid Shruti Hassan. Shruti Hassan reminds me of Rohan Gavaskar, talented father. Everyone can’t be as gifted as Rahul Gandhi, gifted with the ability to pull cotton wool over the eyes of the general public. We have already seen her music direction skills, now acting. She should apprentice with T Rajender to expand her horizons and prolong her film career.

There is nothing else one can talk about in this movie.

Watch it if you really want.

Vinnaithaandi Varuvaayaa (2010)

Language: Tamil

Actors: Silambarasan, Trisha Krishnan

Director: Gautam Vasudev Menon

The plot is nothing new, we have heard the singsong Shanti Mantra from the Vedas followed by a harmony played together with the Church organ enough. We hear this combination more than once every year, clichéd if you want to clichédly describe it. I started watching the movie cynically, nearly two years after the movie was released.

There are a few things that make this movie watchable, Silambarasan aka Simbu is probably one of the most talented and misunderstood actors in the Tamil movie scene. More than his acting skills, the way he snaps his fingers and the prefix he puts before his name on the title is more talked about. And not to forget his “Made to order” father who comes to our mind every time we think or talk about Silambarasan.

Add to this the lovely Trisha Krishnan, who does fantastically well and the bunch of talented actors backed up by the storytelling skills of Gautam Vasudev Menon, pleasing visuals thanks to Manoj Paramahamsa and some lovely music by A R Rahman make this a movie to watch.

The only thing unpredictable (the WOW moment) is the end, thanks to the film background of the protagonist Karthik the director affords to end the movie differently. Not like the ones we have seen in those clichéd Veda + Church organ movies we have seen till date.

If one wanted me to list the items I liked about this movie…

1. Taking a clichéd subject and surprising you in the end
2. Lovely visuals
3. Superb background music
4. Dialogues one can relate to (Mathematics is easier compared to becoming successful in movies)
5. Actors who don’t act but bring the visuals to life

This is one movie where the songs weren’t intrusive but their picturisation is like any other Tamil movie. But still you can sit through them with a smile on your lips thanks to Rajeevan’s art direction and Nalini Sriram’s costume designing skills.

Originally I would have wanted to affix a good movie tag to this one, but it deserves a bit more. For, it has I believe pushed the envelope a bit further.

Super Watch !!

Mankatha (2011)

Country: India

Language: Tamil

Actors: Ajit Kumar, Arjun & Trisha Krishnan

Director: Venkat Prabhu

The plot involves a gang of 5 who come together because of circumstances, they plan a heist of cricket betting money. The 500 crore is supposed to come to Mumbai, to a local goon for further distribution. These 5 have to intercept the money, steal and split it among themselves. Do they manage to is the movie.

This is Ajit Kumar’s 50th movie and he doesn’t disappoint. If there is one thing that holds the film together and makes it watchable it is the screen presence of Ajit Kumar. The first 1 hour moves in a decent pace. This is even before the 5 come together and plan the heist. Naturally one expects the movie to pick-up pace post that and become gripping. Unfortunately, it doesn’t. The film becomes predictable and you wait for the last 15 minutes to validate the end you’ve got in your mind. The last 15 minutes does pick up stream, but still predictable. The only surprise being the other person who is revealed to be part of the plan.

The placement of songs are debatable and so are the skimpy clothed women. Except a couple of good tunes the rest just complete the pack. As we are about to get into the second hour, the 5 fight the goon’s men comes the best background music piece in the movie. It is a violin piece runs for about 2 minutes as the hero fights the goon’s gang with guns, laughs hysterically and yells out a fair dose of expletives. The melody you hear makes you suspect that this piece might be the handiwork of Karthik Raja or/and Bhavatharini who are credited for Additional Background score (along with Premgi Amaran).

Watch this movie for Ajit Kumar, some decent camera work by Shakti Saravanan and some slick editing by K L Praveen & N B Srikanth. Venkat Prabhu does well only in capsules, we have seen better movies from him.

Manmadan Ambu (2010)

Country: India

Language: Tamil

Actors: Kamal Hassan, R Madhavan, Ramesh Arvind, Urvashi, Trisha Krishnan & Sangeetha

Director: K S Ravikumar

Music: Devi Sri Prasad

Romcom, a simple story... A man about to marry an actress suspects her of having relationships with her industry colleagues. He engages a private detective to tail her during her cruise holiday in Europe. As events unfold the original pair break-up and the girl falls for the detective. There are lots of other characters fill the blanks in this two and a half hour film and also make a huge impact on you, Ramesh Arvind and Urvashi are the notable who have done a fabulous job.

Devi Sri Prasad’s music is another plus for the movie. He has straddled genres here. Neela Vaanam is one song that you are sure to take home and hum around for the next couple of days. Kamal Hassan the lyricist & singer has done a great job in taking the song to the next level. Talking about this song without mentioning the violin intro would be a great disservice to the song, it is mindblowing. The other notable thing is the picturisation of Neela Vaanam which is shot in reverse motion saves at least about half an hour of unnecessary flashback.

Overall, it is an enjoyable K S Ravikumar, Kamal Hassan & Devi Sri Prasad (commercial) flick.

PS: There has been lots of talk about the picturisation of Neela Vaanam, in reverse motion. This is slightly inspired by the video of Cold Play’s The Scientist. Although it seems to be a lift, the director has done a commendable job telling a super story within a story.

I would say “Well lifted”

PPS: Thanks to @girsubra for pointing out the mistake we made on screenplay credits... Apologies, we stand corrected now

Srirangathu Kathaigal

Hardcover (Uyirmmai Pathippagam)

Language: Tamil

Author: Sujatha

Illustration: Desikan

This is an anthology of short stories that Sujatha wrote in the Tamil weekly Saavi in 1983, in Ananda Vikatan in 2003 and the other short stories he wrote about Srirangam. The common thread across the stories is Srirangam, the hometown and the place where he author grew-up.

One also gets a feeling that this is more a chronicle of the authors life in Srirangam. Although the author, in the afterword says that the only thing that is real in the book is the town, Srirangam. And everything else except that is his imagination.

These stories transport you to Srirangam and you almost get a walkthrough experience, such is Sujatha’s narrative. And many of us who are familiar with the Agraharam (the streets where Tamil Brahmin’s lived) set-up should be able to relate to at least 4-5 of the stories. They seem a flashback on our lives in the Agraharam.

As any anthology would have, there are some lighthearted, humorous & very positively oriented stories and there are also some very grim, heart wrenching tragedies. Most of the stories are laced with what we call the “Brahmana kusumbu” or the Tambram black humour that adds a great flavor to each of the episodes.

The author tells the story so nicely that this 300 odd pages book becomes a “drop it after you finish” affair once you start reading. The easy to read (and assimilate) Tamil makes things simple and adds to the fun. The other highlight of the book is the author quoting the Divya Prabhandam’s (this is a collection of 4,000 Tamil verses composed in praise of Vishnu by the 12 great Vaishnavaite saints, called the Alwars before 8 AD) before the start of some episodes. The author through those quotes of Prabhandam injects small portions of the great Tamil literature into you without you realising it.

Credit should also go to Desikan, who has done some lovely illustrations which appear with each story. These illustrations brings the grandeur of the town of Srirangam to life.

This one is a “Swami & Friends” in Tamil (only) for the adults.

Amazing compilation, very highly recommended for all those who can read Tamil.

Pannaiyarum Padminiyum (2011)

Country: India

Language: Tamil

Actors: Theni Murugan, Bala Saravanan, Prakash, Geetha, Vijay Lokesh, Vijayakumar, Kaushik, Naveen & Selvi

Director (& story): S U Arun Kumar

Chanced upon this short thanks to Sajan.

A simple story, a benevolent Pannaiyar (land owner) in a village buys his dream car. The Premier Padmini of the Pannaiyar's dream now becomes a village property. It runs as the village ambulance, taxi and also as the Pannaiyar's very dear status symbol.

The film then goes on to document the affinity the Pannaiyar has for his Padmini in a very touching manner.

A very well done short film. The only grudge though is the non availability of a subtitle. That would have ensured a greater reach for this lovely film.

The advantage is that you can watch the film right here and it doesn't take much of ones time (10 mins is all you need to spend).

Great movie, sure super watch

Ko (2011)

Country: India

Language: Tamil

Actors: Jiiva, Karthika Nair, Ajmal Ameer, Piaa Bajpai, Prakash Raj & Kota Srinivasa Rao

Director: K V Anand

Story: Suba (D Suresh & A N Balakrishnan) & K V Anand

Cinematography: Richard M Nathan

An action thriller about politics, the role of youngsters in it. The protagonist is a photographer in a local newspaper who becomes the champion of investigative photography thanks to his daredevil photographs of a bank robbery. The field now shifts to another youngster who wants to make his mark in politics, he fights election against two giants. The ruling party and the opposition do what our current central government does best, spoil their own chances by doing the improbable. Taking advantage of this the youngsters come to power and the photo-journalist figures a link between the bank robbery and certain people who are close to the youngster (new) CM.

Is there a real link ? How does the CM respond ? That is the movie

Jiiva and Ajmal Ameer have done exceedingly well. So have Karthika Nair and the rest of the cast. Piaa Bajpai fills in the blank as the mandatory Mumbai export required for a masala, populist Tamil movie to round things off.

As usual my pet theme of the role of songs in Tamil cinema comes to the fore. Though the songs by Harris Jeyaraj sound nice and the picturisation in foreign locations by Richard is amazing we need to question the need for them. I personally feel KO would be a hit even without the songs and foreign locations just on the merit of the story & screenplay.

This movie has all the ingredients to be a super-duper hit it has become. A straight superwatch for the story, screenplay, cinematography, music, acting & direction. Although my prejudice against the unnecessary songs, dance & foreign location would call for a downgrade to a goodwatch.

For once I will go with the popular sentiment and call this a superwatch. Could have been a real knockout but KO wins on points !!

Thamizh Padam (2010)

Country: India

Language: Tamil

Actors: Shiva, Disha Pandey

Director: C S Amudhan

A movie not to be intellectualized about, absolute nonsense if you didn’t know or understand the Tamil movie industry and haven’t watched any of the contemporary hits. This one parodies all the Tamil movies in our recent memory. Movies that have some stereotypical scenes that have become milestones of our movie industry.

The film opens with a parody on Karuttamma, a cult village movie that dealt with female infanticide in certain villages of Tamil Nadu. And ends with a stereotypical court scene where nothing is logical expect the mention of IPC 302, the penal code for the punishment of death.

Even the songs parody movies, thankfully the tunes don't. The movie has some decent songs by debutant Kannan. A couple of songs sound really good and therefore his efforts are really worth a mention.

But my standout scene in the movie is the family song sequence. Family song is something the Indian movies are famous for. This is one song that unites a whole estranged family that was separate for decades. In this movie this song literally throws you off your seat, makes you roll with laughter. Suddenly Michael Learns to Rock play “Someday” as the family song starting with the famous guitar intro.

One should credit the director Amudhan for risking his career parodying all the top heroes of the Tamil industry. He has done the movie really well and it is entertaining too, we should wait and watch if he does get to do anymore movies (egos are the most important weapon of the industry). And most importantly what kind of movies he does if he does indeed get to do Tamil movies.

A good watch, super parody of all the known Tamil movies in the recent past. But the catch is that you shouldn’t even attempt this movie if you haven’t watched any Tamil movie before or you are not familiar with the stereotypes they are known for.

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

Udhayan (2011)

Language: Tamil

Music director: Manikanth Kadri

Song: Yevan Ivan

Singer: Shruthi Hassan

My grandmother had a beautiful voice, but unfortunately she sang only during weddings or ceremonies when the cacophony overcame her voice… Poor Shruthi Hassan, has a beautiful voice like my grandmother.

Song: Ring Tring

Singers: Baba Sehgal, Suchitra

Baba Sehgal could have been the pioneer of Rap in India but a bad cacophonic tune and lots of boom shaka laka in the lyric and whistles don’t ring a bell in our ears. Poor Suchitra, did you really sing ?

Song: Ithanai Yugamai

Singer: Karthik

Redemption… Karthik saves one. I don’t hear any music but Karthik, probably that is why this song sounds any good in my ears.
I’m confused with the treatment of this song, what’s that statement the music director wants to make ?

Song: Laka Laka

Singers: Darshana Karthik, Prasanna

The mandatory kutthu pattu…

Headache. No reality show contestant can sing this unique song, Mind you, these days reality shows are the new tea shops… If your songs aren’t heard there you are a failure…

Song: Udhayan

Singers: Manikanth Kadri, Timmi Madhukar

Noise… Songs have a lyric, does this have one ?

Song: Ponga Vechom

Singers: Divya, Vivek Narayan

The song that would prove that this is a Tamil movie and get that tax relief. I still don’t get that feel, I don’t smell the soil.

Overall I don’t see a lyricist’s role in any song here, for it is mostly fitting words into cacophony. I pity the producer who invested in the director of this movie. For the director is responsible for the music output.

The director and the producer have been taken for a ride by the music director.

Verdict: This music Sounds Beautiful with Ears Closed

Aaranya Kaandam (2011)

Tamil by Thiagarajan Kumararaja. Before this all Noir's were from Kerala. Some were foreign, not only gelf but from other parts of the world like Hollywood, Hong Kong, South Korea & Japan !! Super stuff

100 days with Mr Arrogant (2004)

Korean by Shin Dong-yeop. Romcom, watched it because a part of the Tamil film Modhi Vilayadu is lifted from here... Saran, the director is earlier remembered for lifting Serendipity