On becoming a Tamil movie watcher

In the days when there was only Doordarshan, on every Thursday evenings and Sunday afternoons films in regional languages used to be telecast. Being an avid movie lover I would rarely miss these film shows irrespective of the fact that on many an occasion I did not even follow the language. It must be this training because of which I haven't really minded the Tamil films that I have been made to view since last year by someone.

My knowledge has finally extended beyond Rajnikanth, Kamal Hassan and Madhavan. I can now recognize Suriya, Dhanush, Vijay, Simbu, Vikram, Ajith, Nayantara, Tamanna and Anushka Shetty. Months before Khatta Meetha trailers hit the screen I knew who Trisha was thanks to her success in the film Vinnaithaandi Varuvaayaa. While I'll be seeing many more Tamil films in the years to come, of the ones I have watched so far my favourites are Yavarum Nalam, Kaaka Kaaka, and Chennai 600028.

The Madhavan starrer Yavarum Nalam (meaning Everything is well) was the first Tamil film that I saw on screen. Its plot which is drama based as opposed to dialogue based, made for an easy understanding leaving the requirement of translation irrelevant.

The story is that a family moves into an apartment 13B. Soon the womenfolk get hooked on to a television serial by the name Yavarum Nalam. One day Madhavan realizes that the serial is a lot like their own lives. Soon he starts seeing even more similarities. Whatever happens to the characters happens to his family members as well. When an episode shows his wife undergoing a miscarriage, Madhavan decides to unearth the mystery. The events that then unfold keep you to your seats edge. Like the hero you are filled with disbelief that he will kill his own family as the soap opera predicts. At no point are you able to guess who is behind it all.

Yaavarum Nalam is surely a must watch. For those interested there is also the option of going for its Hindi version by the name 13B.

I had read somewhere that Suriya is like the Aamir Khan of Tamil films. His 2009 release Aadhavan however raised grave doubts in my mind, until I got to see Kaaka Kaaka (meaning To protect).

Its beginning is very intriguing, with police officer Anbuchelvan (Suriya) being shown as lying almost dead on the banks of a river with his thoughts only about saving a girl named Maya. The film then goes into a flashback when Anbu was a part of a specialist group allowed to use any means to wipe out crime. A man of few words, his affection for Maya (Jyotika), a school teacher whom he befriends, is revealed when she meets with an accident. During an encounter Anbu and his group kill a gang leader involved in a kidnapping case whose brother Pandya then decides to take revenge. The members of the special unit find their families and themselves targeted. In the midst of this Anbu and Maya get married and go to Pondicherry. But Pandya and his aides land up there and take away Maya leaving behind a brutally injured Anbu, bringing us back to the point where the story had begun. On recovering he starts his search for Maya and it is revealed who had given away the vital information to Pandya about his whereabouts in Pondicherry. In what I thought was a shocker ending, during his face-off with Anbu, Pandya stabs Maya who dies. An angry Anbu tracks down Pandya and finally kills him. The film shows that after this Anbu resumes his duties as a police officer and his old lonely life.

What I liked about Kaaka Kaaka was its tight script. The sweet love story between Anbu and Maya does not hinder the pace of the movie. Presentation wise it has a slick look. The performances are restrained and not over the top. Suriya plays the tough guy-silent lover combination perfectly. Not surprising then that this film relegated the actor to stardom.

In complete contrast to the above two films is Chennai 600028. Its one of those comic capers which actually make you laugh. The story is simple. It is about two warring cricket teams: Rockers and Sharks. The starting point of the film is the Radio Mirchi Cup Final which the Sharks end up losing. From there on the movie is about the events that unfold in the lives of the 11 members of the Shark team during the year until the next finals. Will the Sharks emerge victorious and be able to successfully avenge their previous year's loss? Chennai 600028 has got one of the most unpredictable and hilarious endings I have ever seen. I recommend it to anybody who wants to unwind after a tough day.