YAARUDA MAHESH MOVIE REVIEW

Yaaruda Mahesh made by a relatively new team shot to centre space with a mischievously done trailer which became the talk of the town when it was released. The film directed by newcomer Madhan Kumar and cleared by the censor board with an A, targets the youth audience.

The film is the story of a young man Shiva who suspects that his wife’s paramour is Mahesh and his search of this man. Sundeep Kishan who was last seen in Marandhen Mannithen is the male lead and is supported by a huge ensemble that includes Livingston, Uma Padmanabhan, Singamuthu and many others.

Madhan Kumar has attempted to make a movie with humor as its mainstay but it is unfortunate that this humor comes across as episodic. While the individual elements are successful in bringing out the laughs, the ingredient that strings all these into a cohesive product is missing. Till the interval block, the audience is kept wondering about the purpose of the film and post interval, when it is known, it becomes quite predictable. And the climax is one big downer.

The film in the first half literally hops with a search of direction and also gives the feeling of watching a television serial. There are so many characters affected by verbal diarrhea. It appears that the purpose of all college students is only to find their mates. And the women bashing continues in YM too where the character says not to trust any woman! It’s definitely time for a change!

In the second half, the search for Mahesh starts and each episode of Mahesh truly brings laughs although they may not appear logical or sensible. Examples are the episodes of transgender and ‘gopppal’, the drum Mahesh, the slum dog Mahesh and the gay Mahesh. Madhan Kumar should have used a powerful thread to string all these episodes which would have resulted in a wholesome laugh riot.  

Jagan shoulders the film and it’s his performance, body language and dialogue delivery that carries Yaaruda Mahesh. The best pick would be when he proudly brags to Sundeep that he is going to become a dad and that he has ensured that it is only his kid! Sundeep Kishan is average and does not do much. Heroine Dimple Chopade is another glam doll for Tamil.

An interesting aspect that is notice worthy of YM is the way the director has etched the character of Sundeep Kishan as a stay at home dad with wife Dimple as the sole bread winner. There is also a dialogue from Dimple that gives instructions to Sundeep to take care of the baby and household when she starts for work. However while you are relishing this approach change of Tamil films, there comes a tight slap (literally and metaphorically) to Dimple from Sundeep bringing down such novelty factor quickly and assuring that the director had taken the detour only slightly and temporarily.

The tracks scored by Gopi Sundar are pedestrian but the picturization of the songs is stylish. The different tone adapted in Yaaruda Mahesh number stands out. That aside, other technical departments are just about adequate.

To sum it up, Yaaruda Mahesh is a unidirectional product that targets youth with liberal does of adult humor but is not powerful enough to sustain the interests through the entire length of the film. Yaaruda Mahesh certainly has not lived up to the expectations generated by the trailer.