Kaartic Anithaa - Behindwoods.com - Tamil Movie Reviews

The movie handles a theme that has been used countless times in cinema. It is only a fresh screenplay, deft treatment and the chemistry of the lead pair that has to carry the movie into the audiences’ hearts and strike a chord. But, even before you are half way through the movie you might realize that you have seen something strikingly similar before, the Prashanth-Shalini starrer Piriyatha Varam Vendum which in turn was a remake of the Malayalam hit Niram. A boy and a girl of the same age; they are neighbors and have grown up together, they cherish each other’s company and are the best of buddies. It is only a matter of time, we think, before love is declared. But that never happens. Similarities to the above mentioned movie are undeniable. So further details about the plot are not revealed here. If you are interested, you can check out if Kaartic Anithaa gives a novel climax to an oft repeated theme.

As said earlier, it is a fresh screenplay and the lead pair’s chemistry that has to carry this movie forward. When the story is one that has been beaten to death, the screenplay will obviously be hard pressed for ideas to make proceedings interesting. It tries, but fails in the attempt. In what is supposed to be a love story, there is very little romance, mainly because love is never proposed till the very end. It is more of companionship and even that fails to impress. In short, the relationship fails to evoke any feelings in the audience; for a love story, this is a big setback.

Performances: Debutantes Rathan and Manju have done fairly well, though one feels that the heroine could have emoted better at places. Kota Sreenivasa Rao and Rajan P Dev are surprise packets in very mellow roles as the lead pairs’ fathers. Their potential however remains underutilized. Popular TV anchor Manohar makes a big impact in a small role. Appearing as a person with a mental disorder, his performance, especially in a scene where he is presented as Kaartic’s father to his college principal, is a laugh riot. It is one of the few portions of the movie which liven up proceedings.

Technically, there is not much that deserves special mention. Two cinematographers, Sai Suresh and K.G. Shankar, have been used and they have done a neat job. Editing by Velmurugan could have been tighter. Music by debutante Jack Anand is passable, though a love story demands a score with lot more feeling.

Overall, Kaartic Anithaa is a rerun of an often repeated theme of love that is unexpressed. A loose and predictable screenplay by the director Sri Hari is the major pitfall of this movie.

Verdict: Evokes no emotions