BEHINDWOODS COLUMN

The first 3 pleasant months of the year have passed by and we are now getting into peak summer time. The first quarter was packed with films and more films for the Tamil industry and most of the weeks saw record number of releases, but often to no avail. Many of these films just disappeared from theaters in a day or two, and the man on the street or even the ardent movie buff would find it impossible to recollect the names of most of these films. This clutter of many releases at the same time is a big problem facing the industry, that too when there is a shortage of eligible theaters. But lets save this problem for later, look past the numerous duds and talk about the positives in the first quarter here. 

 

Yes, there have been quite a few good films which made a mark, either commercially or critically or both, and audiences continued their love affair with impactful cinema. Be it mass oriented or content-based, there was a sizable number of noticeable films in Q1 of 2015. Lets celebrate these movies now.

 

I - Shankar and Vikram joined hands again, with A.R.Rahman’s chartbuster score and Aascar Films grand production values, to deliver a revenge based commercial film set in the world of models, cosmetics and dangerous viruses. The film would be remembered for Vikram’s Herculean efforts and the make-up magic. ‘I’ is on the doorstep of the 100 days mark and is a blockbuster.

 

Darling - This one continued Tamil cinema’s love affair with horror comedies. The year’s first sleeper hit, with some genuinely funny lines! GV’s acting debut was successful indeed, while Nikki, Bala Saravanan, Rajendran and Karunas made their marks too.

 

Isai - Love him or hate him but you can never ignore him! S.J.Suryah was back with this psychological musical thriller with a major twist in the end. Stunning acting, typical SJS titillation and noteworthy music marked Isai which didn’t do well at the box-office due to its poor release time.

 

Yennai Arindhaal - Ajith - the actor, in a typical Gautham Menon film, was Yennai Arindhaal in a nutshell. Great music, a mighty impressive Arun Vijay, majestic Trisha were the other aspects of YA, a film with its fair share of admirers.

 

Anegan - K.V.Anand was back at the forefront in this film which touched upon gaming, reincarnation and eternal love. Amyra Dastur made a neat debut, Karthik was smashing as the villain while Dhanush notched up another success after VIP.

 

Tamizhukku En Ondrai Azhuthavum - The real surprise package of the season, one can say. Red Giant Movies must be lauded for releasing this movie, and believing in good cinema. The content may have been too nerdy, but it’s a solid success backed by strong word of mouth.

 

Kaaki Sattai - Here was an average film, which raked in the big bucks. Kaaki Sattai was another proof that Sivakarthikeyan, as a star, is just too big now, to ignore. Rajini Murugan would be keenly watched.

 

Enakkul Oruvan - Regardless of the comparisons with the original, the Tamil remake of Lucia earned some good reviews. Siddharth stood out again as a dedicated actor but box-office success eluded it.

 

Ivanukku Thannila Gandam - Making use of the lean period, this Rajendran-powered mindless comedy managed to earn some money for its makers.

 

Rajathanthiram - A smart con film with neat technical values, Rajathanthiram was a quality effort by an unheralded team. The effort was noted and appreciated by all.

 

Kallappadam and CSK - Like Rajathanthiram, these were again small-timers which managed to stay afloat for a few days thanks to their content. Ordinary making aside, these movies won a few fans for themselves.

 

The 2nd quarter has been kickstarted by Komban and Nannbenda, and both the movies have opened well. The upcoming weeks would be packed with inviting films such as OK Kanmani, Kanchana 2, Vai Raja Vai, Uttama Villain, Masss and many more. The action should heat up along with the summer temperatures …