Naan Mahan Alla

My favourite well-fed hero Karthi(!) takes charge here. The movie begins with some chilling music (great background score from Yuvan Shankar Raja -- Really good.).

Then, the story is about a happy-go-lucky guy who generally takes his family for granted and has a good time in life. He falls in love with some random girl (PYT -- Pretty Young Thing for non-MJ fans;)-- Kajal Agarwal)in a playful way and through games young ones play, gets her to fall for him too.

Some generally cute and entertaining romantic scenes later, the story unfolds that: Karthi's father in the film(seems like a REALLY nice dad to have) is witness to what was to be a a mere girl-running-away from home with boyfriend and boyfriend's gang of friends. The father is a call taxi driver. Thereafter, the gruesome killing of that girl and her boyfriend by his so-called friends leads to Karthi's father being a key witness to the horrible murders, and therefore a hot target for the gang of college-going, drug-abusing youths. Appalling, I tell you. I only saw this flick for Karthi the actor.

It's not a bad film at all except it could have been better taken. Loopholes galore and good guy winning against all odds a tad annoying although in this case, the villains are too villainous for words. Might as well have the hero beating the daylights outta them!

After a planned killing of Karthi's father, Karthi realises what life is all about. The scene and song of his father's funeral is very well taken. Cried my eyes out, thank you, and Karthi acts magnificently in some scenes such as these. His character name: Jeeva bugs me. Why oh why is Kollydamnwood obsessed with names like Jeeva, Raja and so on? Can't they have better names? Tamil cinema and the audiences deserve better. *sniff*

Didn't find the romance scenes toooo great. In fact liked the comedy played between Karthi, his friends and family MUCH more. Very every-day stuff and nice.

Ok, so dad gone, Karthi's eyes are opened and so his arms are flexed. Nice fights. I can't believe I just said that! I usually tune fights out. One dishoom is equal to another. After a long time, we find an interesting fight sequence and captivating turn of events during the final part of the film.

The bad boys got what they deserve which is always, ALWAYS nice to know/see. I choose to take the following morals of this film's story and highlight them:-

1. If you're a girl, don't run away from home with your boyfriend. Possible gang rape, throat slitting and body-cutting makes it so NOT worth it or ANY romance for that matter. No guy is worth it. BELIEVE me. May as well talk/beg/fight it out with your parents who are not likely to resort to murder...oh, honour killing chilling stories aside. (SERIOUSLY weird world this is getting to be!)

2. If you are the boy who is getting his friends' help in taking a girl out of her home, try not to make out with your girlfriend with your friends in the next room. It's disgusting and in this case, tempted them to finish you and your girlfriend off after having their ways with her. SICK.

3. If you are going to kill one person, you are likely to kill more (unless you killed one in self defense in the first place. So, please don't kill anyone!!

4. If you kill or maim others, you are not likely to come to any good end. None of us is immortal. We are all going to die. Why ensure it WILL be badly? Karma type thing.

5. Peer pressure. Stay strong and don't succumb to peer pressure. Today it's that glass of wine or a fad diet*. Tomorrow, it could be anything else.

6. Try not to stay pampered by parents. It makes life all that much more difficult when they go away...and parents, try not to be TOO giving. (This is only meant for such GREAT parents. Not for some of those who really need not have bothered reproducing -- a separate post for you soon, dearies!)

7. Don't talk on the mobile whilst riding your mobike. True, nothing happened to the actors HERE because film shooting environments are safe;), but something may well happen to YOU.

8. Don't forget to observe things and people around you.

Okay okay, I KNOW. This is just a movie. But everyone is so pre-occupied with films and actors' ishtyles all over the place that we may as well decide to learn some lessons outta them. The whole youth scene in this film freaked me out.

I kind of thought this movie would be like Death Wish. Well, maybe it IS about revenge but Death Wish is MUCH better seen from the revenge and lessons-of-life angles.

Karthi carried this film through. Cannot say enough how happy I am that here is an actor / hero who has not succumbed to grazing on carrots and cucumbers in a quest for a concave stomach (read six yucky pack) and puny frame. Keep eating well (The fad diet mention in point no.5 above is for you:D), Karthi. Don't turn metrosexual. Stay man!