It’s not to say that Jayam Ravi offers nothing new. While he brings his charming self to the screen, the characters and the concepts feel like they are stuck in the past. And sometimes, worse, they don’t feel like real, lived people. Take, for instance, the family of Karthi’s elder sister Anandhi (Bhumika Chawla). Her husband Aravind (Natarajan Subramaniam) is an IFS officer, her father-in-law Sivagurunathan (Rao Ramesh) is an IAS officer and her mother-in-law (Saranya Ponvannan) is a lawyer. She also has a sister-in-law Archana, played by Priyanka Mohan. We are introduced to this family when Karthi decides to stay with his sister for a few months. However, we are told nothing about the life they led before Karthi’s entry, and as if in fast-forward mode, they all fight and go their separate ways. You get no time to understand whether Aravind, who slaps his wife Anandhi, is a good or bad person. Does he love Anandhi at all? Why is he hesitant to say sorry? Why does he treat his wife and her family poorly? Suddenly, his heart changes and he not only apologises to Anandhi but also goes against his own father for her sake. BUT WHY? HOW? With one-note characters, we are just left with too many questions and no answers.
Be it in the name of mindless gags or deeply emotional twists, it feels like the film doesn’t take its own protagonist seriously. When Karthi learns about his childhood, not only are his parents written to react nonchalantly, but the film even dismisses a moving detail as something trivial. Sadly, the film treats many of its characters and their emotions this way, solely to drive the plot forward. Another example would be how Sivagurunathan slaps a servant (VTV Ganesh) just to prove his point to someone else. Toward the end, you get a scene where the servant seeks revenge for this insensitive act and Karthi points out that Sivagurunathan was wrong to misuse his power. However, this doesn’t come across as a conscious social commentary but simply a plot twist because in the end, Sivagurunathan doesn’t regret his actions and it’s VTV Ganesh who ends up apologizing for the revenge.
That said, for a film focused on the brother-sister relationship, it also effortlessly captures the beauty of the bond between the sisters-in-law, Archana and Anandhi. Archana tells Karthi that she chose to support him only because he wanted to protect his sister Anandhi, and in some way, she also wants to be there for her. Otherwise, Priyanka Mohan gets very little to do, playing the usual lover girl, and her vanilla performance doesn’t help much. You only get a glimpse of what the film aimed to do – if only the writing weren’t so lackluster – when Bhumika Chawla’s Anandhi stands up for herself when her husband slaps her and strongly wages a lone battle for her brother. Likewise, even if written for comic effect, Saranya Ponnvannan is penned as a woman who prioritizes her self-respect. She loves her husband but when he insults her care and mocks her profession, she doesn’t let it slide without a fight. In a film that doesn’t offer much, it was refreshing to see the women choose what they want and stand with other women while confronting patriarchy.
Talking about Déjà vu moments, the father-son bond reminds us of too many films, especially Yarade Nee Mohini and Veerappu. However, the change in their relationship dynamics and many other character developments stick out like a sore thumb, ridden with an artificiality that reminds you this is just a film. The convenient writing choices and the lack of emotional connection distance you from the film’s world. Even when M Rajesh’s usual style is visible and the cast seems to be picture-perfect, with uninteresting dialogue and jokes that fail to crack you, this comedy feels bland.
Rating – 1/5
