Lalagunda Bommaigal
This one is a package. Comedy, drama, romance, betrayal- it packs all punches. It’s a story about a girl who is fierce, independent and sadly, heartbroken. The men have taken advantage of her and that in turn makes her guarded and protective about herself. It’s a social commentary about how Chennai has people from different states living together yet are not “mixed”. The women in this story take centre stage, the men are merely supporting but are the primary cause of pain. It shows how men cheat multiple women, try to dominate them and suppress them in the name of culture and tradition. But Shobha isn’t one to keep quiet. Her father stands strong with her and believes that her decisions are her own. It’s refreshing to see that different men can co-exist and have diametrically opposite outlooks.
Imaigal
The second story in the anthology series is about a couple who meet in college, fall in love and get married. In the first few minutes, they establish that Devi is losing her eye sight. She is upfront and open with Nithya who loves her unconditionally. They start working, get jobs and live the life they wished for. Their love is the kind that’s meant to last. She struggles with chores at home, raising her daughter and doing daily household work because of her blurring sight. This deteriorates her spirit and she grows resentful. One evening, when he brings up his want for a second child, she lets all her feelings out. This is the crux of the story- their bond and their understanding towards each other that keeps their relationship afloat and their family happy.
Kaadhal Enbadhu Kannula Heart Irukkura Emoji
This one is for the 90s kids. Ritu Varma plays a girl who is a cinema lover out and out. She’s grown up watching romantic films and wishes to find her true love. From crushing on her classmate to dating via apps, she is everyone of us millennials. Most of the 90s born kids will resonate with her story. The episode takes us through her many love stories and how she deals with it all. It’s filled with hilarious segments which make you feel bad for her but at the same time you are glued in to find what she would do next. Contrary to the hand she’s dealt with, she doesn’t get bitter or give up on love. Watch this one for Ritu Varma’s sensational performance at a tribute to 90s romantic movies.
Margazhi
Margazhi, directed by Akshay Sundher and written by Balaji Tharaneetharan revolves around Jazmine, a young Christian teenage girl who is distraught as her parents are getting divorced. She spends a lot of time at the church to find solace someplace. During one such visit, she meets a boy and is smitten.
Her group of friends are like any other, they talk about boys, sex, etc. When she meets a boy while discovering herself, she recognises her desires. In the church choir, she meets Milton. They begin a friendship over the mutual tastes in music and the situation at the home front. And as their bond strengthens, they fall in love. Jazmine, who is undergoing a major family conflict is going through depression but this new love gives her comfort. Her fathers notices her being happy and peaceful and informs the priest about the recent developments in her behaviour after starting church.The priest credits the “Lord’s mercy” for it, when in reality, we all know it is Milton who is the reason for her happiness. Margazhi is a lovely tale about finding your first love, you will be taken back to your days of feeling a similar way when you were young.
Paravai Kootil Vaazhum Maangal
The fifth episode ‘Paravai Kootil Vaazhum Maangal’ is directed by Bharathiraja and stars Kishore, Ramya Nambessan, and Vijayalakshmi. The episode is a sensitively written story about finding love outside marriage. Ramya Nambeesan’s portrayal of Revathi, the wife who is calm, collected and extremely empathetic is brilliant. Her husband has fallen for another woman but the way she looks at the situation and resolves it is revolutionary.
The episode shows how marriage is not always synonymous with love, it can have an expiry date due to any reason. The entire episode is stitched together with conversations the three of them have regarding their future. The narrative is centred around divorce, children and the future of everyone involved. The way separation and divorce are dealt with in modern relationships where both individuals are equally understanding is tapped into here. The story sheds light on relationships and marriages in today’s time as well as how love can change over the course of it.
Ninaivo Oru Paravai
If you are a Thiyagarajan Kumaraja (TK) fan, you are familiar with his style. This story touches on the grey areas that conventional Tamil movies don’t about women and love. A stereotypical Tamil movie will have a hero as the main protagonist and a girl who is merely a ‘pretty face’. This is certainly not that kind of a story. The episode begins with Sam and K, lovers who are breaking up right after sex. Sam lights up two cigarettes together, twice in the movie and hands one to K, clearly not so ‘stereotypical’. Ninaivo oru paravai has a non-linear storyline. K meets with an accident and has short-term memory loss which forces Sam to come back into his life to make him remember their relationship. They meet in a film set and their relationship starts as a one-night stand. But then they fall in love and eventually break up. The reason for their break up remains a mystery. Sam is depressed and is undergoing therapy after the breakup. Her doctor advises her to continue her medications to help her feel better since she’s suffering from delusions. It’s ending is left to our interpretation. What’s real and what’s not? The episode will stay with you long after you’ve finished watching it.
