After an off-beat entertainer in Azhagiya Theeyae, actor-cum-producer Prakash Raj has come out with Kanda Naal Mudhal, a youthful movie with fresh young talents
Directed by a debutant Priya, it is an interesting tale of two youths possessing opposite characters, who eventually fall in love with each other.
The story may be wafer-thin but realistic portrayal of events and good screenplay make it engrossing.
The movie begins with two young kids who fight each other in a marriage hall who grow up to be Krishna (Prasanna) and Ramya (Laila). They meet after two decades and again lock horns with each other. Fate brings them together in Chennai after a few years again fighting with each other Meanwhile a series of events forces Krishna's close friend Aravindh (Karthik Kumar) come to India from the USA to get married. His parents arrange for his wedding with Ramya. Coming to know of this, Krishna tries hard to stop the wedding. However on his own Aravindh stalls the wedding plans and returns to the USA. Mistaking Krishna for influencing Karthik Kumar, Ramya locks horns with him.
Meanwhile, Laila's mother (Revathy) ends up in hospital and Krishna comes to the help of the family and eventually develops an affinity for Ramya which turns into romance. Enters Aravindh now with adecision to marry Ramya. Whom Ramya marries forms the climax.
Hats off to Prasanna. He has continued his good performances in Azhagiya Theeyae and Kasthoori Maan in Kanda Naal Mudhal too. Especially towards the second half, he has given a matured performance, considering that it is just his fifth film.
It's a refreshing Laila after a long gap.Donning a character quite typical of her's, she steals the show allthrough. A perfect comeback for Laila.
Vanam Vasapadum fame Karthik Kumar chips with his best. Also in the cast are Lakshmi and Revathy.
Yuvan Shankar's peppy numbers and brisk re-recording deserve a special mention. The camera work is on expected lines.
Priya has shown that she has the essential talent to come up with gritty, urban entertainers. She knows how to tell a tale within a given framework.
The movie lags towards the end and also goes very much predictable in the second half.
All said, Priya, an associate of Manirathnam, has lived up to the reputation of his mentor and has rendered a clean entertainer sans item numbers or any skin show.
Star Rating: ****
