A coming of age love-story, it chronicles the life of two lovers, who go through various misunderstandings till they discover the meaning of true love. Directed, photographed and edited by debutant Shivaraj, the film is sensibly and sensitively scripted and neatly narrated, the content and the form blending well.
Youthful and contemporary in its take, the film is what the tagline says, ‘a simple love story’ and well told.
The narration shuttles between Pollachi and Coimbatore.
Athulya, a journalist, commutes a lot to work, and Shiva, her college friend escorts her around. Shiva is a sales person in a two-wheeler showroom, dissatisfied and bored with his job.
There is a realistic touch throughout. Whether it’s in the moments of Shiva’s interludes with his friends and their boozing and binging, his growing attraction to Athulya, or the way her family accepts him.
Debutantes KG and Athulya have a charming screen presence, and they’re also expressive and confident. Anirudh as Karthik (Athulya’s colleague) and admirer suitably fits in.
The little squabbles, the possessiveness, the misunderstanding and the making-up are all brought out by Shivaraj with instinctive understanding, the lines well written.
The director has brought out the gender-bias prevailing in small towns. The songs are soft and melodious and placed suitably. Helmed by a debutant maker and with no big names to boast of either in its cast or crew, the film springs a surprise. In 126-minutes, it is a feel- good film and an ideal Valentine-weekend fare.
| Film | Kadhal Kankattudhe |
| Director | Shivaraj R |
| Cast | KG Praveen, Athulya, Anirudh, Karthika |