Film: Kadhale Ennai Kadhali
Director: Iam Shan
Cast: Santhosh, Anara, Nizhalgal Ravi, Manorama
Set and shot in London, the plot of Kadhale Ennai Kadhali revolves around the love between a London-bred Tamil boy and a British girl. Overseas filmmakers bring in a different sensibility while doing the occasional Tamil film for our local audiences. The themes and the way in which they are handled are usually offbeat and fresh as in Meiporul or Achamundu Achamundu. But debutant director Shan (a UK-based Srilankan), seems to be so inspired by formula Tamil films, that he follows the routine pattern of duets, songs, dances and item numbers with a couple of fights thrown in. This looks incongruous in the backdrop of his locale and characters.
The film opens and ends with a funeral. In between is a flashback of the happenings that precede this moment. Santhosh (Santhosh) and his cronies sing and dance on London roads teasing and chasing girls. The friends, a mixed lot, somehow don’t seem to jell together. Mayilsamy as Santhosh’s uncle, lets loose his inane comic antics on some unsuspecting Londoners. Santhosh falls in love with Susanna (Anara, a British actress), who studies in the same college.
But his suave father (Ravi) resents the affair of his son with a Vellaikkaari (which he repeats ad naseum), and insists that Santhosh marry a traditional Tamil girl. In what seems straight out of some rural-based Tamil film, the father holds Susanna by the hair and literally throws her out of the house. With an admirer in college-hounding Susanna—a reason for the fights and chases, it’s not a smooth ride for the lovers.
The director probably intended to showcase the difference between the two cultures and how the lovers were willing to change for the sake of love. But due to the inept screenplay and weakly fleshed out characters, he sends out a convoluted message that is neither clear nor focused. Continuity is lacking at places. And at times, it all looks like a substandard amateur college-play. There are a lot of long conversations in English, which should have been subtitled in Tamil. A fairly competent actor, Santhosh has acted in a handful of Tamil films. Here, he handles his deeper emotional moments with more conviction than his lighter scenes. It would be to his advantage if he grooms himself and makes a total makeover in looks and costumes. Anara as Susanna cuts a pretty picture and puts in a good effort. There are a couple of good moments in the film. Like this amusing scene where Susanna eats the banana leaf on which ‘dosa’ is served, mistaking it for salad.
Except for a few eye catching locations of London, there are not much of landscapes or places to view either. Being London-based and familiar with the place, the director probably didn’t give much thought to showcase London to the Tamil audience here. The plot had the potential to develop into an unusual romantic saga. But a lacklustre screenplay and inept handling makes it a mediocre fare.