Kadhalikka Neramillai

After a long time, I watched a movie that plays with a lot of emotions, accompanied by excellent background music. Unlike the usual films with heroes fighting with 1,000 gundas , 40,000 bullet shots but no single hit on hero body, and cars flying and touches airplanes, this one felt refreshing. However, the story plot might make it uncomfortable to watch with family. It's better suited for watching alone or as a couple but the comedy scenes are definitely enjoyable and bold. The music and songs are fantastic and have already made their way into my playlist.

Not sure if this marks Ravi's comeback, but his acting has been elevated to the next level. Hats off to the director for this incredible story. Nithya Menon - applause!

Notes:

• Nithya Menen brings her natural charm to the role, making Shriya both adorable and memorable.

• Ravi Mohan, for a change, feels like he's at ease playing Siddharth. The scene with the two "oh"s is a good example.

• Vinay Rai (just being a chill gay dude) and Yogi Babu bring in the laughs. Missed them in the (rather cliched) second half.

• Seeing Lal play poker was kinda meta (for Malayalis.. hihihi, cue *Junglee Rummy* gibberish noises).

• ARR's soundtrack (especially Yennai Izhukkuthadi, Lavender Neramae) works big time here. The song placements are also neat.

• I think the work / professional "friction" angle is poorly integrated into the plot. How it brings Shriya and Siddharth back together is refreshing, however.

• I see a large chunk of the audience unnecessarily throwing shade at Kiruthiga Udhayanithi for tackling a very urban, contemporary, millennial romance. We need these too, and not just violent gangsters and (realistic) misery overload in Tamil cinema. Props to her tbh.

• I think the film's length could've been reduced a bit, especially in the second half. A 2h 10m runtime would've done the job without hurting the essence. That said, most of the supporting performances are on point. Special shoutouts to TJ Bhanu and Vinodhini Vaidyanathan.

Quite an entertaining romantic movie! Story revolves around a young lady with a successful career desiring marriage n children organically falling in love with a man who doesn't believe in marriage n children. Storyline is quite engaging n very well directed. It does have all the elements of modern era namely sperm freezing, IVF, single parenthood, gay marriage etc. Film doesn't feel deviated from the theme of the storyline n nothing feels unwanted, gets one eventually completely invested. Originally a Tamil movie dubbed in all South Indian languages including Hindi as well. Available in Netflix, my ratings 7.5/10!

Kadhalikka Neramillai - visually cool with AR Rahman's music, where the "heartbroken" Nithya Menen choses to become a single mother through IVF process bypassing the marriage, later finds love in Ravi Mohan. The film tries to be romcom, "progressive" with today's girls prioritising career, "shock" the audience with Nitya saying that she is not a virgin and "bold" by having a gay friend. But towards the end you realise that it is all facade with Nitya falling for the man who had unknowingly lent his sperm. So technically she marries the biological father of her child and the movie is "culturally" correct. Hypocitic.. Remember "Rhythm (2000)" where widower Arjun marries another widow Meena with a child? She says that her husband died on the day of marriage and the child is adopted on as per her husband's wish. Rhythm celebrated for "remarrying a widow", is actually remarriage of a "technical" virgin. Even after 25 years the creators' hypocrisy hadn't changed.

I was anticipating for this movie the song illukuthadi created such an expectation. If I watch it without any expectations it's a good movie. First I want to go with pros!

Pros: 1. The initiation! Kudos for that. Normalising pregnancy with donor, LGBTQ, glorifying women's career and single parenting it's wonderful!

2. Still in some movies female leads are only used for objectifying dance or to be the side chick for the male lead. This movie breaks the cycle and given such an admiring strength to the female lead!

3. The movie ambience was very good. Nithya Menon played the role of architect and the movie sets justified it. Her place her houses ambience was very good. The director gave a good detailing.

4. LGBTQ: As I already mentioned the initiation was wonderful. Usually Gays were potrayed with ugly stereotypes in most of our flims. But this film took a very decent approach and initiated gay parenting.

Cons: 1. I felt the director concentrated more on introducing western style of taking and stroy line but the actor's didn't apt well with it. In some areas i felt like they just memorized the script and repeating no justification was done for the westernised speaking. Even the accent was like they so artificial.

2. They tried to introduce so many things but failed to give a proper story line. It was like a drama play more than of a movie.

3. I am still confused how suddenly Jeyam Ravi' s character suddenly changed from not wanting children to loving them. They didn't give importance for that transition. His engagement was cancelled because he don't want children.

4. The film was so longgggg but story not properly executed.

Overall, It a okay ish movie. Can watch it one time. 4 stars for all the initiation. Little disappointed great storyline poorly executed.