Boys

Most of the criticism surrounding Boys more or less relates to Shankars traditional story lines with high morals and family entertainment. Boys in far from a family movie and it is perhaps the most sexually explicit Tamil movie to ever come out, without actually having any nudity after censorship.

Boys is thus something one just cannot watch together with the family as most of it concerns the sexual adventures of 5 Boys, all newcomers, putting in superb performances. Now, while people who consider themselves morally upright and strict may find this embarrassing, most of the actual teenagers of India will actually be disturbed at how accurately it depicts what they actually do, without their parents knowing.

Boys will be Boys and that needs to be accepted. Society is'nt as squeaky clean as one would like to believe. First the teen, especially college going, audience will be disturbed, then thrilled and then appreciative. This made the movie a success in the cities but a lot of revenue actually comes from conservative suburbs and villages where people viewing will not have a clue of whats going on since the movie reflects the behavior of mostly, socialite urban populace.

But with Shankar's style and AR Rehman's music, Boys is certainly a superb movie if you don't have any of the reservations discussed above. It does'nt have a great storyline on the line of Indian, Mudhalvan etc but Shankar injects quality into each and every scene, making this movie highly enjoyable from the beginning to the end. Its just sheer bloody fun and genius.

Boys," the 2003 Tamil film directed by Shankar, might not have been a massive hit at the time of its release, but it's a movie that has aged surprisingly well. Back then, it was criticized for its bold portrayal of youth culture, relationships, and the rebellion against societal norms. However, in today's context, where audiences are more open to exploring different narratives, "Boys" could easily find its place as a cult classic.

The film centers around a group of college friends Munna, Babu, Juju, Kumar, and Krishna who are carefree and deeply entrenched in their youthful exuberance. Their lives take a dramatic turn when Munna falls in love with Harini, leading to a series of events that test their friendships, dreams, and relationships. The movie doesn't shy away from exploring themes like love, lust, ambition, and the consequences of impulsive decisions.

One of the film's highlights is its music, composed by A. R. Rahman. The soundtrack of "Boys" was groundbreaking at the time, with tracks like "Girlfriend," "Dating," and "Secret of Success" becoming instant hits. Rahman's music perfectly captures the energy and spirit of the youth, and even today, the songs are enjoyed by fans across generations.

Comedian Vivek's role as Mangalam, a street-smart marriage broker and bank employee, is another standout element of the film. His witty one-liners and impeccable timing provide much-needed comic relief amidst the drama. Vivek's character also serves as a voice of reason, often delivering sharp critiques of society's hypocrisy, which resonates even more today.

The movie's portrayal of friendship and the struggles of young adults is something that many can relate to, even after two decades. The way the film addresses issues like parental pressure, career choices, and the clash between tradition and modernity was ahead of its time. If "Boys" were released now, it would likely be appreciated for its boldness and the way it challenges outdated mindsets.

Yes, the film has its flaws, with some scenes and dialogues feeling a bit over the top. However, it's important to view "Boys" through the lens of the era it was made in. The movie dared to be different, and while it may not have been perfect, it certainly wasn't as bad as many critics made it out to be. In fact, it's a film that grows on you with repeated viewings.

In conclusion, "Boys" is a film that deserves a second chance. With A. R. Rahman's incredible music, Vivek's perfect comedic timing, and a storyline that resonates with the struggles of youth, it's a movie that could very well have been a blockbuster if it had been released in today's more accepting and open-minded climate.

This movie is very underrated. It may have failed at the box office but that has been proved to be due to the modern lifestyle concepts in this movie, totally failing to gel with the suburban and village sectors of Tamil Nadu. This movie was undeniably a hit in the urban sectors such as Chennai and literally everyone was talking about how great the film was. Most people I know saw it 5-6 times. This movie is certainly controversial, Shankar style, but only a fool would deny that the average college going teenager does not have sexual fantasies and adventures similar to those presented here. Thats the reason why this movie was so popular among college going crowds while not being a family movie in any sense. As expected from Shankar, this movie has a lot of shock value and twists. It reflects his pattern of thinking and that it does'nt necessarily tread one single pattern and only if he had stuck to himself would he have produced an amazing follow up instead of yet another money-churning yet somewhat stupid Indian/Mudhalvan-clone in the form of Anniyan. AR Rehman's score was amazing. Lets hope that Shivaji doesn't turn out to be yet another Indian/Gentleman/Mudhalvan clone and that Shankar stays true to himself.

S. Shankar has gained quite a reputation for making expensive crapfest. I have only seen his 'Indian' and 'Nayak, The Real Hero' and loathe both movies (though they have great soundtracks and female leads). Little did I know that he directed 'Boys'. After watching the movie I must give him some credit for making something that is at least watchable.

'Boys' starts off as an entertaining teen flick following six teenagers but the story slowly progresses as the protagonists move into adulthood, a little too fast, and then the movie tackles various social issues. Themes like friendship, sex, censorship and injustice are well presented here. 'Boys' is considered a poignant film for the middle-class Indians.

The humour works very well. One can easily relate to the various situations the teenagers experience. However, the more intense sequences are loud and overdone. They appear theatrical and melodramatic.

A.R. Rahman's score is terrific. The visualization of the first two songs and the romantic songs is very poor. The special effects used in the songs are awful. The lyrics of the romantic songs are clichéd but the rest of the songs have great lyrics. I especially liked the last one, 'Secret of My Success'.

S.Shankar has cast an ensemble of newcomers and the five actors who play the title role, Siddharth, Nakul, Bharath, Sai Srinivas, and Manigandan, all perform very well especially in the comedic sequences but they ham it up in the more intense scenes. Genelia D'Souza is competent. Vivek is likable as the supportive Mangalam Sir.

'Boys' is almost three hours long and it could have used some editing. Yet, it's still an enjoyable watch despite the aforementioned as long as you have a working fast-forward button on your remote control. I'm surprised that the man behind abysmal tripe like 'Indian' and 'Nayak' came up with something more 'human'.

Boys!!! It is agreed that it hoists the best in every scene. But when I finished seeing the movie I thought that there is still something to come. And some of the scenes are over imaginative, when considering the masses for whom the film is taken. And Of Course!!! there are copy from many Hollywood films, for example driving bike in opposite direction in the road(MATRIX), a disgusting scene including first boy with the prostitute(Forrest Gump) and the dance sequences which are copied mostly from TV music channels.

The sexual content of this movie may pioneer the way to most of the films yet to come. The song having the couple dancing in junked place with bottles and bats are a poor imagination and rotten graphics. Shankar-no more audiences like you old style graphics in songs.

AR Rahmans songs and the camera lifts the film. The actors don't do much coz they try to act natural.

On the whole its worth seeing it once for not seeing it again. Coz its a special movie!!! :-)

Boys is a movie of Chain of what the director thinks are good scenes

5/10