Modern Love Chennai

Watched just.... Neinaivoo Oru Paravai. Wow.... what to say, for the first half, i was like what the heck going on. The way the story and real connects. Wow.... what a screenplay. He made us feel, what he is not saying is worth not saying ... wow. Just 2 more things to not being a spoiler.

Man.... at 80. How in the world Raja can do it. What kind of music is that? I don't think he had done anything like this ever. I was wondering what kinds of instrument he used

1. I wish i did not know it was ilayaraja before watching 2. While Thyagarajan had picked a super performing female character, why a dummy male 😊

This anthology is very well executed and good to watch. All the episodes are different from one another and couple of them even with long conversation between characters, it is not boring at all. Whether it is background score or songs, the music is top notch. I was not expecting much on this anthology and liked it a lot.

As usual episode by TK is completely different and his style is unique. Ilayaraja even at his age brings out a refreshing music that suits well with all the episodes. This is a surprising treat to watch all these 6 episodes. It would have been better to have two more episodes.

Rajumurugan's "Lalagunda Bommaigal" takes viewers on a surreal journey, blurring the lines between reality and imagination. The film delves into the intricacies of love, showcasing the struggles and vulnerabilities of its characters. Shoba, played by Sri Gouri Priya, finds herself emotionally shattered after an abortion, isolating herself from the world. However, fate intervenes, and she unexpectedly falls in love with Nathuram, a panipuri seller. The ensuing events are nothing short of extraordinary.

One of the standout elements of the film is Sean Roldan's music, which adds a nonchalant vibe to the narrative. The song "Jingarthathanga" exudes the exhilaration of rediscovering love. The lyrics cleverly compare Shoba to a racing dove, symbolizing her peaceful demeanor concealing a resilient spirit, while Nathuram is likened to a lone shark, thriving even in the face of danger. Moreover, "Lalagunda Bommaigal" challenges prevalent prejudices against migrants from North India, providing a timely social commentary.

In Balaji Sakthivel's "Imaigal," the film powerfully questions the futility of rigid gender roles. When Devi, portrayed by TJ Bhanu, reveals to her boyfriend Nithiyanandham (Ashok Selvan) that she will eventually lose her eyesight due to a degenerative eye disorder, she anticipates abandonment. However, Nithiya chooses to marry her, promising to show her the world until she can no longer see. Yet, as the years pass, Devi's world shrinks to domestic chores and motherhood, exemplifying the oppressive nature of patriarchal expectations.

The opening shot of "Imaigal" captivates the audience, with Devi staring directly into the camera, seemingly peering into their souls. Her still pupils foreshadow the impending loss of her sight. Interestingly, her moments of serenity occur when she closes her eyes, a poignant detail that becomes significant later in the narrative.

"Kaadhal Enbadhu Kannula Heart Irukkura Emoji" by Krishnakumar Ramakumar pays homage to the romanticism portrayed in cinema. Mallika, played by Ritu Varma, begins to question the existence of real-life counterparts to the dreamy heartthrobs portrayed in movies like "Alaipayuthey" and "Titanic." Even the National Award-winning Blue Sattai film critic fails to persuade her. The film's enchanting moments invite nostalgia, celebrating innocent love while injecting humor into the process of healing from heartbreak. It astutely acknowledges the significance of food and movies as popular coping mechanisms.

As Mallika ponders the absence of "soup songs" for women, the film playfully highlights this discrepancy, simultaneously emphasizing the quest for kindred spirits. However, it disappointingly adopts a clichéd slow-motion shot at a crucial juncture, inadvertently diluting the authenticity it strives to preserve.

"Margazhi," directed by Akshay Sunder, unravels a tale of love blossoming amidst personal turmoil. Puberty, hormones, and the longing for maternal presence envelop Jazmine, portrayed by Sanjula Sarathi. Jazmine's father, played by Srikrishna Dayal, enrolls her in a church choir class where she encounters Milton (Chu Khoy Sheng), a Delhiite spending his winter holidays with his grandmother. "Margazhi" encapsulates the transient nature of seasonal love, serving as a balm during harsh winters. The film's ethereal ambiance, complemented by understated performances, gains emotional depth when Jazmine listens to a poignant Ilaiyaraaja song, filling the void in her heart.

Bharathiraja's "Paravai Kootil Vaazhum Maangal" uses the metaphor of pruning a tree to breathe new life into relationships. Ravi (Kishore), a married man, his wife Revathy (Remya Nambeesan), and Rohini (Vijayalakshmi), Ravi's love interest, engage in a dialogue to navigate their complex circumstances. The short film pays homage to the late Balu Mahendra, known for his unconventional storytelling, with "En Iniya Pon Nilaave" from "Moodu Pani" becoming the catalyst for Ravi and Rohini's love story. Despite desiring a conventional family structure, the characters embrace modern ideals. Rohini is not portrayed as the stereotypical "other woman" but as an individual seeking happiness in her own life.

In Kumararaja's "Ninaivo Oru Paravai," viewers enter a visually striking world, initially disorienting due to its dominant scarlet and blue color palette. Yet, a momentary respite allows one to comprehend the symbolic significance of these hues, representing how two individuals carry fragments of each other within a relationship.

The film's most pleasant moments occur during the final stages of a relationship. K (PK) and Sam (Wamiqa Gabbi) share one last intimate encounter before parting ways. Months later, Sam finds herself heartbroken, while K suffers from partial memory loss following an accident. Sam is brought back into K's life to help him regain his memories, resulting in a captivating exploration of their shared reality. The meticulously staged scene depicting their explosive, mind-altering intimacy is the pinnacle of the film, elevated further by Ilaiyaraaja's masterful background score. Kumararaja once again delves into astrology and questions the abnormality of storytelling, leaving viewers pondering the boundaries of reality.

In conclusion, "Modern Love: Chennai" offers a diverse tapestry of love stories, spanning different ages, social strata, and locales in Chennai. Each short film possesses its unique charm and explores themes of love, resilience, gender roles, and the power of cinema. The anthology serves as a testament to the craft of storytelling, transporting audiences into vivid and thought-provoking cinematic worlds.

From writing to screenplay, the efforts that have gone into making this is clearly visible for the general audience. If you enjoy watching a lot of content, this is a series for you. I myself enjoyed each movie with different emotions and challenges common people face in their lives and episode 5 and 6 being my favourite episodes, I surely believe these 2 broke a few barriers. The entire cast and crew are to be applauded for their work as this is surely not a forgettable series if you enjoy each frame, the pauses, the expressions, the emotions, camera angles, etc. Many things happen in everyone's life and what seems like unimportant moments have also been captured portraying that these things too happen in real life and not cropping it out like they do in movies. Overall - If you are one to watch slow yet enjoyable content with a lot of emotions, this is for you.

This is an anthology so i would like to review each episode seperately.

Lalagunda Bommaigal Its tottally north chennai based , a so astonishing and true story which was taken beautifully. Its a story of a rugged girl and a so called love which was show cased beautifully. All characters did their role to perfect. But some how it didnt connect as like other films. Sean roldan was the true hero with his songs.

Imaigal This was one of best of the lot, a so satifying and a feel good story. It was deep and touching. TJ bhanu and ashok selvan did a wonderful job with their performances. Yuvan's music is magical. The direction and writing is so good. Her eyes speak like magical tune.

Kadhal enbathu kanula heart irukura emoji This is one of the cringest story , may some of you like it but i havent enjoyed so much. Ritu varma did justice to her role, a hasini role in action. Cud have been better with some good writing.

Margazhi This is one of the worst of the lot, not much dailogues too much visuals and there is too much lagging in the content. The director must have convinced the producer abt this film i have think. But every frame work in this episode is so beautiful and artistic the location selection is osm. I think it was taken in parangimalai, which one one has ever explored. So kudos to that but story and screenplay need improvement. The true hero was Ilayaraja , the best album of the lot. Nenjil oru minnal is the best of the lot an osm melody gives a retro feel.

Paravai kootil vaazhum maangal Its an affair love story, starring ramya kishore and viji. Omg what a romantic drama this is, awesomeness , it was truely an epic bharathiraja. The one cut song to showcase the love portion using en iniya pon nilave is just melting. Bringing me to retro feel. A so good story and screenplay.

My second best.

Ninaivo Oru Paravai I am so vonfused by this , because i dont really get whats happening in this film to be frank. Maybe i need to take a lot assumptions, i know kumara raja doesnt explain his films but this one really need some. The screenplay is really non linear , maybe he is trying to convince something which i cudnt understand. The camera colour saturation lighting, a typical kumaraja theme. Music is stand out, could have been clear tat was the issue, this is the longest one in the lot. Wamiqa and pk did their roles to perfect.