Autograph

This movie won the (Indian National) Golden Lotus Award for "Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment".

The movie is mostly told in long flashbacks. Senthil, the protagonist, is getting married soon. The movie follows Senthil as he revisits his past, as goes on a trip to the villages, towns, and cities he's lived in, and as he recalls and visits his past loves and crushes.

The film is notable for bypassing the usual Tamil movie clichés and formulaic story lines, while still being very commercially successful. The movie has a lot of quite charming moments, especially in the first half. I appreciated the slow pace of the movie, except when it occasionally became too slow.

The movie unfortunately eventually succumbs to considerable melodrama. I wish they had attempted a "life is beautiful", cutting out the melodrama entirely. In summary, I think the movie is good and unusual as Tamil movies go, but I would not call it a classic.

Autograph (2004), directed by and starring Cheran, is a heartfelt masterpiece that beautifully captures the essence of love, friendship, and nostalgia. A gem of Tamil cinema, the film takes viewers on an emotional rollercoaster, recounting pivotal chapters of a man's life through a series of flashbacks, each resonating with universal emotions.

The narrative unfolds as Senthil (Cheran) travels across India to invite people from his past to his wedding. What starts as a simple journey soon evolves into a deeply reflective exploration of his school days, first love, heartbreak, and the friendships that shaped his life. Each phase is distinct, yet seamlessly woven together, making the story feel deeply personal yet universally relatable.

The film excels in its authenticity. Cheran's subtle direction and natural performance lend an understated charm to the narrative. The cast, including Gopika, Sneha, and Mallika, deliver moving performances, bringing Senthil's relationships to life. Bharadwaj's soul-stirring music, especially songs like "Ovvoru Pookalume" and "Manasukkulle Dhagam Vanthucha," elevate the emotions, making every scene linger in the heart long after the credits roll.

It's surprising that Autograph has so few reviews despite its timeless impact. Two decades later, it still captivates, evoking vivid memories of high school crushes, bittersweet first loves, and the irreplaceable friendships of youth. The film's ability to transport viewers back to their own cherished moments is a testament to its enduring brilliance.

This ranks in my top 10 movies of allied. Just everything about it gives me a warm glow. I have to admit the courtship of Lathika by Senthil is the nut of the movie, but his scenes with Mallika, Divya, and his bride are just as nice. I could watch this an infinite number of times. Its my own personal taste, but I find it just a wonderful movie. This movie also make Gopika one of the actresses I follow. Can't quite explain what it is about her, but she warms my soul.

I think the best scene in the entire movie is when Senthil brings a present to Lathika when she is in her classical dance class. She doesn't realize at all what effect she is having on him, and the look on her face is so sweet and subtle. And another great scene is when they are trying to converse and neither really understands the other's language. But she is saying to him "until you disturb my dreams I cannot accept your love".

Anyway, if you're romantic, see this movie. I think it will give you a warm soft glow.

I'm not a huge fan of Indian movies in general, but I let myself be talked into watching this one, expecting nothing more than an afternoon of fun with friends making fun of some cheesy dialogue. About 10 minutes into it, I was completely captivated by the touchingly sweet portrayal of a high school boy's first love. The movie begins with the viewer being told that a man who's about to be married shortly, is on his way to invite people to his wedding. So from the moment you meet his first love, you're drawn deep into the story, wanting to know more about what happened to each person he meets and most importantly who the woman is that he finally marries.

The rest of the movie is a series of vignettes on the years of his life leading up to the present. Every human emotion is treated so honestly with no melodrama (not to mention acted out superbly on screen), that you feel like you're making that journey with him. Rejoicing in his happiness and hurting with him in his sorrows.

There are very few movies (Indian or otherwise) that portray the ups and downs of growing up quite as well. This is definitely one of those.

Actually guys Cheran is a director turned actor. He's directed quite a lot of rural-India based movies and most of them captivating. Just to clarify I would like to say that the song sequences where Senthil and his gf dance is actually based on song sequences in tamil movies from about 30 years ago. The costumes, the way they dance and everything was made to look like those sequences were made in 1970 Kollywood. Also its kollywood not tollywood. There's a place called Kodambakkam in Chennai (4th largest city in India) which mirrors Hollywood in the sense that most of the tamil actors live there. So Kollywood obviously comes from the Ko in Kodambakkam.

ps: Wonderful Movie :)