So, it was weekend and we were looking at the movies that had been released to see what we could catch… Since my Saturday was packed, we decided to hunt for tickets for Mayakkam enna for sunday…. The only theater that had tickets was AGS, Navalur OMR.. “What the heck, lets go check it out” we said in unison and i went on to book the tickets!!

The ride from Nungambakkam to Navalur took about 40mins, the theater complex is beyond Sathyabama College and Asiana Hotel… It sits majestic but only on entering did we realise it was barren [ empty…] but for the 5th floor with movie screens and the floor below- meant for Food court with 3 outlets..! The theater was huge, but the crowd was a very local crowd.. Infact two guys who came and plonked in seats behind us were DRUNK and belting out all the choicest colourful Tamil swear words!!

We sat back, sipped on our drinks and hoped the movie was worth the drive…..

Starring: Dhanush, Richa, Sundar Ramu and a whole host of others i have never seen before!!
Director: Selvaraghavan

Selvaraghavan and Dhanush have come together to release a movie that is all about a young boy finding his dreams and the hurdles he has to overcome and the people who stand by him through the ardeous journey…. Just that i get the feel Selvaraghavan has this streak in him to mess with people’s head along the story….

The Story-Karthik Swaminathan (Dhanush) is a young boy who is passionate about photography, living his life on his own terms.. His friends call him “genius” and pretty much all they did through the movie was sit around drinking and bad mouthing others…. The same happens when Sundar brings his new girlfriend Yamini [Richa] who is met with sneers and flurry of not so pleasing words!

Anyways, back to the plot, Karthik works hard, takes photographs of just about everything that catches his eye, but it fails to give him a break.. He works hard and wants to leave a mark as a photographer.  Though he does portfolio and weddings assignments, his passion is wildlife photography.

Even though their 1st meeting was bitter, for some reason Yamini is drawn to Karthik and tries getting close to him, going on to tell him she loves him and not Sunder..  After quite a bite of drama between the friends, Karthik & Yamini get married. Karthik one day goes to meet a renowned photographer Mathesh Krishnamoorthy [Ravi Prakash], who gives him a project to prove his worth.. Alas, Mathesh kicks Karthik out saying his photographs were crap, but then one day Yamini asks Karthik to pick up the National Geographic magazine in which his very photograph is published but with credit to Mathesh.. This drives Karthik over the edge, he falls down, and becomes mentally unstable- an angry violent drunk young man!!

Yamini sticks with him no matter what, sends out his photographs to every magazine and publication in hope of getting him a break…. Which eventually happens via the Kumudam magazine at an ad agency… 

In between, there is a lot of drama between the couple, the scenes that had me wondering what is up with Selvaraghavan, why does he want to mess with our heads like this? show some gruesome scenes[ a miscarriage, blood stains on the floor] and sights….. But i guess that is the turning point in the movie where even though there is a rift between the young couple, there is a breakthrough in Karthik’s life and he goes on to reach great heights….

The movie is painfully slow, very dark [literally- no lighting] in many scenes and sometimes you wonder where the fastforward button is… But one thing for sure, the movie is packed with emotions and drama… 

I loved the locations and cinematography wherever there were scenes with Danush heading off for a photo shoot… The lighting, settings were lovely in those locations!!

But there were some scenes, little things that had me wondering “Why oh why… what do the directors think when they are making the movie….” Do all movie makers assume Audiences are stupid, or that they dont notice these small nuances?

  • The maple leaves falling in the forest…. 
  • A Cormorant posing for Danush in the middle of a forest 
  • The mystery behind what happens to the cars? [in the scene where Danush goes to pick up Yamini who is stranded with a car breakdown in a bus stop and then he runs away the minute they kiss which is interruped by a call from Sundar]

Newcomer Richa has done a good job of being this “stiff upper lip, i have an attitude” kinda girl…. Danush has acted well, essayed the role to perfection i would say…. but this is not a movie for all…

If you enjoy movie about Friends
If you like Danush…
If you have been humming the songs from the movie..
If you enjoy watching people sit around drinking for hours
And if you are prepared for selvaraghavan’s style… Go watch Mayakkam Enna!! else, give it a miss!!

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