Harshini S V
This social drama almost gets lost In templated writing choices. As much as the film wants to be a social drama, it doesn’t want to let go of its comedy cliches and mandatory song sequences.
It’s not because of the genre shift from a comedy entertainer to a social drama, but the quality of the commercial cinema choices that distract you. The song and dance placements, all of which are set within the campus, do not create any sort of engagement.
The film gets interesting only when it focuses on Nandhini (Anikha Surendran), a college student and Kanagavel’s neighbour. Not only is her character written with more depth, but the scenes between Kanagavel and Nandhini also always bring a smile.
It shows how a victim of sexual harassment is ill-treated, looked down upon, and forced to feel guilty by her own parents, relatives and society. While a lot of them speak behind Nandhini’s back, it’s when her little brother lets go of her hands that her confidence crumbles.
The need to serve the hero at times hampers the film's honest intentions. Kanagavel is shown as a coward who stays out of trouble. So it irks you when the film uses Nandhini’s suffering to pave the way for his heroic transformation.
The film may not have been a happy ride as far as the watching experience is concerned, but to have conveyed a message about victim blaming, without diluting its seriousness, does leave you hoping that the message reaches the masses.