MOONE MOONU VARTHAI MOVIE REVIEW

CAST AND CREW

Production: Capital Film Works, SP Charan 
Cast: Aditi Chengappa, Arjun Chidambaram, Lakshmi, SP Balasubramaniam, Venkatesh Harinathan 
Direction: Madhumitha M 
Screenplay: Madhumitha M 
Story: Madhumitha M 
Music: Karthikeya Murthy 
Background score: Karthikeya Murthy

Cinematography: Srinivasan Venkatesh 
Editing: Kiran Kanti 

In cinematic parlance, the mere mention of three words or ‘andha moonae moonu vaarthai’, by default, indicates ‘I love you’. This is an accepted theory and movie followers are much aware of this. But in the Madhumitha directorial Moonae Moonu Vaarthai (MMV), the three words refer to something else which her lead characters are involved with.

 

MMV begins well with hero Arjun Chidambaram meeting K Bhagyaraj in a hospital and narrating a story. The film unfolds quite promisingly with Bhagyaraj’s typical humor and Arjun’s energetic presence. You start sitting straight expecting to be subjected to the same pace and tonality but within a short time you start wondering what happened to the opening liveliness. And then there is one scene that is really good and there is the next which is mediocre and this pattern of uneven texture is what you get in MMV.

 

There are quite a few characters like MS Bhaskar, Thanikela Bharani, Aarathy, Nithin Sathya, Robo Shankar, SPB Charan and a few. But why are they doing what they are doing in the film? Individually their stories are passable and may even find a place in comedy channels. But when you try to string them all up into a cohesive chain, there are many missing links. 

 

Debutant Arjun Chidambaram is the joie de vivre of the film. He exudes so much of energy and vigor and is thoroughly uninhibited that you start wondering if this was indeed his first film. He dances well, romances perfect and in short strikes good in all kinds of scenes. A good future for this young lad! The perfect foil for him is Venkatesh Harinathan as Karna, a talented artist who impresses with his comic antics. He is sure to go places in the industry if he chooses his projects wisely.

 

Veteran S P Balasubramanian and Lakshmi are seen in a Tamil film after a long while and they do have a solid presence in the film. But their scenes give a feel of watching a soap. It is also interesting to notice that there are many scenes involving liquor consumption. 

 

The problem with MMV is, it is neither here nor there. Sometimes, it gives a serious feel while some other times, there is flippancy. It is a little difficult to assimilate the business idea of Arjun and Venkatesh however much you tell yourself that it is a lighthearted film and that there is nothing to be taken seriously. 

 

Characters come and characters go and they behave randomly. Sometimes the lameness on screen is what brings out the laughter.