Yaaradi Nee Mohini

With Kaadhal Konden, 7/G Rainbow Colony and Pudhuppettai, Selvaraghavan created a certain image for himself as a director. The films dealt with youth angst in a raw, in-your-face style that struck a chord with the viewers. He directed Yaaradi Nee Mohini's Telugu original Aadavari Matalaku Ardhalu Verule and has penned the story and screenplay for the Tamil version but those expecting his kind of a film are in for a big surprise. It is a pleasant, straightforward romance with a rather familiar feel to it. The heavy sentiments and crude comedy don't mix too well but the film works well on the whole, with something for everyone.

Vasu(Dhanush) has been looking for a job for five years without much success. Its love at first sight when he spots Keerthi(Nayanthara) one day and learning that she works in a software firm gives him an extra incentive to land a job in the same company. He is successful in getting the job and after a few initial hiccups, earns Keerthi's friendship. But when he reveals his love for her, he is in for a rude shock.

The most surprising thing about Yaaradi Nee Mohini is the lack of surprise! Whether Dhanush's transformation in Kaadhal Konden or Soniya's boldness in 7/G Rainbow Colony or the lack of sentiments in Pudhuppettai, Selva's films always seemed to shock - or atleast - surprise us. They boldly went against the norm and pushed the envelope when it came to characters and relationships. But YNM is content with a smooth flow. From the father-son relationship to the midpoint surprise to Nayanthara's large family(seen in Jodi) to Dhanush's dilemma as he is caught between his love and his newfound relationships(seen quite recently in Kannum Kannum), the film presents story tracks and plot points that have a familiar feel. There are flashes of originality at places but for the most part, he film is happy to simply entertain us rather than surprise us.

The relationship between Raghuvaran and Dhanush mimics the one we've seen in several movies - the good-for-nothing, unemployed son and the concerned, unhappy father. But helped by the performances of the two, the relationship works. Their mood swings seem too extreme and their language sometimes sounds too harsh but they do successfully convey all the dynamics - affection, pride, anxiety - of the relationship between them.

The film is set in the software industry but handles the associated segments with an amateurishness that is appalling. The details of Dhanush's group discussion and interview are understandably glossed over but the workings of his company, whether its Nayanthara's gruff behavior with him or his own overnight rescue of their product from a 'system crash', don't seem to resemble a professional software concern even remotely. These sequences don't take up much time but the little we see raises as many laughs as the movie's more overt comedy scenes. The movie also spends a little bit of time in Australia but the set-like locations(like the bridge with the huge moon in the background) and scenes that feel like they were merged with more exotic backgrounds give rise to doubts about where the scenes were really filmed.

Once Dhanush goes to Nayanthara's village, the film gets some good laughs from placing him in a fish-out-of-water scenario but the laughs feel contrived and don't fit in. For instance, public farting could be funny but when the people involved have been shown, in just the previous scene, as belonging to an orthodox, strict family that's up at the crack of dawn to chant prayers, the laughs become muted because of the incongruity of it all. This is repeated quite a few times. Dhanush's discomfort and exasperation are very funny but the situations leading to that that are rather unrealistic. On the other hand, Nayanthara's sister's courting of Dhanush is funny since its rather cute and the Paalakkaattu... remix adds to the fun.

The role fits Dhanush like a glove. His playful nature and lighthearted antics make him likeable and he proves to have nice comic timing. Nayanthara looks great even if a little mature. She is just required to look serious most of the time but late into the movie, when crying for her little sister, she shows that she has good flair for comedy too. Raghuvaran perfectly conveys the contrasting aspects of his character and shines in the scene where he goes to meet Nayanthara. Karthick does well as Dhanush's friend while Karunas gets just 1 scene, where he talks to Nayanthara on the phone, to make us laugh. Yuvan's background score sounds like Poovizhi Vaasalile's Chinna Chinna Rojappoove... in a few places. Among the songs, Oru Naalaikkul... and Venmegam... take top honors in picturization also. Nenjai Kasakki... and Baby Oh Baby... are unnecessary item numbers, with the dancers' costumes threatening the film's claim to be a family film.