Catchy number that hooks on the moment it starts , thanks to the thumping beats and the familiar whistling which lead into the Pallavi through the pleasant piano filler.
Chorus catch line has a good zing to it and sets up an nice little finale to the pallavi.
The trumpet portions evoke deja vu of hello hello from joota hi sahi ( the fact that the latter had Karthik crooning might have been the catalyst )
The transition to a gentler and more melodic anupallavi aided by karthik's soft vocals is a delight.
The mild manner in which the tune reaches an off note in the unnodu pesamal line gives it a distinct feel
Oru velai aval maruthal line was a perfect blend of mood that the lyrics and tune try to convey.
For all the pep and pleasantness its interludes could have had more depth and flavor.
Catchy and pleasant , although familiar.
Kalakku
Trance elements and riffs in the kalakku kalakku catch line backed by celestial synth sounds set up a unusual mood for what seems like one of those million songs about girls and booze (a subject usually conveyed Only with kuthu music).
Gains a fair share of momentum from the resonating techno beats that are improvised well in the end .
Not a lot to savor tune wise , something that's restricted to a few lines, only to be spiced up by variations in background music .
Simple tune colored with some interesting instrumentation and unusual mood.
Venmegangal
The abrupt ending lines at the start sound Harris-like but the song gets past it with the super catchy Vellai lines.
The soft beats , crisp guitars and quick changing chord progressions add more sweetness to the song that already pleases with its Hamsadhwani-ish scale.
Turning off the chords at the start of the first stanza and bringing them back in the middle enhances the impact.
The vocal loops ending in the same word (here its Vellai)is not uncommon in tamil film songs - New title song, No problem (Love Birds) to name a couple. And the tool works well here too.
Easy on the ears.
Genuinely peppy , pleasant and unassuming. Karthik keeps it simple ,short without over experimenting at the same time not dumbing it down for the "crowd".
I had for long wanted to write about this magnum opus , the first and last of its kind . I have never seen a movie portraying politics or rift between the thickest of friends so subtly yet effectively.
Brilliance of the maker is evident in every single frame of it. Technically superlative, the film benefits immensely from a very powerful characterization of the protagonists. It would be unfair to write a review as it is more of an experience which perturbs the viewer for a long time after the film ends. Hence I would like to express my thoughts on several scenes of the film which made a huge impact on me .
Scene 1- Madipukuriya ediriya illa pasathukuriya nanbara
An interesting friendship is flagged off the very first time Anandan and Tamizhselvam meet . This single scene succeeds in etching the contrast in the characters so strongly in our minds. On one side is a God fearing actor struggling to get a break to earn his bread while on the other end is a Tamil fanatic with strong sense of atheistic thoughts and disregard for God. This scene portrays the desire in Anandan to make it big and the faith and confidence Selvam has on his language and beliefs. However the highlight is the begining of the scene where Anandan sits on the throne hesitantly in the begining and shows an air once he is seated. The music changes pace from a slow trumphet solo to a heavy orchestration which adds to the intended symbolism on the future of the actor.
Scene 2- Ellathayum Maathuven
A scene involving the two lead characters discussing their theories of the changes either of them will bring about in the soceity if bestowed with the power. The discussion takes place on the terrace of a magnificient old palace which marks the regular meeting place of the two . This structure in the latter part of the movie gets portrayed as a symbol of their friendship. It starts off by a casual question which Anandan asks Selvam about his dreams of a changed soceity. Initially hesitant to reply, Selvam gets aroused after he is put forth the question repeatedly. This moment of arousal is powerfully expressed thanks to the heavy beats which start to play in the background. Selvam instantly expresses his desire in bringing about a Tamizh soceity where minorities come to power and where the rich and upper class people are thrown out. He gets lost in his dreams as he continues and gets interrupted when Anandan says that basically poverty and hunger should be eradicated. This reinforces the contrast in ideologies and thoughts of the two, but this time politically. Though Anandan barely says more than a sentence or two about what he would like to change, the earnesty in his voice speaks volumes about his political and social priorities which cater to the common man.
Scene3 - Naan verum nadigan daane!
It is ironical that it was Selvam who had actually sown the seeds of political desire in Anandan . Of course, it had an inner intention of exploiting Anandan's popularity for their party to benefit. Selvam forces Anandan off his meal and takes him to the terrace. Anandan slowly walks towards one corner to see what s in store. He is taken aback when he finds a huge crowd of people gathered down to catch a glimpse of him. He is puzzled and asks Selvam why he , being just an actor,enjoys so much of a following. . Selvam makes Anandan realize his popularity and hints at exploiting it to the needs of the party. He also uses the reference of Karl Marx and Lenin to emphasize. Anandan feels nervous to react to the public at first, but once Selvam catches hold of his hand and lifts it,he looses his apprehension and gets confident. As a consequence, he throws his shawl at the people which marks the birth of his realization about the significant place he holds in the people' heart. Not as just an actor, but as an icon!
The camera makes an amazing transition from the blankness of the terrace as the crowd slowly come into the frame once Anandan reaches the edge. This crane shot combined with Rahman's soulful humming as the crowd comes into picture produces goosebumps. The shot of Anandan and Selvam facing each other with the people seen in between can be considered as the best in the history of Indian cinema.
Contrasting two halves of a movie!!First half being realistic to a certain extent , subtle in emotions and with minimal exaggeration of happenings. Second half is anything but all the above said things! I dont think a brahmin family would ve been so orthodox even 20 yrs back, leave slone now! Danush as usual proves that he can effectively perform and display myriad emotions by underplaying. Nayanthara proves that she has simply thrived on hype and serves to be a zero in acting and not great in looks too.Raguvaran has done a wonderful job and has given himself a fitting farewell through his role in this movie.
The father son relationship and its transformation were superbly shown.Especially the entire set of sequences prior to and following raguvaran s death bring tears to ur eyes.
Yuvans music is nothing compared to the results of his previous associations with Selvaragavan. 'Engeyo ' song is an exception inspite of the not-so Tamil sounding horrible prununciation of Udit.
Irritation grows as u sit through the second half due to absolute lack of realism and logic. Amongst these sequences of exaggeration, one thing which was enjoyable and served as a relief was the humourous romantic scenes btw Danush and Nayan s sister.To be honest, the girl playing nayan s sister is much better looking and has done given a good performance marked my sponteinity.
It is comedy ,however,which sustains one s interest in the movie even during a totally ridiculous and trying second half..The saree shop scene is one example...
YNM is a movie not worth watching in theatre even if u are a person who cares least abt logic .This is because the movie succeeds in getting on your nerves even if u belong the least elite part of the audience .Of course, u can enjoy the humourous scenes which can be very well done at home with a VCD of the movie ....4/10
A well made film with strong support from good performances and novel screenplay.Its basically abt how favouritism can change the lives of people.. The changes in the lives of the hero and his friend in either ways have been masterly portrayed throughout the film.. The realism and the authenticity showcased to the maximum extent in every scene is a commendable highlight...The cooperation of all the departments(music, cinematography) and their loyalty to the script works wonders..
There are quite a few scenes which will take long to forget...The scene where the hero listens to his friend 's voice when the latter speaks to the police over phone , scene where the kidnapped girl is left on the road with a shawl over her and of course the touching though predictable climax..However the movie gets too lengthy in the second half and the director leisurely unties the knots...
A sensible relief of a film at a time when the film industry was getting plagued by nonsensical trash....6.5/10
