Cast: GV Prakash Kumar, Shalini Pandey, Jayachitra, Nasser, Thambi Ramaiah, RV Udhaya Kumar, Rekha, Appukutty and Thalaivasal Vijay
Director: MM Chandramouli
Two ego-ridden cousins, develop a bond over time vaguely reminding us of SJ Suryah’s Kushi starring Vijay and Jyothika, only with the exception that this one had zilch on-screen chemistry. ‘That is Mahalakshmi’, ‘Ajay is great’, ‘Infatuation’ is what the viewer is bombarded with throughout the film, which is a remake of a 2011 Telugu film, 100% Love.
Balu, (GV Prakash) a nerd, who cannot accept anything beneath the first position, be it exams or life, falls in love (or claims to do so) with Mahalakshmi (Shalini Pandey), his cousin from a village who isn’t much of a nerd. The two separate when Maha breaks Balu’s narcissistic ego by praising their classmate Ajay. Later they meet, but are still found to be the same egoistic children they were, refusing to accept the love they hold for each other. How Balu and Maha let go of their ego and come together forms the rest of the story.
Balu is narrating the story to a bunch of men at a pub. The great idea of a mature relationship that knows its boundaries was spoilt by an unengaging screenplay and utterly unwanted scenes. The film’s timeline is unknown and a lack of continuity is seen throughout the film. One character speaks of a wedding to be in two days—Friday, but we find the lead pair working on a project on Sunday, leisurely with a ‘KFC’ chicken bucket. Post-interval, the characters claim to be working in big companies but we never get to see Shalini visiting her office (Infosys) even once. She conveniently and instantly joins GV’s office as a strategist to help him with his work when it is at stake. Does Infosys let people go so easily?
That Balu falls in love with Mahalakshmi after reading a love letter she receives and that it lasts throughout, is just not convincing. It seems more like lust sugarcoated with the word ‘infatuation’ than anything near love.
Shalini Pandey fails to impress, emote or even fall into the category of a village girl through the film. After a decent performance in Arjun Reddy, this is a downfall. She tries to play the bubbly yet coy village girl but fails miserably (the dubbing by MM Manasi is also to blame for this). The director and costume designer probably felt that adorning her in half-sarees and french plaits would work, not to mention the deliberate navel shots all the time. In the pre-interval scene, where an outburst of emotion is required, she is seen to deliver her dialogues casually, followed by purposeless wailing. GV Prakash is the right amount of irritating initially but it all goes south in the second half.
Recommended
The children of the film are charming and deserve applause for their comic timing. Jayachitra (also Mahalakshmi) has performed well playing the grandmother of Prakash and Thambi Ramaiah’s comic exaggerations keep the second half moving. RV Udhaya Kumar could’ve been given a better role instead of just a negligible character who stares at Thambi Ramaiah.
The title card animation of the film was unique. VFX and computer graphics were pathetic and only one song ‘Ennaku Thaan’ managed to ring in my head.
The 100% Kaadhal review is a Silverscreen original article. It was not paid for or commissioned by anyone associated with the film. Silverscreen.in and its writers do not have any commercial relationship with movies that are reviewed on the site.