not a review of Kaatru Veliyidai.

This is not a review of the movie because writing a review of this movie would make me a hypocrite.  I would have done a long thread instead if I weren’t on a twitter break. I hadn’t watched any love story since my break up (Yes.! About which my poor twitter followers know a lot about and probably want me to shut up). Kaatru Veliyidai was a movie I was really looking forward to because- Mani Rathnam. So here you go-

The movie was successful in making me feel that this story is about me. The first response when I felt something for her was to tell – “I am afraid of travelling very long, for there is a point from where we can’t return”. So the reluctance to fall for it is well understood by the author. VC shouting at Leela in the middle of an incoming snow storm reminded me of every time I just wanted her to follow my decision and not question it coz I was too tired to explain. After VC tries to calm his “Male ego” and explains to her, for which she responds – “Why not say it like that?” is pretty relatable and I have gotten that line a lot. But yeah, there are lot of other parallels. Sadly, me looking as dapper as VC ain’t among them. Enough of the pompous me.

(As you can see, I am finding it difficult to bring a coherence to this string of discontinuous thoughts. So I shall not stop myself from embracing the incoherence.)

1. When VC opens his eyes after the accident. Ravi Varman captures Leela in his pupil. Awesome.
2. Soon after introducing the pregnant Bhabhi, who is marrying VC’s brother, it cuts to the song. This seemed rather abrupt. Felt like there were scenes in between edited out.
3. In the age of Whatsapp and blue ticks, VC and Leela planning to write to each other, Leela saying she shall wait in the door step waiting for the letter/courier makes you want to fill your Hero pen with blue ink and write to someone, even though there ain’t anyone.  (But then, where else would this be logically viable other than Kashmir, where 9 months in a year people have no Internet)
4. After having a fight, the scene when VC comes to her house, stands on top of his jeep and starts singing Nallai allai was way too cinematic.
5. The whole escaping from the Rawalpindi prison can be debated but first I want to read Four miles to freedom. AR Rahmans BGM during the escape sequence did add the most value towards making us feel as though it was escaping. But let’s not go into details by cribbing – how can the Border post look like that and all.
6. In two scenes I felt as though there was a disconnection between distance being depicted in the screen visually and the distances being presumed by characters to either talk or even see the other person properly. One was when Leela meets VC for the last time near the runway. It felt by looking like this, she can’t even look properly who is coming behind her let alone VC who is walking away in the tarmac. And the other scene was the climax scene, where the Red cross camp seemed like a mile away from where VC was siting, but Leela was able to have a proper conversation with someone in the camp. (May be these two points are stupid, but I could notice this and was irritating.)
7. Leela’s love makes me jealous coz she didn’t fall for an Alaipayuthey Karthik (Madhavan) or an OK Kanmani Adi (Dulquer). Deep down there is a VC within every guy and this is that guy speaking.
8. All together Aditi Rao Hydari’s performance was the best in the movie. Every expression, every frame. She was talking with her eyes. And since Karthi couldn’t compete, they asked him to wear shades throughout the movie.

Anyways thanks for the movie, Madras talkies. I liked it, but was disappointed.

 

 

PS Edit 1: A twitter follower pointed out that WhatsApp didn’t exist during Kargil. So point number 3 has a factual error. I stand corrected. But you get the point right.?