It's not just the title that's cryptic — parts of Naane Ennul Illai (U) are vague too. Yesteryear heroine Jayachitra is the writer and director of NEI , and son Amresh Ganesh, its hero and composer. Such a team is a rarity — a mother, a successful actor herself, directing her son and a debut-making hero composing music for his film. But achievements begin and end there. More than Jayachitra, the technician, it is the figure of the mother of Amresh which projects itself prominently in every frame! You understand her anxiety to showcase her son's positives at one go but, when they are crammed in without respite, the result proves counter-productive.
Amresh is 21 and looks even younger. The softness in his voice is boyish, and his modulation reminds you of Silambarasan's. Amresh can work harder on expressions too. But, as a composer he shows more maturity. Forget the re-recording — the fast-paced pallavi of ‘Nee Yaaruda' and the melodic refrain of the title number make an impression.
Amresh is a college-goer. He falls in love with Aishwarya (Arya Menon) and has a villain, classmate Ranjith (Raghav), to contend with because Ranjith also courts Aishwarya. Circumstances separate Amresh and Aishwarya, who meet after the two become movie stars. Predictable most of the way, none of the happenings in NEI impact the viewer because they are superficially treated. If Jayachitra's idea is to show the confusion youngsters face when they have to decide their career, sorry, the message doesn't come through. Arya Menon is the non-chirpy kind of heroine. And Raghav is the new stereotypical villain on the horizon — rich, spoilt, stylish and loud. He did it in Endhiran and he does it again in NEI — only that here Raghav's stretched role tests your endurance! But brushing aside the shortcomings, seasoned performers Nasser and Saranya, the parents of the hero, walk away with the acting honours.
Probably director Jayachitra is caught in a time warp. Why else has she allowed such never-ending melodrama to overpower NEI ? The segment in the film within the film where Amresh is made to wail non-stop, is just one example. However, unintended comic relief comes from P. Vasu who plays director, when he gets emotional on seeing Amresh's performance in the scene! You can't but titter!
Mom Jayachitra is so carried away by every shot of her son that she seems to have done away with editing as far as Amresh's sequences are concerned, and that is throughout! So the positive responses that Amresh's performance may otherwise evoke get nullified.
The maker's intention may be worthy, but the execution is frivolous.
Naane Ennul Illai
Genre: Drama
Director: Jayachitra
Cast: Amresh, Arya Menon, Raghav, Nasser, Saranya
Storyline: Circumstances separate a pair of lovers but there's still time …
Bottomline: A doting mother, her debut-making son and little else …
