The movie opens with a man going on a killing spree. Then he walks into his chic apartment as if nothing has happened and speaks to his girlfriend. Or is she his wife? Watch the film without missing a scene as it could get complex if the thread is lost. The title is also a bit misleading — one tends to think it is a romantic story but it turns out to be a suspense thriller. Like most Tamil directors, debutant Elred Kumar chooses a complicated psychological drama that has the hero suffering from a delusional disorder.
Ram (Atharva) is a software engineer in Chennai and keeps visiting his girlfriend Charu (Amala) in Bangalore often. Lata (Amala), the new CEO of Ram's company, returns from the US. She is engaged and her marriage is scheduled in a couple of weeks. She meets Ram at the company but can't figure out why Ram is behaving like a stranger with her when she knows him well.
She had even stayed with him in Bangalore without revealing that she is the daughter of the CEO. She had to leave suddenly without informing Ram, but is puzzled why Ram is unable to recognise her now. Ram even talks to Charu on the phone in Latha's presence.
Just when the story gets on your nerves and begins to confuse you, an accident demystifies it. A psychiatrist reveals that Ram is affected by delusion; and from here onwards we are shown an elaborate episode of his relationship with his mother. Ram imagines Charu lives with him in Bangalore when in fact there is no person named Charu in reality. Lata wants to help Ram and finds out that he had disturbed past after his mother's death. ‘Charu’ keeps him alive and he cannot live without her. Lata’s sudden departure makes a deep impact on him and he starts living in an imaginary world with Charu. Lata feels sorry for him but she has to return to US. Just before she returns, the story takes a different turn.
Atharva who was seen as a shy diffident youngster in Baana Kathadi gives a memorable performance and Amala gets a major role in the film playing the supposedly dual roles. Her line “I am unconsciously falling in love with him but I can't consciously love him,” is humorous. The scenes in which Amala is trying to pretend that she is Atharva's girl get too tiring.
The film is racy at times and slow at others Overall the film lacks clarity and coherence. GV's music is remarkable. The director loses out in his quandary on whether to focus on being a thriller or an intense romance saga. The climax ends up being very ordinary after all the effort the director puts in to make it seem different.
NIRANTARAM NEE OOHALE
Cast Atharva, Amala Paul
Direction Elred Kumar
Music GV Prakash Kumar
Genre Thriller
Plot A boss falls for her employee despite his mental disorder
Bottomline Not quite dreamy
