It's a team that knows the game. Producer Udayanidhi, for instance. Though he has launched himself as hero, fully aware of his limitations, he's gone in for a director who can camouflage his weak spots, zeroed in on a story that doesn't involve heavy emotions and has taken along with him a capable comedian who helps in sharing the onus of the lead actor.
The successful duo of director Rajesh and Santhanam do it again after their two earlier rib-ticklers Siva Mansula Sakthi and Boss Engira Baskaran . Oru Kal Oru Kannaadi (U) is a healthy laugh riot that keeps you in splits almost throughout.
Replete with humour that's incredibly spontaneous, OKOK offers something for every stratum of audience to enjoy. Rajesh sure knows his job. He's aware of his strength, viz., comedy dialogue, weaves a romantic yarn that draws youth, throws in plenty of hilarity and a little of sentiment for variety, includes refrains that are refreshing and shoots them in exotic locations. The result is a cocktail that turns out to be engaging.
Saravanan (Udhayanidhi Stalin) and Partha (Santhanam) are friends from childhood and seek fun in every possible situation. Once Saravanan's roving eye rests on Meera (Hansika), he can't see beyond her. He tries various ways to woo her until she finally says okay.
The first promos of OKOK didn't do justice to Udayanidhi. So expectation about his performance wasn't much. So when he manages to look natural for the most part, you are pleasantly surprised. Of course, much honing has to be done, and dance is another area he ought to concentrate on. Yet his effort garners notice. Whenever the role and dialogue offer scope Santhanam scores. OKOK exemplifies it yet again. If a poignant portrayal took her to Delhi for a national award, this time Saranya's attempt at humour, and the innocence she vests it with, shows that comedy is also child's play for this ace actor.
Classy at times and crass at others, Rajesh's balancing act to make OKOK his third consecutive hit, shows his acumen. The ‘Vaendam Machchaan Vaendam' has the front-benchers at the cinemas going berserk with joy. And every time you burst out laughing for a joke, you know that you have missed at least a couple more. Humour is torrential in OKOK .
Incidentally, Rajesh revels in making women (particularly young women) the butt of his jokes. And the men in the audience lap it up with glee. Since it is all in jest, you find it funny. In a comedy, rarely are you made to feel sorry for a heroine's plight. Here you do. Not the size zero kind, but Hansika, the heroine, looks charming. Only that she could have taken more effort to mouth her dialogue right.
Harris Jeyaraj's score, the choice of locations, Jacky's art work, costume design (for the ‘Azhagae … number) and lens man Balasubramaniam's expertise are other value additions.
Rajesh adeptness at wholesome comedy is commendable enough. He needn't resort to toilet humour to make people laugh. Thankfully, the disgusting dialogue is curtailed to just a scene or two. Again, the segment in the sadhu's ashram is too stale. Strange that it comes from a comedy writer of Rajesh's calibre!
After a point the screenplay seems to get caught in a rut instead of racing towards the finale. And to slow down things further, you have another duet — a definite dampener.
Special appearances in Rajesh's films are particularly special as they have a definite pattern about them. The popular faces arrive towards the end or in the climax, and their presence always adds to the cheer. In OKOK both Sneha's bright entry and Arya's fiery stride enhance the appeal.
Repeating the run to the winning post consecutively for the third time isn't easy. Rajesh could achieve it — of course, with a huge contribution from Santhanam.
Oru Kal Oru Kannaadi
Genre: Comedy
Director: Rajesh M.
Cast: Udayanidhi Stalin, Santhanam, Hansika Motwani, Saranya
Storyline: What begins as unrequited love ends on a reciprocal note.
Bottomline: More than just ok
