What Is the Story About?
Modern Love: Chennai is the third Indian adaptation of the Internation hit series Modern Love. Within the Indian context, the third iteration focuses on Chennai after Mumbai and Hyderabad previously.
Performances?
Sri Gouripriya, Vasudevan Murali and Vasundhara play vital roles in the short. They fit the roles perfectly and maintain the right balance of drama, subtle fun and intense emotions while simultaneously being rooted in the setting.
Ashok Selvan and TJ Bhanu are the lead pair. The former has a knack for picking the right stories and has done it again here. He is good as an all-supportive lover and husband, but it is TJ Bhanu who leaves a strong impact with her act. She excels in emotional scenes expressing pent-up frustration.
Ritu Varma is given a tailor-made role for her personality. She covers the various aspects related to the character well, but a lingering sense of overaction can’t be written. It is intentionally done, but the desired impact is missing. Vaibhav is alright in a cameo.
Sanjula Sarathi and Chu Khoy Sheyag are apt for the role given to them, once again highlighting the excellent work of the casting department. The simple moments of awkwardness and realisation are enacted with sharpness by Sanjula Sarathi. Chu Khoy Sheyag neatly compliments her.
The casting of Kishore, Ramya Nambeesan and Vijayalakshmi for the roles is good, and they go about the proceedings sincerely. Ramya Nambeesan has more emotional moments, and she is fine.
PB and Wamiqua take time to grow and get into the characters. Once done, the episode gets better as they look convincing doing all the talk and having fun, frustration and breakdown together.
Analysis
Raju Murugan, Balaji Shaktivel, Krishnakumar Ramakumar, Akshay Sundher, Bharatiraaja, and Thiagarajan Kumararaja direct the various episodes in the anthology series Modern Love: Chennai.
Raju Murugan of Cuckoo, Joker, and Gypsee fame directs Lalagunda Bommaigal. The beginning takes us right into the typical Tamil drama space witnessed over the years. As the narrative progresses, the setting comes into the picture beautifully. The characters look real, and their actions add to the impact.
Despite all the realism and grittiness, an undercurrent light-heartedness is also felt. It is real and creates a genuine warmth kind of feeling. The music, writing and ending make it a perfect short to start the series and set the expectation high.
Balaji Shakthivel of Kaadhal (Premisthe in Telugu) fame takes on directorial reins after a long break of over a decade in the second short Imaigal. It is about a girl who is facing an imminent blindness.
The story is predictable but has been handled well with gripping drama and performances by the lead. The scenes are what make the journey predictable, but the acting overcomes the issue. The breakdown of the girl at various stages is enacted and handled well. The ending is also perfect for the story.
Just like the title, Kadhal Enbadhu Kannula Heart Irukkura Emoji, director Krishnakumar Ramakumar’s segment feels very lengthy. It has the right spirit and vibe going, but the length makes the impact missing. Also, it feels repetitive after a point in hammering the point it wants to convey. The ending after all that happens is good and has the right feel-good effect.
Akshay Sundher’s Margazhi is the opposite of the Kadhal Enbadhu Kannula Heart Irukkura Emoji in spirit, although love remains the common element. The words spoken are less in this simple teen romance. The usage of music is terrific and adds a lovely feel to the overall proceedings. The bittersweet ending is the icing on the cake. The setting, on the other hand, could have been better used.
Paravai Kootil Vaazhum Maangal from veteran Bharatiraja is the weakest of the lot in the series. It has its moments and a neat overall message, but the way things proceed looks very unconvincing in the sense that it is too good to be believable. The entire stretch at the home could have been dealt with differently to leave an impact.
And finally, Thiagarajan Kumararaja directs the final episode of the series, Ninaivo Oru Paravai. First thing first, it instantly stands out from the rest for its making, location and sound design. And then comes the story, which is a mixed bag. It is sure to leave one divided as some might light whereas others won’t. The lack of clarity is the biggest issue, as is the length. The ending does leave an impact if one is following the story from the start with attention. But that would be a little too much to ask in these days.
Music and Other Departments?
Sean Rolden comes up with a catchy single that is typical of his style. It is massy and has an instant vibe going about it. Yuvan Shankar Raja provides music for one short as also is the composer for the title card. He has done an adequate job. GV Prakash’s music is in sync with the syrupy sweet romantic story. Harris Jayaraj’s BGM from the classic Minnale steals the show. Ilaiyaraaja’s music and its usage is a great highlight in the entire series. The lyrics sync well with the proceedings, sometimes acting as a substitute for the dialogue. The sense of nostalgia is an additional bonus.
Nirav Shah’s cinematography is a great asset to the series. He’s worked on three of the six stories, and each one comes with a different palette showing his versatility as a lensman. The editing is neat throughout, and everyone works according to the requirement of the given story. The writing is consistently good, barring a couple which is a little light.
Highlights?
Casting Technical Work Writing Three Episodes
Drawbacks?
Predictability Overdone In Parts Conventional Narratives
Did I Enjoy It?
Yes
Will You Recommend It?
Yes
Modern Love Chennai Series Review by Binged Bureau
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