like an anthology Modern Love: Chennai is rare. Each volume of this anthology works wonders and does so with fresh writing and treatment at a time when love stories are seen as a finished and dusty genre that no longer surprises audiences. Thiagarajan Kumararaja’s anthology, based on a collection of original essays, was published in the new York TimesThere are shorts that make you wonder what was real or what was fiction, as well as ones that make you wish the events were true.
The strangeness of what happens in Rajumurugan Lalagunda Bommaigal The former is – you wonder if something like this really happened – you laugh for a while and feel bad for the characters at times, but you also know that this is as real as it is It is possible Lalagunda What begins as a love story between two souls, one hesitant to open up again and the other struggling to be accepted. Broken on a hospital bed after a miscarriage, Shoba (Shri Gauri Priya) despairingly shuts out the world around her; Eventually, after several ‘fateful’ incidents, she falls in love with Nathuram, a panipuri seller. Unexpected events follow.
The biggest highlight is Sean Roldan’s music, which brings irreverence to it all. ‘Jingarathanga’, in particular, bursts with the energy of finding love again. The song’s lyrics compare Shoba to a racing pigeon (though she looks calm, she can put up a fight), and Nathuram to a shark (even though he is alone in a dangerous sea, he is still a shark). There are other impactful-impressive aspects, such as how it attempts to break stereotypes about migrants from north India, at a time when events are relatable. are making headlines,
Sri Gauri Priya in a still from ‘Lalgunda Bommigal’ | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
In Balaji Shaktivel‘S imaigal, a compelling argument for the futility of fixed gender roles. When Devi (TJ Bhanu) tells her boyfriend Nithyanandam (Ashok Selvan) that she will lose her eyesight after a few years due to a degenerative eye disorder, it is as if she expects him to leave her. However, Nithiya offers his hand in marriage and promises to show him the whole world as long as she can. But after a few years, we learn that Devi’s world has come down to doing household chores and taking care of her daughter; This is where it speaks to how frustrating patriarchal gender roles are.
Another lovely, cleverly done touch is the first shot of this short – we see the goddess looking directly at us as if she could pierce our souls; Her still pupils are so dilated that it almost looks unnatural, which we later find out. Interestingly, she looks calmest when she finally closes her eyes at a crucial moment.
Modern Love: Chennai (Tamil)
creator: Thiagarajan Kumararaja
director: Bharathiraja, Balaji Sakthivel, Thiagarajan Kumararaja, Rajumurugan, Krishnakumar Ramkumar, Akshay Sundar
mold: Kishore, Remya Nambisan, Ashok Selvan, Vamika Gabbi, Ritu Varma, TJ Bhanu, Vasundhara, and Vijalakshmi among others
number of episodes: 6
Duration: 40-60 minutes
Story: Six unique love stories about characters from different age groups, from different social strata and backgrounds, and living in different parts of Chennai
Cinema is the craft of selling one person’s fantasies to everyone; It creates an unreal yet possible world and allows ordinary mortals to live a larger-than-life life. Krishnakumar Ramkumar Kadhal Enbadhu Kannula Heart Irukkura Emoji is an ode to such romantics. MallikaRitu Verma) begins to question whether anyone can become a Dreamboat AlaipayutheyMadhavan and TitanicDiCaprio was She is so determined that she is also a National Award winner English Pesara Blue Sattai Film critics failed to convince her.
Everything about this short makes you swoon and witness the charm, joy and angst of innocent love. There are callbacks to Tamil films which make for some hilariously genuine and human moments while also addressing the filminess of it all. Even the heart-wrenching bouts are laced with humor and it’s heartening to see a film that takes into account how food and movies are the most popular coping mechanisms.
When Mallika wonders why there’s no onesoup songs“For women, you laugh but share her wonder. While this makes a solid point on the effort to find people who share your same craziness, it’s disappointing that even this Using a slow motion shot at a crucial point turns a hypocritical lens on the beauty of simple moments of reality.
Ritu Varma in a still from ‘Kadhal Enbadhu Kannula Heart Irukkura Emoji’ | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Akshay Sundar Margazhi Begins with divorce and ends with the birth of love. It talks about the feelings that blossom like flowers between the crevices of the rock. Puberty, hormones, and a yearning to fill a sudden maternal absence storm the heart of young teenager Jazmine (Sanjula Sarathi), who lives with her divorced father (Srikrishna Dayal).
Jazmine’s father enrolls her in the choir class at the local church, and there she meets Milton (Chu Khoy Sheng), a Delhiite spending the winter holidays with his grandmother. Margazhi Speaks of seasonal love – love that is temporary – and is meant to push you through the harsh winters. An ethereal world with minimal expressions from its stellar actors, Jasmine turns emotionally overwhelming when she listens to a special Ilaiyaraaja song. Ilaiyaraaja is here creating music for a world that celebrates his music. It is only when Jazmin plays Ilaiyaraaja on the piano and speaks about her mother, do we realize how this song is what allows her to fill the void in her heart.
Sanjula Sarathi in a still from ‘Margazzi’ | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
In Bharathirajaits small Parvai Kutil Vazhum Mangal, the metaphor of pruning a tree to bring in new life becomes a dialogue, a sign of over-performance which becomes the only issue with this short. Ravi (Kishore), a married man, his wife Revathi (Remya Nambesan), and Rohini (Vijayalakshmi), a woman Ravi is in love with, decide to talk things through to see if they can handle all the circumstances. How to get the best of
Parvai crooked.. Bharatiraja’s stotra is Late Balu MahendraA filmmaker who was known for his unconventional stories: Balu Mahendra’s ‘En Iniya Pon Nilav’ mudu water becomes the song through which Ravi and Rohini fall in love and apart from the similarity in the stories, it is also a tribute marubudium (The characters are named after later actors).
Read also: Balu Mahendra, a skilled craftsman who was also a great teacher
Even though it features characters wanting to be part of a traditional family structure, the ideals they follow are modern; In this case, Ravi’s explanation of how people can change, or how Rohini speaks that she is unable to take a step back even though she knows what it means to Revathi. Rohini is not treated as the ‘other woman’, rather she is shown as a person who is trying to find happiness in her life.
Remya Nambisan in a still from ‘Parvai Kutil Vazhum Mangal’ | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
After Bharathiraja’s crystal-clear frame, it takes some getting used to kumararajain the world of ninaivo oru paravaiEspecially because of its scarlet and blue color palette. But one respite – the advantages of streaming – helps, because you get to see what the two color-schemes mean; The splash of colors tells how two people in a relationship carry pieces of each other.
In short, the last moments of a relationship are the most enjoyable. Kay (PK) and Sam (Vamika Gabbi) have sex one last time and part ways. Months later, we learn that Sam is heartbroken and Kay, after a horrific accident, is left with partial memory loss. He only remembers Sam, and she is brought in to help him regain his mind.
ninaivo oru paravai Lot selection is easy; The staging of the scene where the two have explosive, mind-bending sex that really rocks each other’s worlds is the climax of it all. Ilaiyaraaja’s background score in this scene is top notch and is the cherry on top. Like Another Take on Astrology by kumararaja Afterwards Aranya Kandam or how the characters question the innate abnormality of storytelling in books and movies, there’s plenty to keep you hooked. One of the most intriguing touches is how the characters encapsulate their world, making you question its reality.
Read also: Five things you probably didn’t know about ‘Aranya Kaandam’
Vamika and PK in a still from Ninaivo Oru Paarvai | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Modern Love: Chennai It was just what was needed to revive mature discussions on love. Most of the stories in the anthology manage to surprise you with their unique take on romance, something that has been absent in new-age Tamil cinema, and many moments stick in your mind; It’s the best of storytellers coming together to tell an amazing assortment of love stories.
Modern Love: Chennai is currently streaming on Prime Video