Kadhalikka Neramillai
Introduction
The Tamil film Kadhalikka Neramillai is essentially a film that unfolds backwards. And this is not literally but from a relationship standpoint. It is a film that has children enter the fray first only for the romance to kindle much later. The kind of deconstruction that accompanies the narrative can be noticed in its very first scene with the introduction of Shriya (Nitya Menen) whose first line of the film is ‘I Want To Get Pregnant’. This might seem like a regular opening line particularly when you see her being accompanied by a male and presumably her husband Karan (John Kokken), but that is not the case. Through a montage of flashbacks, we get to know on how Shriya was to get married with Karan but later on backed out after the latter cheated on her. Yet, the incident in itself doesn’t necessarily vilify Karan, there is a sense of dignity with his portrayal wherein he remains apologetic and regretful. So at this point, it is clear that Shriya ‘opts’ for an IVF in order to carry out her parenting duties as a single mother.
Elsewhere, the scenario is slightly different for Siddharth (Ravi Mohan aka Jayam Ravi). He is pretty much happy leading his ‘happening’ life with his set of friends, one of whom is gay and avidly talks about gay parenting, thereby prompting Siddharth to also accompany him for sperm donation. There isn’t a hoopla created about either of the two topics while seamlessly integrating them in this delightfully frothy film. Siddharth interestingly, also has relationship issues with his girlfriend Nirupama (TJ Bhanu), almost being reluctant in having kids that eventually leads to his breakup. Invariably, the stage is set for the worlds of Shriya and Siddharth to collide while both each of them being oblivious of the family that they are about to start.
Story & Screenplay
It is interesting that both the protagonists in Kadhalikka Neramillai are construction engineers (Shriya is an architect and Siddharth is a structural engineer). In that sense, Kadhalikka Neramillai acts as an anti-thesis of sorts given that neither of them are committed to constructing a relationship of their own. Both Shriya and Siddharth remain seemingly opposite individuals – Shriya wishes to be a single parent without marriage and Siddharth doesn’t wish to have kids. Clearly, marriage and commitment or the lack of it, laces both of their personalities even as they represent the current generation of the 30s, who are way too comfortable in their lives without having to worry about relationships. Interestingly, the duo do not cross parts for more than half of the first hour, seemingly crossing paths only during their career conclaves. It is crystal clear though that love is not on their minds, something that is further accentuated when Siddharth is drawn towards Shriya because of her intelligence, and not really because of any physical attraction.
The drama coasts past some of the cliched tropes of the writing while creating a world that was vibrant and fresh. It was almost like a liberal Gen Z world that was host to the histrionics of Shriya and Siddharth. The world building reminded me of Ok Kanmani (2015) that was reflective of the youthful lives of the protagonists in that film. The major difference here remained the representation of love that was far more complex and purposeful given that the characters were in their 30s. So there is a layer of objectivity even when Siddharth makes his first move while a pregnant Shriya quietly steps away. There isn’t any drama accompanying it, treating the event as normal but it says a lot about the maturity of the characters who may already have been through their share of heartbreaks early in their lives. And so, the scene at the airport that immediately follows it makes for a heartfelt moment given the baggage of the two characters that you are witness to, even after they bump into each other for the first time.
At its heart, the drama also remains that of an identity crisis with Shriya wishing to know the father of her child. And so, when fate brings Siddharth back into her life, you just know that they are destined to meet. The eight year leap probably shifting the age demographics from the early 30s to the late 30s, does bring about further sense of maturity with respect to the characters. This, while presenting a heartwarming picture of single parenting. Interestingly, both seemingly opposite traits go hand in hand here – Shriya being a single parent has brought up her son Parthiv with a lot of love but with a void too as felt by the latter, who lies about his father’s whereabouts while remaining oblivious to the fact. Siddharth still doesn’t like kids, incidently bumping into Parthiv and kicking his football out of the society to ‘teach him a lesson’.
Yet, the soul connection of the two characters glue them together – in a scene when Parthiv disappears only to be found later, you see Siddharth acting as a strict ‘father-figure’ and putting some sense into him. In another scene, when Parthiv after having warmed up to Siddharth tells him that he is a part of the school football team, you see Siddharth exulting in joy. This despite being oblivious that Parthiv remains his own son. I wasn’t entirely in favour of a little rebound track from the past that acts as a momentarily speedbreaker with the reintroduction of a character. Probably, it briefly did take me away from the two characters in question that lead to a slight disconnect. Even the events in the final act were slightly simplistic, forming a conflict and resolving it in the very next minute. That said, I liked how there was a sense of incompleteness at the end that helped the drama to steer away from the cliches and end on a high. The pretense of a karmic connection uniting the characters without a noteable knowledge of their past, made for such a sweet moment that perfectly summed up the screenplay which was just so charming!
Dialogues, Music & Direction
The dialogues are conversational and the one noteable takeaway from the lines was on how well they symbolized the frothy tone of the drama without being overtly melodramatic. The music by AR Rahman remained one of the highlights because the songs not only did not stall the flow of the drama but instead, brought us closer to the characters and their respective emotions. The BGM perfectly symbolizes the frothy nature of the drama by tactfully tapping into the glitters of the youth in their 30s while accounting for several emotions brimming beneath the surface. The cinematography comprises of frames that are aesthetically beautifully with their colour grading. The synergy of youth is depicted perfectly through its vibrant frames that also allow you to stay connected to its characters. The editing is crisp and sharp too while never allowing a dull moment to creep in. Director Kiruthiga Udhayanidhi does a fabulous job in creating a drama that was so organic by its approach. There were no extra freebies to divert your attention. I liked how she stayed focused to the source material without necessarily deviating from the core subject matter. This, while her characterization remained on-point, treating every character with grace and dignity. There were no extreme reactions of characters who are put in traverse situations, and this was that calming female gaze that accompanied the narrative. The direction is excellent while boasting of several moments to shine.
Performances
The performances are superb by the members of the cast. Lal as Siddharth’s father was sincere and earnest even as the writing flipped the dynamics of the father and the son here. In a scene wherein you see Siddharth bonding with his father over food, you feel their dynamics with the justification being that his father brought him up just like his mother (after she expired). A beautiful female gaze reflected right there! John Kokken as Karan also pulls off his character with grace and dignity, and it was heartening to witness that he wasn’t vilified in any manner. Vinodhini as Shriya’s aunt has her moments to shine in a sweet little role. Vinay Rai as Sethu and Yogi Babu as Gowda are excellent additions to the screenplay and both manage to impress with their wonderfully heartfelt characters. TJ Bhanu as Nirupama looks stunning and is wonderfully understated with her character. Even when she concedes a loss, there is a lot of humility and dignity that laces her character.
Both Ravi Mohan aka Jayam Ravi and Nithya Menen are excellent here. There is a genuine warmth and energy that you see through their dynamics. The quick glances or their disarming smiles, you do root for Shriya and Siddharth to be together. The understated approach felt so organic to this world that made for a refreshing watch, wherein both actors fed energies off each other rather beautifully. The Yin and Yang equation was met with complexity and richness that said a lot about how brilliant, the two talented actors were in the film.
Conclusion
Boasting of solid performances, Kadhalikka Neramillai is a beautifully deconstructed take on relationships packaged in a charming little film that makes for a rather heartfelt watch. Available on Netflix.
