Modern Love Chennai
Introduction
It is still a Thursday but the new releases have started pouring in. With that I just finished watching the new Tamil Anthology Modern Love Chennai. This is third in the series of the Modern Love renditions with Modern Love Mumbai and Modern Love Hyderabad being the first two. The beauty of this franchise is that it does explore the complexities of love, each of them.with a separate setting and a different city. The city in question is Chennai which is one of the most beautiful cities that I have visited. It won’t be wrong to say that it is my second home, given my multiple visits to the city. Each city has a different vibe and the vibe of Chennai has always been cheerful for me. And, with a garnish of love sprinkled in it, I was really curious to witness the taste of Modern Love Chennai. So then is Modern Love Chennai worth your time, lets find out in our standard Anthology Template!
Lalagunda Bommaigal
A story of a heartbroken but sharp-tongued girl who is fallen out of love. And this is when a prediction comes her way of love finding her all over again albeit a few issues. Now, the screenplay here was watchable but it didn’t quite do enough to move me. I did faintly get a vibe of the underbelly of Chennai wherein a budding love story did start to blossom. And these were the best moments of the film. The area where the film did falter was in its sudden twist in the tale that kind of left me confused on what the director was trying to convey. Sometimes, a simple route is the best one! Director Rajumurugan doesn’t quite nail the subject although there are a few moments that does make this film worth while. Vasudevan Murali is sincere but the twist in his character did break my heart. Sri Priya Gouda is excellent here and her expressions are to die for. Overall, this short is the weakest of the lot!
Rating: 2.5/5
Imaigal
One of the standout shorts of the series, this short follows the story of a young woman who is beginning to lose her eyesight finds love at an unexpected phase of her life. Will love sustain though? The screenplay here is wonderfully woven in the most organic layer. It does take you through the phases of any relationship where everything is hunky dorey at the beginning till one starts to get used to one another. The writers do create moments which are beautiful with the lurking threat of the protagonist being prevalent in most scenes. The insecurities and vulberabilities of the two individuals are very well showcased. The bittersweet ending does allow the short to linger on long after it has ended. The music and the cinematography is excellent here, capturing the vibe of Chennai really well. Director Balaji Sakthivel does a wonderful job with this sensitive topic. Ashok Selvan is really likable in a job well done. TJ Bhanu is absolutely brilliant to watch in a role which she does emote so well. This short does standout amidst the crowd.
Rating: 4/5
Kaadhal Enbadhu Kannula Heart Irukkura Emoji
A sweet little story of a film buff who regularly meets with a heartbreak in different phases of her life. Will she ever find true love? The screenplay here is quite sweet and it instantly reminded me of the Malayalam film Premam. Heartbreaks aren’t easy to deal with but more difficult is to find someone who would cater to your madness and just let you be. And this theme is quite well explored here although I did feel that the ending was a tad too convenient. Director Krishnakumar Ramakumar does a swell job in dealing with this rather playful subject by consistently keeping things light and frothy. Samyuktha Viswanathan holds her own in the film. Ritu Varma is cute and does an amazing job here. Overall, this is a sweet little short which will put a smile on your face.
Rating: 3.5/5
Margazhi
Another one of the standout shorts, A story of a young adolescent girl who starts to develop feelings for a guy. Will love find its way home? We have been witness to so many Gen-Z tales but here the thing that really works for the film is its simplicity. The setting itself does add a different flavour to the drama. The writers are able to create moments which would gently tug the strings of your heart. The innocence of finding love for the first time is one of the most beautiful feelings in the world. And that is tapped into beautifully here in this short. Yet, the writers are self aware of the kind of complexities that love brings with it and that is addressed really well in the dying moments of the film. The music and BGM along with the cinematography is beautiful. Director Akshay Sundher does a spectacular job by creating that ambience of love in a nice little setting. Chu Khoy Sheng is really affable in a job well done. Sanjula Sarathi is outstanding in a brilliantly written role. This short is well worth your time.
Rating: 4/5
Paravai Kootil Vaazhum Maangal
A Story of a wife who has to deal with the idea of her husband moving in with another woman. This short does display one of the lesser talked about aspects of love which is that of infidelity. The question always arises – what if you find your soulmate after you are married and settled in life? And the screenplay here does cater exactly to that question. It does open with a blossoming acquaintance between two individuals wherein the audience are kept in the dark about the kind of lives both characters lead. The Chennai metro is an integral character early on in the film wherein you begin to root for the two individuals. This until there is a twist in the tale wherein you are acquainted to the family of one of the individuals. The writing is conversational amd quite heavy in its narration. But this is what makes the writing textured and layered while being so relevant with its questioning. Director Bharathiraaja offers no respite and chooses to end the drama on a rather realistic note which is heartbreaking in many ways. Kishore is wonderfully restrained and quietly charming in his character. Vijayalakshmi Ahatian is outstanding and quite layered with the portrayal of the ‘other’ woman. Ramya Nambeeshan is absolutely brilliant with the sensitive portrayal of her character. The amount of maturity shown by her character is outstanding to watch. This short works for the nuances that the writing brings in the narration.
Rating: 3.5/5
Ninaivo Oru Paravai
Easily one of my favoirites from the crowd and standout film in so many ways than one. I will be keeping the story under wraps to avoid any sort of spoilers. But it is one of the most amazing stories that you would have witnessed in recent times. The screenplay here is brilliantly penned that takes you on an intimate journey of a couple wherein one of them meets with a tragedy. Yet, the complexities of a modern day relationship dealing with the memories of your partner is what the writing touches upon. This, while the lines between reel and real begin to blur, this resulting in a memorable screenplay. One of the best features of the short was its cinematography and lighting with every frame illuminated with a distinct neon colour that does create a lot of ambience to the drama(there was a disclaimer on not to increase the brightness of the screen at the beginning of the short). The music is trippy and it takes you on a journey of its own. Director Thiagarajan Kumararaja who had previously directed the brilliant Super Deluxe showcases his skillset yet again and it is a reminder on what a fine director he is! Monisha Blessy has her moments to shine. PB is terrific with a stellar screen presence and he does a wonderful job. And it is yet again Wamiqa Gabbi who is absolutely brilliant in her role. There are so many layers to her character and so many emotions to play with. And she nails every bit of her character and how! This short is the best of the lot and you just cannot miss this!
Rating: 4.5/5
Modern Love Chennai is an anthology with some feel good shorts while also exploring the complexities of love in a beautiful city. More precisely, this is a story of 3 standouts, 2 hits and 1 miss! Available on Amazon Prime.