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Kandean: I Came, I Saw, Got Disappointed

Appeared in City Express, the daily supplement of The New Indian Express, on 23 March, 2011

If ever there is a movie to exemplify that a comedy track alone will not suffice to cover the gaping holes in the logic of its screenplay, one need not look beyond Kandean (I saw). The movie abounds with scenes that lack coherence and could have done with a great deal of trimming.
Vasanth (Shantanu), the son of yesteryear film director K Bhagyaraj, is a playboy and a software engineer, whose sole aim is to fall in love with a girl and marry her. Vasanth’s grandfather, Chinnrasu Kounder (Vijayakumar), a village chieftain, (someone please tell him that the days when rural-centric movies like Naattamai or Natpukkaga were a rage are over) forces his grandson in vain into a marriage when Vasanth lies that he has a girlfriend back in
Chennai.
Narmada (Rashmi), a college student and the daughter of the police commissioner of Chennai (Ashish Vidyarthi, who follows a pattern in grimacing and mellowing), is affectionate to the disabled and helps the blind cross the roads. Vasanth, smitten by her looks, passes of as a blind person in order to meet her frequently. Expectantly, the two fall in love.
Director Mugil gets afflicted with deja - when he gives us a glimpse into the movie’s ending inside fifteen minutes in the scene when Vasanth in a temple visualises getting married to Narmada. With the two falling in love even before the interval, the second half is about scenes creating an emotional ebb, leading to a burst of euphoria. The problem is that some of them are either outlandish or hopelessly predictable.
Scenes that seem to be disguised references to K Bhagyaraj’s watershed movie, Chinna Veedu – the bike with the side compartment, and THAT scene where Vasanth averts his glance when Narmada undresses – stand testimony to the fact that imitation is the best form of flattery. Santhanam as Sami, Vasanth’s friend, is entrusted with the near impossible task of making the movie watchable and enlivens proceedings with a humorous comedy track, similar to what veteran comedian Koundamani once did. Music by newcomer Ebenezer comprises peppy songs that belie his experience.
In short, a movie that you would pay to avoid!

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