Not Ok, Mind-blowing Kanmani!

Ok Kanmani is so many things. An instant mood lifter. A real piece of life. A set of people who seem so real you feel they have been captured using a spy camera. Dance that reminds you of real people in your life. Clothes that you can imagine yourself or people known to you in. Mumbai that is not glamourized to focus on snazziness or pathos. Mumbai we know, with its crowd, its rush, its trains, its nooks and crannies, its pothole puddles, its non-interfering world, its contrast, blending with the story like sugar in Ramashreya’s filter coffee. Adding sweetness, but never overshadowing the taste of coffee.

After debacles named Guru and Raavan, this movie reintroduced me to the Ratnam, the Hrishikesh Mukherjee of South (don’t you see the similarities?), who gave us gems like Anjali, Mouna Ragam, Nayagan, Roja, Bombay, Alaipayuthe, and Yuva. This movie reiterates that nobody captures the essence of people, places, and passions like Ratnam does.

The beauty of this movie is that it doesn’t overindulge in frilly romance, shocking pathos, and unnecessary drama. It tells you the story of two couples, of two generation at odds with each other but willing to see the other side, willing to meet half way. The telling of the story is refreshing, despite the fact that some scenes are reminiscent of Alaipayuthe. In fact, this movie is a notch higher in terms of narrative, characterization, and treatment.

This movie boasts some awesome performances. Prakash Raj’s Ganapathy tells a thousand stories with his eyes and understated performance. His reaction when he hears Tara (Nithya Menen) sing ‘Malargal Kaetten’ proves that he is one of the best actors we have (let’s please ignore his over-the-top villain roles). Leela Samson is convincing as Bhavani, a musician, a wife dealing with Alzheimer’s. Never for a moment does she forget what her role demands, the loss of memory written all over her innocent, clueless face. The chemistry and companionship between Raj and Samson is beautiful and between Dulquer and Nithya is bubbly. In both the cases, the chemistry is effortless. Ratnam weaves relationship dynamics so well that you are with the characters, living and feeling with them. Trust me, Hindi movies can take a lesson or two about the art of characterization and narration from this movie.

The best thing about the movie: language is not a barrier. Yes, there are subtitles, but you don’t need to look at them for a minute because every nuance is packed into the performances. Must watch for people who like entertaining realism. Must must watch for those who believe such a genre is dead.