Tamil Cinema - Half Yearly Exam 2013

Not sure if we ( I ) write a half-yearly report in office, but always look forward to reviewing our own Tamil Cinema for past six months. Just to give a fact, there were 78 films released till end-of-June. So there is a sure chance of crossing 100+ this year. But in spite of the huge numbers, only a handful of films flared well in box office ( unverified ) and only fewer films made its mark as “aesthetically cinematic film” ( how you like the word ! ).

Staring of the year was not so good, especially for Kamal fans, there were hurdles after hurdles for Vishwaroopam to get released and once it got there were positive response from the fans and so Kamal went smiling to the bank. No biggies like Vijay, Ajith and Surya films in the first half of the year, so next-string or new comers made most of the numbers like Soodhu Kavvum, Neeram and Ethir Neechal.

Various artists and film makers in support for Kamal

As usual comedy genre became most trusted bet (not in IPL) in Kollywood and Santhanam is cast in almost all the films as a second hero. The latest burst in the silver screen was Power Star in Kanna Laddu Thinna Aasaiya (Now he is eating kalli in jail), “Power” was the buzzword among movie goers.

The Buzz of Kollywood 2013

Biggest let down were from veterans- Kadal from Manirathanam and Annakodi from Bharathiraja. Personally I felt Gouravam by RadhaMohan didn't fare much, although thematically a good story with a social-cause.

After long time Sidharth got two movies Udhyam NH4 and Theeya Vellai Seiyanum Kumaru, he must be the only lead actor to get two movies !. Oops there is Vijay TV fame Siva Karthikeyan with two films.

Comebacks, not only in reel, but also in real- Yesteryear actor Ramki in Masani and Manivanan-Sathyaraj due in Nagaraja Cholan MA, MLA. It was sad to miss Manivanan, would have been a great story-teller in India if he had stuck to his Nizalgal line. The Tamil Film Music world missed T. M. Soundarajan, T.K. Ramamoorthy and P. B. Srinivas.

From Left:- Manivannan, PB Srinivas, TM Soundararajan and T Ramamoorthy

With just three-weeks of shelf life for a movie, the film-makers are pushed to the edge to give good-entertaining cinema. It is strange to see dwindling of theaters in B-C centers, but at the same time mall-after-mall getting multiplexes in Chennai. Still Kollywood is trying to find answers for curbing piracy and statements like “..I downloaded the movie from Internet !!” is becoming hip.

Widely Loved - Vishwaroopam, Kanna Laddu Thinna Asiya, Soodhu Kavvum, Nerram,  Chennaiyil Oru Nal, Paradesi

Leading the let down - Kadal, Annakodi, Gouravam

Love to hate- Alex Pandian, Ameerin Aadhi Bhagavan, Samar, Kutti Pulli ( I am tempted to put KP here ).