Nadodigal….Go for it!
C. Karthik

Starring: Sasikumar, Vijay, Bharani, Ananya, Abhinaya, Ganja Karuppu
Direction: Samuthirakani
Music: Sundar C babu
Production: Global Infotainment Pvt Ltd

Nadodigal is an uncomplicated story, told in a very neat fashion that strikes the chord at the right place. It is straightforward, raw and touching, without going overboard on the sentiments part. There is love, betrayal and all sorts of other emotions with the main relationship in focus being friendship.

The cast, essentially the same batch from Subramaniapuram raises a lot of expectations. As to whether they satisfy it is a different story.

Sasikumar, Vijay, Kanja Karuppu and Bharani are friends who epitomize the kind of friendship you get to see in street corners – who don’t think even once to sacrifice their well-being for the sake of friendship. They help a friend in love to get married when the girl’s parents oppose the affair - by abducting the girl from her home and marrying her off to the friend secretly at the cost of their body parts and even love. The act doesn’t go well with the influential parents of the girl whose henchmen thrash the friends.
 
After what they have gone through to see them together, the friends are shocked to learn that the couple is after all splitting owing to differences. And most of all, the couple is not even in the least remorseful of their friends’ sacrifices that has literally gone down the drain. This irks the four friends who plot to kidnap them in an effort to teach them that love is not meant to be serious and that sacrifices of friends are meant to be valued.

If the straightforward story plays the backbone, the actors, with their natural charm and antics do the movie tonnes of good. Sasikumar is at his natural best as the infuriated friend who is equally exasperated at the frivolity with which his friend dealt his hard-earned marriage. His bush-beard look fits the role and his prodding, tiny eyes talk more than he emotes. Bharani and Kanja Karuppu keep their comic juices flowing lightening up a few moments while Vijay does a satisfactory job.

Of the women, Ananya gets the most footage and manages to squeeze in as much acting she could in whatever she is assigned. The real life speech impaired Abhinaya, who plays Sasikumar’s sister, does a stunning job of lip-synching.

Kudos to Samudhrakkani, who, despite choosing a run-of-the-mill story, has tried to show it in a way that's rooted in realism (barring a couple of unnecessary item numbers).  Sure, his setting and situations remind you very strongly of previous movies, and it's obvious that he's been influenced very heavily by Subramaniapuram. Sometimes you wonder if it was Sasikumar behind the lens. Their friendly banter and dialogue delivery from their previous movie has been carried over here, and in spite of a few repetitive moments, works.

For a while, as the story meanders from Point A to B to C, you wonder where it's heading  but thankfully, before it collapses completely, a logical screenplay and a mildly satisfying climax tie up loose ends.

Sundar C Babu’s music is good as is Kathir’s work behind the lens. Editing by AL Ramesh is upto the mark.

Naadodigal is intense, yet it has its light moments. Watch it with a group of friends and have fun.