UK Tamils Show Middle Finger to Bala’s Naan Kadavul
Some 25 minutes into Naan Kadavul, we cried out in helpless agony – Kadavule Kapathu (God, please help us).
But the almighty Kadavul did not deign to respond to our cry for mercy because it was beyond even his powers to salvage this movie.
Disappointing, Very Disappointing
There were all of six people for the opening 3:30PM show of Naan Kadavul at Movie City in Edison (New Jersey) on Friday.
And four of them did not like it.
Folks, Naan Kadavul does not provide any respite from the tsunami of bad Tamil movies.
Bad Documentary
The principal culprit of Naan Kadavul is a most disjointed story that screams amateur.
Naan Kadavul comes across as a mediocre documentary about the sorry plight of beggars in Malaykoil village in Southern Tamil Nadu interspersed with the weird antics of a pot-smoking Aghori Sadhu Rudra (Arya) from Kasi.
Since Naan Kadavul director Bala also takes credit for the story and screenplay, he’s the arch-villain of the piece.
The movie starts off with a father (accompanied by his young daughter) coming to the holy city of Kasi in search of a son he abandoned 14 years earlier in the holy city because several astrologers had warned him about the young boy being a bad omen.
Soon, the son Rudran – now a young, weird-looking Aghori Sadhu in black dress with long hair, a heavy beard and mustache – is located on the banks of the Ganges.
And father, son and daughter are on the train back to good ol’ Tamil Nadu.
No sir, they do not live happily ever after.
The young man continues his strange practices of prayer and Ganja smoking at home and not even all the plaintive wails of his mother will melt his stony heart.
Rudran is both of this world and not of this world.
Before long, he’s left his new home and ensconced himself in a nearby temple where he’s seen smoking pot and chanting Aham Brahmasmi much to the fear of other priests and the distress of his family, who want him to return home.
Even before Rudran has reached home, we’re introduced to the cruel Thandavan, the owner of a motley bunch of maimed and grotesque beggars. Through merciless whippings, Thandavan (with the help of his henchman Murugan and and the local police) puts these decrepit creatures, the flotsam and jetsam of Indian society, to beg outside the temple and on occasion even sells them to other beasts like himself.
A lot of screen time is devoted to depicting the sorry plight of beggars and Thandavan’s ruthlessness shown in various ways including in the kidnapping of a blind girl (Pooja) with a melodious singing voice.
Parallel Tracks
A glaring weakness of Naan Kadavul is that the stories of Rudran and that of the beggars run on two parallel tracks with few intersecting points.
It seems as if Bala just couldn’t develop the plot of Rudran any further after he gets him home from Kasi and in desperation conjures up this tale of beggars.
No, Bala. You are not fooling anyone with this silly ploy. Equally silly is Rudran’s behavior in court or the policemen sucking up to him.
For those who complain that Danny Boyle has highlighted only the dark underbelly of urban India in Slumdog Millionaire, the picture that Bala paints in Naan Kadavul of the grotesque beggars and their inhuman treatment is a far severe indictment of Indian society.
Decent Acting
There’s not much to complain on the acting front although Arya tends to overact.
Pooja does a decent job as the blind girl Hamsavalli. By the way, the young girl who plays Arya’s sister does an amazing job in the brief time allotted to her.
After receiving a brutal beating at the hands of Thandavan toward the end of the movie, Hamsavalli’s distressed wails before Rudran constitute some of the most poignant scenes we’ve witnessed in a Tamil movie in a long time.
As for the music, we doubt any of the songs will resonate even for a few weeks.
All in all, Naan Kadavul is a deeply flawed movie that’s worth neither your precious money nor your valuable time.
Related Stories:
UK Tamils Show Middle Finger to Bala’s Naan Kadavul
Naan Kadavul Review – Kadavule Kapathu added by SearchIndia.com on
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Surprising. I heard that the movie was superb. Hmm. Thanks guys. And have you seen Bala’s Pithamagan?
SearchIndia.com Responds:
No, we have not seen Pithamagan (unfortunately, Netflix doesn’t have it).
Generally speaking, in India we consider minor achievements as heroic accomplishments.
If you manage to walk a few steps without tripping, voila, you are considered a Kadavul in India. 🙂
****************
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Read our NY / NJ Indian Restaurant Reviews
Dev D running there?
SearchIndia.com Responds:
Yes, but seems like a limited release.
Running in Anil Ambani’s Phoenix theatres in the NYC area & at Naaz 8 in California.
Is it good and if yes, why?
superb movie …liked it very much …. real stars are those beggars ….each one of them .. raw scenes ….but subtle …dialogs/ scenes while conveying the brutality, pain …never went to the extent of being revolting ….Bala knew when and where to stop …. humor was inbuilt in the script …its amazing how Bala managed to convey pain in such a way that you felt bad …but at the same time you laughed at the dialogs ..
Must watch
SearchIndia.com Responds:
Yes, acting is decent and we acknowledged it in our review.
But strong acting cannot save an effete story.
As we wrote above, the Naan Kadavul story is so disjointed – Rudran’s story and the beggars’ tale run on two parallel tracks with few intersections.
Overall, very incoherent story.
Ohh…On the contrary, I heard very very good feedback from a few of my friends.
I have reserved for sunday evening show at bangalore. (Rs 260 per ticket at fame cinemas 🙁 ).
Now, I sincerely hope your review is as flawed as the one you wrote about SM. 🙂
Anyway, expect some serious bashings from my end, if I find the movie to be good.. 🙂
SearchIndia.com Responds:
1. You write above: I have reserved for sunday evening show at bangalore. (Rs 260 per ticket at fame cinemas 🙁 ).
Why not strike a match to the money bills in your wallet. It’ll serve the same purpose as watching Naan Kadavul.
2. You write: I sincerely hope your review is as flawed as the one you wrote about SM.
With just a few exceptions, Slumdog Millionaire has been acclaimed as a fine movie.
Despite the massive piracy in India, Slumdog Millionaire seems to be doing well there.
See this latest ET Story.
You seem to be missing all the good movies. ‘Luck by Chance’ is a decent movie well worth a watch, but I felt ‘Dev D’ was amazing… different and modern. It’s a must watch.
SearchIndia.com Responds:
You write above: You seem to be missing all the good movies.
Pray, tell us which dictionary equates few with all.
Surely not the Merriam-Webster’s.
Given the large universe of Indian movies, it doesn’t take much effort to pick one movie and say, oh, you are missing all the good movies.
We’ve covered a fairly large number of movies in the last couple of years.
And this number will continue to grow to include more of all the good movies (to use your words).
Dude, you just won me 50 bucks!!! I had a bet with a friend on how your review would turn out to be, based on your review of Slumdog Millionaire. And it turned out to be accurate, almost. The only prediction that went wrong was that, I had bet that you would say that beggar scenes were copied from Slumdog Millionaire. Did you forget about that, or did you think it was not copied? You could have won me 100, but I’ll take 50 any day. Keep up your good work.
SearchIndia.com Responds:
You write: You could have won me 100, but I’ll take 50 any day
Funny. 🙂
Glad we could help. These are troubled economic times and we are sure every penny counts for a crackhead like you (what did you call us last time – sick psychopath, was it).
Sorry i liked the movie so much have to provide a counter review, for serious lovers of Bala movies [read good movies ;)].
Caution: STORY SPOILER AHEAD
If there is a league of Director’s whose screenplay you could never find a fault, i would place Bala among the front in that league.
The Story as the name suggests, shows the hero, (who has his own sense of reality – no sarcasm intended), as GOD.
Here i should mention, one of Bala’s strong points is strong charact-building for his stories. If he builds his heroe’s characters with a (for a lack of better word)different-sense-of-reality [pithamagan-the guy who lives in a crematory land] [naan kadavul – the guy who grows up with aghoris] [nanda – the guy who grows up in a juvenile institution] [read and compare magic realism which takes it to another level], he tends to carry his characters forward, with the reality their environment teaches them, consistently and beautifully.
So there is nothing in the film that you can dismiss as Arya’s overacting. He carries the sense of reality the character requires, with ease.
As far as the story goes, as the name of the film suggests, the hero is a guy who goes on with his sense of reality that he is god, and who believes he has the power to take lives.
The beautiful portrayal of a “god” in the village, who has no hands or legs, but can only see, is a wonderful portrayal saying the GODs as we see and worship them, cannot really help you in times of distress and only watch our sufferings in silence.
Comes the hero, who is the GOD, the beggars desperately need to destroy evil, in flesh and blood. [comparison to Nanda “Akkaramatha kandu kothichezhuravan athana perum saami da” and he quotes GITA there, a very powerful dialogue]
The film here again says you can’t expect your gods -as you seem them now- to help you, you should rise above yourself, realise you are god, and destroy evil when and where they occur.
So the intersection of the beggars and the guy from Kasi in story, is more like the coming of GOD to save the weak [beggars] from the tyranny of evil [villains]
And the ending with a subtle subconscious without really naming it, support of euthanasia is good.
All in all, as in any Bala film, there is a hightened reality growing beautifully throughout the film, without any flaws. I am sure there are many more shades of stories and preceptions that can be revealed by watching the movie once more.
The movie is really fast paced, didn’t want the movie to end when it did, and that too me is a sign of good movie.
and the various shades of emotions that were awakened in you as you finished watching the film, these are some of the things that take this movie to another level.
Please watch it, if you don’t hate being disturbed [in a good way] by a movie.
Bala is certainly among the world’s best directors, to me personally i see strong likeness to Darren Aronofsky, his movies are alway disturbing as well.
SearchIndia.com Responds:
Hey, we write the reviews around here.
And you write the comments.
Comprende.
Yes, these are tough times indeed. Good to hear that only six jobless people turned up to watch the movie on a Friday afternoon, while everyone else was at work or trying to get a job. That’s encouraging news.
I don’t mind calling a spade, a spade. Note that I have not used any abuse against you this time. That is because, I have not seen the movie yet, and may be your review makes sense. I am prepared to give the benefit of doubt to you. You can expect to hear more from me after I watch this movie. Meanwhile, don’t get worked up too much. Life is too short to waste time on such trivial disagreements.
SearchIndia.com Responds:
1. You write above: I am prepared to give the benefit of doubt to you
Lucky us.
2. You write: You can expect to hear more from me after I watch this movie.
Restless, we wait with bated breath by our keyboard.
3. You write above: Good to hear that only six jobless people turned up to watch the movie on a Friday afternoon, while everyone else was at work or trying to get a job.
Shove the sarcasm up your canal.
4. You write: Note that I have not used any abuse against you this time.
Must be our punyam and the Bhagawan’s blessing that we were spared your abuse this time.
5. You write: Life is too short to waste time on such trivial disagreements
Very true. 🙂
Havent seen it.Dev D’s got negative reviews.Taran Adarsh hated it, but a few other critics think otherwise.
BTW you have to watch Perfume-The story of a murderer. Its a dark but lovely movie. You have to watch it NOW!
SearchIndia.com Responds:
You write above: you have to watch Perfume-The story of a murderer. It’s a dark but lovely movie. You have to watch it NOW!
It’s available on both Netflix & at the Blockbuster stores.
Give us two or three good reasons why we should go over to Blockbuster & rent it now.
1) You want good acting, if not anything else? you got it.Ben Whishow is amazing.
2) Dustin Hoffman.He’s a hoot!
3) The ridiculous orgy in the end.
The ending wasnt good enough.The movie is 2 hours 21 minutes long, but it didnt bother me.Its got Alan Rickman by the way.
hello team
I would appreciate if you could stop writing reviews for Tamil movies because you are not in that threshold (i mean you are above our levels of understanding). Please leave it to the people who can do that better, May be you can try writing for Hollywood movies, I am not sarcastic, believe me.
When you watch your movies at Netflix and havent seent movies like Pithamagan (i hope you knew it sweeped awards) anyone can comprehend your level
SearchIndia.com Responds:
1. You write above: When you watch your movies at Netflix and havent seent movies like Pithamagan (i hope you knew it sweeped awards) anyone can comprehend your level
If you ‘havent seent’ Myraduthurai Myrpudingi Myrravanan, ‘anyone can comprehend your level’.
2. BTW, Netflix has a huge collection of Tamil movies featuring stars like Sivaji Ganesan, Gemini Ganesan, MGR, Nagesh, Balaiah, Rajinikanth, Kamal Haasan, Sivakumar, Surya, Vikram, Vijay, Ajith, Bharat, Sridevi, Sandhya, Sripriya, Shriya Saran, K.R.Vijaya, Nayantara, Trisha et al. Ignorance is no justification for sarcasm.
3. You can now amuse yourself with this review.
Alright, I noticed how you bashed this movie without saying anything about religion. Which means you do not understand the central theme of this film, and how the film is full of subliminal messages that you “six jobless” fellows obviously dont understand.
I do not understand your definition of a “good movie”. A regular vijay-starrer bullshit film, Pokiri, you enjoyed, which is astonishng. But you could not understand or admire a film like Naan Kadavul? If you’re gonna write movie reviews, you have to first understand the art of film, and you have some shitty film analysis. The acting wasnt good? Arya was overreacting? You say that as if you’ve been living with agorars your whole life.
I can see why you senseless idiots would like slumdog millionaire more than Naan Kadavul. There’re no underlying messages, but just a series of events that you guys can actually understand. But as for Naan Kadavul, you guys only look at whats on screen, but cant make your minds process what everything really means.
SearchIndia.com Responds:
1. You write above: Alright, I noticed how you bashed this movie without saying anything about religion
You noticed? Wow, you are so smart. Horlicks baby, right?
2. You write: Which means you do not understand the central theme of this film, and how the film is full of subliminal messages that you “six jobless” fellows obviously dont understand.
Let our Tamil film-makers first learn to put forth clear, overt films. Let’s worry about subliminal messages later (maybe in a few decades).
3. You write: A regular vijay-starrer bullshit film, Pokiri, you enjoyed, which is astonishng
What?
Is Vijay an untouchable that we shouldn’t enjoy his films? Pokiri was an entertaining film. Yes, we enjoyed it.
The problem with many guys/gals is they have a mindset that all Vijay films are crappy, all Mani Ratnam films are excellent and all Bala films are masterpieces.
That’s nonsense. You need to look at each film on its merits.
Pokiri was good but Kuruvi was crap. Kannathil Muthamittal was good but Guru was mediocre. Nandha was above average while Naan Kadavul is below average.
4. You write: I can see why you senseless idiots would like slumdog millionaire more than Naan Kadavul. There’re no underlying messages, but just a series of events
Absolute nonsense.
By your definition, even Casablanca would be nonsense because it had no message.
Slumdog Millionaire was a well-made, slick movie that richly deserves all the awards being heaped on it.
Giddyap, to the Oscars.
5. You write: But as for Naan Kadavul, you guys only look at whats on screen, but cant make your minds process what everything really means
Get off the crack-train. Naan Kadavul is not e=mc2
Dev D- the only review till now that I read:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/moviereview/4082878.cms
5 stars :O.. Unbelievable.
SearchIndia.com Responds:
Limited release on the East Coast. We liked Abhay Deol’s Manorama Six feet Under.
hello
why do you get angry boss? Myraduthurai Myrpudingi Myrravanan–haven’t you reviewed this yet?? he he
Again you proved your grade by your replies to my comment, ha ha.
Just back from watching this movie from the same Edison movie city 7.00 pm show on saturday 02/08, The movie hall was packed literally. Most of em enjoyed and gave a standing ovation.
Everyone understands that jobless people sit in the movie hall on weekdays…you guys are seriously some people to be preserved in museum, Don try to differentiate your self from the most common views just to show off…that needs some talent.
SearchIndia.com Responds:
1. You write above: The movie hall was packed literally
Cut the BS. We’ve been watching movies at Movie City for years. And it’s never packed. When you spin a yarn, it’s got to sound at least plausible.
2. You write: Myraduthurai Myrpudingi Myrravanan–haven’t you reviewed this yet??
When we wrote about Myraduthurai Myrpudingi Myrravanan, we meant it in a sarcastic vein. But sarcasm is obviously lost on dolts like you.
3. You write: Everyone understands that jobless people sit in the movie hall on weekdays.
Like much of your nonsense, the above point too has nothing to do with the Naan Kaduvul review.
You haven’t given one reason why you found Naan Kaduvul to be the ne plus ultra of movies.
Since you can’t defend the indefensible, like all clowns you lash out at the messenger of bad tidings.
4. You write: you guys are seriously some people to be preserved in museum, Don try to differentiate your self from the most common views just to show off…that needs some talent.
Show off, us?
Your comments are weird. Just because someone dares to have an alternate viewpoint that does not coincide with yours, you start frothing at the mouth, baring your fangs and casting your spittle on all around you. And your blah blah blah with our review started before you even watched the movie.
Get over it. This is just a movie review (an unbiased, objective one, of course).
Come on guys, Do you really think it is a good direction by Bala.
This film should be a documentary. All about the handicapped and the underworld don who controls the beggars.
If you watch Slumdog Millionaire, there is the exact scene of the Don who makes kids to beg and earn money for him. That is only 5 – 8 mins of the whole movie. I bet You will never forget that seen for several days.
He has involved too much scenes that are not necessary.
Why don’t you watch my review and let me know your feedback
[link deleted because link does not take you to review but asks you to click on another link]
Suppan
Hi Guys,
I start in the name of Allah to waste time to post a reply to this thread.
Indeed, I haven’t watched this movie yet! But I have listened to the Audio. The songs resonate well. Most people have said their souls have moved well. I have seen soul of people melting while listening to this music. Their eyes were full of tears. Weeping is a great sign of melting of soul. If anyone doesn’t move, it is his fault, never ever he can blame the music. Maybe God has sealed their souls.
Awards are just given by some people appointed as judges. But tears are shed by souls. Just reckon the tear drops from eyes of the people who move to music. Kindly don’t impose your likes & dislikes on writing reviews.
GOD knows everything.
Allah Hu Akbar
SearchIndia.com Responds:
Vandatangapa comedy pasanga (here come the clowns).
hey Raju bhaiyya, is SI a guy or a girl? Does he/she speak in English/Tamil/Kannada?
SearchIndia.com Responds:
Raju, if you ignore these adhiya-prasangi (unduly inquisitive) fellows, we’ll take you out for a nice lunch/dinner at a South Indian place in NY/NJ. 😉
Response to the Response of SearchIndia.com,
Let the people to decide who are the clowns! And even what does matter to SearchIndia.com to call me a clown. If they what to show that they are not clowns by posting such a response to my post. Let them enjoy it.
Indeed, I am not a clown. I am a beggar. (Pichai Paathiram Vaangivanthen)
Thank you!
Allah Hu Akbar
SearchIndia.com Responds:
What does Allah have to do with Naan Kadavul?
What does Allah have to do with Naan Kadavul?
How do you say that? kadavul is allah. so this movie and the life of muslims are very much related. I dont agree with your review anyways. But just for comment, if he had been a Muslim aghori, the film would have rocked. All Arabs also would have liked it.
SearchIndia.com Responds:
Who let you near a keyboard?
IR’s BGM is usually good, it it good in this movie?
SearchIndia.com Responds:
Neither the movie nor its music component did anything for us.
Done.. 🙂 Which place to dine now? For me, any good veg. restaurant is OK.. Oh, forgot to add… I want a million dollar in cash too.. ellaam pazhaiya note-a venum.. 😀
SearchIndia.com Responds:
1. We hope you have nerves of steel given the state of our Indian restaurants in the NJ/NY area.
Take a look at NJIndia.us and NYIndia.us.
2. We are ‘printing’ the dollar bills as we type (since we are cheap desis, we are printing them on used one-side sheets)…Once we run the notes through the desi lassi machine to make them look old, we’ll FedEx the million bucks. 😉
did you guys watch preggggggy M.I.A perform tonight at the Grammy’s?
SearchIndia.com Responds:
No…any wardrobe malfunction? 😉
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wc42mwn1bkw
the thing that was most likely to pop out was her baby.. due today.. she was performing the song (paper planes) from SDM partially
SearchIndia.com Responds:
Un-f******-Believable – Baby due today and she’s on stage.
In the name of Allah, this movie would have been way better if he had been a Muslim aghori!
SearchIndia.com Responds:
In the name of Hanuman, this forum would have been way better if you had not descended from the tree.
This movie is simply wonderful, awesome, brilliant and heavenly. Please don’t misdirect people. Also I agree with Akbar Raja. Tears are the very proof of how this movie has mentally touched the hearts of people!!
SearchIndia.com Responds:
You write above: Tears are the very proof of how this movie has mentally touched the hearts of people
If tears could touch the hearts of the people, the Misery Quotient (MQ) of India would have been far lower.
On a scale of 1-100 (with 100 being the highest), the MQ for at least 300 million people in India is above 90.
The movie was excellent. I know you wud have loved Villu. Shouldn’t have seen your review in the first place.
SearchIndia.com Responds:
You write above: I know you wud have loved Villu
Yes, we loved Villu so much.
There has never been a movie like Villu in the motion picture industry.
To understand the depth of our love for Villu, please take a few minutes to read our Villu review.
this is a different movie …and the parallel tracks do meet ….but it can’t go beyond a certain point …since you have to go beyond the customary questioning of religion and god ….which the censors will not allow ….but it is conveyed in a such a way the relationship is established …..also if you have noticed …at many places ….certain words were censored …but the sentence was allowed …
aarya places a role of a Aghori – these people behave exactly in the way AArya behaves in the movie …totally detached …so that’s real portrayal ..
Beggars who were the real stars of the movie ….deformed legs / hands …they did a very good job …right from the small kid who never speaks a single word to the one who keeps on chattering …
he showed the plight of these people and how the very same god to whom they probably pray / use his name to beg …. does not come to thier rescue …. but sends a messenger in the form of a Aghori Sadhu (Aarya) to rescue them …
this is not a urban movie ….so may not do well in US …but here it should do well ….its a theme ….which others have not explored …
SearchIndia.com Responds:
1. You write: since you have to go beyond the customary questioning of religion and god ….which the censors will not allow
Are you serious?
Our impression of the Indian Censor Board was that it was primarily a kind of moral police preventing heavy-duty sensual scenes.
2. You are right..the Beggars do a commendable job.
Interesting review and comments. hmmm… yet to watch the movie. From the review and responses it looks like, this movie definitely better than those cartoons from vijays and ajiths. Btw, I listned to the songs, I liked it, though nothing was like the masterpiece of ‘Ilangathu’ in Pithamagan. Heard from people that its a heavy movie, let me watch it and see how much it weighs :).
I suggest “Naan Kadavul” is worth to watch, atleast once, as it is a very different movie at different atmosphere.
However the movie did not fulfill the expectataions and it is unbelievable that it took 3 years for shooting.
Arya did not given much chance to act and his role looked not properly shaped. Pooja did perform well as a blind girl.
Ilayaraja came up with the average score.
Bala should have worked out more.
My rating is **1/2 (>average
SearchIndia.com Responds:
1. You write above: it is unbelievable that it took 3 years for shooting
Perhaps they worked only on Sundays and took the remaining six days off.
2. Yes, Naan Kadavul is different from the run of the mill Tamil junk. There’s at least decent acting in this movie unlike in Aegan, Villu, Sathyam et al.
one of the worst critic by a useless person. without any cinema knowledge how could u done a stupid comment on the great indian movie.. users must realize and avoid read this type of rubbish reviews.. naan kadavul is one of the best film in the history of indian cinema..
SearchIndia.com Responds:
You write above: naan kadavul is one of the best film in the history of indian cinema..
Why do you stop at Indian cinema.
Why not take a step ahead and say naan kadavul is one of the best film in the history of world cinema..
or why not take a big leap and say naan kadavul is one of the best film in the history of universal cinema..
wat arbit shit is that about MQ? You din’t answer my question in the first place. Should I talk arbit about your economy and MQ?
SearchIndia.com Responds:
You write above: You din’t answer my question in the first place.
To have a question, you must have some basic understanding. A monkey understands only bananas.
Yes, our economy is in the toilet (No thanks to the Republican crooks or the Democrat idiots). No question about it.
You have proved that you would be better off selling condoms instead of writing reviews.
The movie was EXCELLENT. The story you wrote in the review is not the “actual” story. You have not mentioned even one word about what the movie was actually about (“God” as most of us see, without limbs, who does not see or hear to anyone’s call for help, as portrayed in the movie by a physically challenged character).
For heaven’s sake, stop watching movies like Naan Kadavul (at the least refrain from writing reviews), and continue to enjoy movies like SM and Pokiri.
In one of your comments you have asked “what does Allah have to do with Naan Kadavul?”. This again shows that your intelligence (if any) deceived you from decoding what the movie tries to convey. Please hear to what the blind girl says in the climax of the movie.
@SI: “A glaring weakness of Naan Kadavul is that the stories of Rudran and that of the beggars run on two parallel tracks with few intersecting points.”
– I don’t understand this. It did not intersect because there was no need for that. This is a movie that is not hero (or for that matter,any single character) centric. Then why do you see it that way, and expect that the screen play should revolve around the hero?
This movie to me is a MUST WATCH. Here are a few reasons:
1) Marvelous dialogues that are thought provoking. (which you either din’t understand, or you avoided to listen because of your dislike for the movie).
2) Excellent performances by almost all the artistes.(Pooja and Thandavan in particular).
3) The feeling you get after watching the movie is priceless.(If you understand what the movie tries to convey).
BTW, I watched the movie in bangalore (fame cinemas). The show was houseful.(so were the previous 3 shows for which I couldn’t manage to get tickets). Many of them had come with families( a few with kids too). There was pin-drop silence all the way, and not a soul moved till the movie was over. Most of them moved out only after the final song (that is played when names scroll on the screen, after the movie ends) was over.
@SI: “For those who complain that Danny Boyle has highlighted only the dark underbelly of urban India in Slumdog Millionaire, the picture that Bala paints in Naan Kadavul of the grotesque beggars and their inhuman treatment is a far severe indictment of Indian society.”
— Complaints on SM, were not because Dany Boyle highlighted the dark underbelly of urban India. It was because he “exploited” that to lick westerner’s ass, with scenes like “Real india…Real america” shit.
SearchIndia.com Responds:
1. You write above: You have proved that you would be better off selling condoms instead of writing reviews.
Well, considering the hundreds of used condoms you’ve purchased from us at inflated prices over the years, you should know our selling skills.
2. We think Naan Kadavul is a mediocre movie.
But then the essence of a Democracy or a good blog is that every clown gets to have its say.
3. There is no need to write the full story in a review. What we sought to provide is the essence of the movie.
4. You write above: Please hear to what the blind girl says in the climax of the movie.
You really ought to pay attention to what we write instead of perenially frothing at the mouth and liberally spraying your spittle all around. This is what we wrote in the review:
5. You write: BTW, I watched the movie in bangalore (fame cinemas). The show was houseful.(so were the previous 3 shows for which I couldn’t manage to get tickets).
Who cares whether you watched the movie in Korang-ore, Bangalore or Mangalore.
In any case, you make a specious argument. In how many theatres is the movie Naan Kadavul running in Bangalore. We bet it’s very few (no more than one or two).
6. You write: Excellent performances by almost all the artistes.(Pooja and Thandavan in particular).
We agree and we said in the above review that acting is decent.
7. We do no expect the movie to be hero centric but we do expect the different threads to be linked into a cohesive whole. And that cohesion was missing from Naan Kadavul.
8. You write: Complaints on SM, were not because Dany Boyle highlighted the dark underbelly of urban India. It was because he “exploited†that to lick westerner’s ass, with scenes like “Real india…Real america†shit.
In Tamil, they have a word – veyatheruchal (jealousy).
9. You write: The feeling you get after watching the movie is priceless. (If you understand what the movie tries to convey).
Baloney. The feeling you get after watching this movie is Kadavule Kapathu.
[Deleted]
I will be surprised, if I see this in the comments section.. 🙂
SearchIndia.com Responds:
Give us your telephone number & we’ll prove the deleted portion of your comment wrong. (No, we won’t publish the telephone number).
Saw Naan Kadavul today. The movie wasn’t good.. but it could have been better, if not for Bala’s tendency to go overboard in some scenes. Nevertheless, any attempt at something different other than the usual masala movies is welcome.
SearchIndia.com should produce a movie and i will review it.
I think Bala was smoking drugs while directing this movie along with Arya…. thats the reason why this movie has more Drug Smoking scenes.
Arya best excuse to smoke drugs has been in the form of Rudran for this movie…
SearchIndia.com Responds:
You write above: SearchIndia.com should produce a movie and i will review it.
Aama, adhu onnu than ippo korachal (Well, that’s the only thing left for both of us to do).
@SI: Well, considering the hundreds of used condoms you’ve purchased from us at inflated prices over the years, you should know our selling skills.
– ha ha. Yes. I bought them and passed it on to my friend at Indian Institute of Science, who is doing a research on chimpanzee’s sem**.
@SI: There is no need to write the full story in a review. What we sought to provide is the essence of the movie.
– Exactly. But my point was that you missed to provide or notice the essence of the movie.
@SI: Who cares whether you watched the movie in Korang-ore, Bangalore or Mangalore.
– For the same reason, you expect me to care that you watched the movie on 3:30 PM at Movie City in Edison (New Jersey) on Friday, with 6 people, out of which only 2 understood the movie.
@SI: In how many theatres is the movie Naan Kadavul running in Bangalore. We bet it’s very few (no more than one or two).
– http://www.google.co.in/movies?hl=en&near=bangalore&dq=naan+kadavul+showtimes+in+bangalore&sort=1&mid=85b984847c0f6f4b&ei=fmOQSfebBpDM6gPf2NC3Cg&sa=X&oi=showtimes&ct=movie-link&cd=1
@SI: In Tamil, they have a word – veyatheruchal (jealousy).
– Again. ha ha. You wont listen to my advice. Would you?”veyatheruchal”???. We do not pronounce this word like that, in any slang of tamil.
Even if I give my phone number, how can I be assured that I am talking to the correct person ? 🙂
SearchIndia.com Responds:
1. Who are you trying to kid. You must have used it all yourself.
Now your friend’s probably using it. We’ve heard of sloppy seconds (yeah, yeah, we know it has a different meaning). But sloppy thirds….only in Incredible India.
2. You write: Even if I give my phone number, how can I be assured that I am talking to the correct person ? 🙂
Instead of just beating around the myr (bush), why not just admit that you lack the cojones to take up our challenge?
3. We checked one theatre – Innovative Multiplex on iticket.in…for tomorrow – tickets are available for all shows.
@SI response for Karthik
“We checked one theatre – Innovative Multiplex on iticket.in…for tomorrow – tickets are available for all shows.”
We have not lost jobs like the ones in Incredible US to watch movies in weekday afternoons.
SearchIndia.com Responds:
You write above: We have not lost jobs like the ones in Incredible US to watch movies in weekday afternoons.
Don’t worry…your turn will come soon as we tighten the screws on outsourcing & as your economy also weakens.
You’ll go back to your loin cloth & your Pitchai-Pathrai (begging bowl).
Agree to your Villu review. Revoltingly bad, yes!!!
Sorry for wrongly accusing you in that but you gotta agree that this movie is not so bad. May be now I guess you din’t understand the movie properly!!
SearchIndia.com Responds:
We agree, Naan Kadavul is definitely not in the league of Villu or Aegan but it ain’t good either.
This post has nothin in connection with the above movie review.i visited this site recently and read most of your posts.you seem to be anti-indian. all the comments are biased….
i would like to show some instances of it.
Generally speaking, in India we consider minor achievements as heroic accomplishments.
If you manage to walk a few steps without tripping, voila, you are considered a Kadavul in India.
and many more and in one of your review i find the term ugly india.
bloody hell what to do you know abt india.
dont forget its this nation that gave you food education and despite of all this u speak low abt india????
have some gratitude yar…
u guys are a part of shame to our nation.
hey dude i doubt whether u r really an indian or an useless jerk or an american piece of shit….?
always u seem to see the pesimistic side…just have a glance at the brighter side.
the chandrayan project, rahman nominated for oscars won the bafta & golden globe award…many more countless to say..
i agree there are some slopes in our (my would be the correct word) country???if the blog discusses some issue on rectifying some prob it would be of some use…
u guys just for getting money dont write bad abt India.
its your mother nation talking bad of it is like insulting your own mother.i would be happy if further humilitations abt india doesnt popup in ur blog.
People have their own perceptions.if ur perception abt india is wrong let it b within you. just dont pomp.
Jaihind.
SearchIndia.com Responds:
1. No, we are not biased. Not in the least bit.
SearchIndia.com is a U.S.-based web site that looks at India through the prism of Indian-American interests.
If we are against outsourcing, it’s because it has wrought havoc in the lives of hundreds of thousands of families (that is millions of people) in the U.S.
2. It’s true that minor achievements get wildly blown up in India. Where’s India on the world stage in entertainment, sports, academics, development, economy et al.
We (India) lead only in corruption, starvation deaths, violence against women and minorities (Muslims and Christians), harassment of the poor, depriving hundreds of millions of the most basic needs of life like food. clothing, shelter.
And if we highlight those shortcomings, it’s not bias but a reflection on the dark underbelly of the nation. Progress is not a few malls or a few IT guys swaggering about in their Hyundai cars.
3. You write: u guys just for getting money dont write bad abt India.
If blogs were such a phenomenal source of revenue, you’d have quit your day-job and started blogging.
Get real.
Hey, why din’t you post my other comment. If by any chance you missed it, I’ll send again. Its not that Karthik does not have cojones to take up your challenge but its that you don’t have the B**LS to post his comment and reply in public.
SearchIndia.com Responds:
1. Having difficulty reading, are we?
Read the About Us section one more time. Here’s an excerpt:
Now, what part of the above excerpt don’t you understand?
We do not shy away from criticism on this blog. A significant portion of the comments here are critical of us. That’s fine. And we publish it (often with our responses).
No, sir. We ain’t turning the other cheek here. Not our modus operandi.
2. Not sure what happened to your earlier comment. We publish 99% of the comments because we respect the time and effort you’ve taken. It’s unlikely you’ll find another blog that publishes all shades of opinion. For some comments, we take a little longer to process because we may need to think a bit more on the topic or check some facts before responding.
In your endless quest for job, eventually you guys also would go to pichai pathiram, but irony is no one can put pichai also for you. Better come off to India and become aghoris. You’ll learn to eat corpses.
SearchIndia.com Responds:
As usual, more nonsense from you.
No offense. Just in case you were wondering why I mentioned about eating corpses, aghoris actually eat corpses. Arya must have burnt and eaten Pooja as well as that Kerala villain. Thats why that villain was completely missing. Those parts were censored I guess.
SearchIndia.com Responds:
Wonder what’s been the overall box-office response to Naan Kadavul. Have you seen any credible reports?
eating corpses makes sense as bala doesn’t show arya eating or drinking. have heard that agori babas eat floating corpses on kasi. censor has played around.
very decent review.
i guess, we might have to watch original uncut version…i have great respect to bala since his vikatan article.
SearchIndia.com Responds:
Not sure if you have watched the movie or heard about it from friends.
Overall, the movie was mediocre.
http://sify.com/entertainment/movies/tamil/boxoffice/fullstory.php?id=14854152
This is chennai box office report for only that weekend. And do read their review.
SearchIndia.com Responds:
We do not think highly of Sify. These are the folks that described the crappy Villu as a rip-roaring rocker.
very interesting
Indian goes to US …. gets a job which is meant for Americans …gets abused by them …..gets a green card …becomes a citizen ……starts a blog and then abuses others who do exactly the same …..which he did ?? ……because now he is on the receiving end ? ….he might lose his job to a other Indian ? …
Pointless ….this blog is not going to change anything …. time for you to look out for other opportunities …maybe in other countries …….Try India or China ….you might find a job
SearchIndia.com Responds:
1. There’s a time for everything and limits for everything.
In prosperous economic times, immigration is fine.
Immigration is also good in ensuring a solid future tax base required for paying out social security/medicare benefits to retirees, attracting educated folks to keep the innovation engine going, et al. Note the caveat here – we said in prosperous economic times.
But you are making ridiculous arguments. When your country faces an economic crisis, are you going to invite Bangladeshis to take your best job and simultaneously outsource your best jobs to Bangladesh.
2. You write: time for you to look out for other opportunities ……maybe in other countries …….Try India or China ….
No, not India or China.
Hard times ahead for India too. Maybe, Europe. If only, they released all the crappy Tamil movies in Denmark.
Villu rip-roaring rocker!! LOL. I’m gonna stop reading Sify reviews.
I think u guys missed the plot somewhere…
u dont understand the aghoris belief, & what rudran is capable of..
this is a rare movie in tamil (indian} cinema.
i loved it!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W0bGrvKVxac
SearchIndia.com Responds:
Thanks. Interesting video (above) but the movie Naan Kadavul is mediocre.
Please do not repost your comments. We usually get to almost all of them.
they apparently eat faeces too.. schweet!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u_rJu_20Aps&feature=channel#
SearchIndia.com Responds:
Interesting to note from the videos in this series that the cannibal uses English words like power, choice et al.
I dont know what the reviewer is talking about. I was not a great fan of Bala’s earlier movies. But this one is a good thriller. From a story angle, it has a great story line (movie progresses rapidly). It does not induce false hope like Slumdog millionare. It shows stark reality. It has some extraordinary dialogues and is not preachy. The support cast is awesome and that is because of their perspective of life imbibed on them by the director and the writer.
However I do feel that Arya’s character and the Kashi part lacked depth and filled with commercial gimmicks. The only purpose of the character in this movie is to liberate Pooja from suffering. And rightfully Arya does not have much screen time.
If you carefully notice, Bala never acknowledges that the hero is GOD and also this is one of the atehistic films you can find.
This is one of the superior films in the recent past and definitely Bals’s best. But do not expect masala entertainment like Slumdog. Because if you are that beggar, life is not that entertaining. When i watched the movie I found it interesting. When I was driving to work today, I remembered a joke and I could feel tears in heart.
SearchIndia.com Responds:
1. You write above: But this one is a good thriller.
Stop using the kuppathotti dictionary and Buy a Real Dictionary.
Naan Kadavul is anything but a thriller.
2. You are right. The cast has put out a decent performance.
I agree with the reviewer. The story does not connect well. I was expecting much more from a movie which Bala was directing for 2 years. It is ok to watch but certainly not a above average cater. Also the character of Arya resembles with Vikram in Pithamagan. The last tamil movie that I watched VARANAM AYIRAM is a total crap and this is ok than that.
Naan Kaduvul is definitely a good movie…hope u never understood the movie at all. instead of terming it as a mediocre movie again & again..u better watch it again!
it cannot be compared with SM or whatever the movies released so far…the way those handicapped ppl acted is adorable & u easily telling the verdict as a bad movie w/o mentioning the word abt those humans..learn to appreciate those good things rather than slamming the movie like this..definitely it is a good movie which made ppl like me realise how lucky we are to born without such defects…& i really dont understand your point that when danny boyle shows India’s slum boy activity like he falls into the pile of shit inorder to go & get the signature of his favourite actor whereas you cannot digest the characters & their reality shown by our very own bala..
its easy to sit & comment like he has taken the film only on saturdays & sundays thats y its been filmed for 3 years..
how many of them know the effort put in by bala to bring the best in arya & pooja( he made them accustomed to the situations as shown in the film)
so learn to appreciate the good things then only u can be a good critic!!
SearchIndia.com Responds:
1. You write above: its easy to sit & comment like he has taken the film only on saturdays & sundays thats y its been filmed for 3 years..
If Bala really took three years to make this junk called Naan Kadavul, he must either be the laziest director around or the most incompetent director. Take your pick.
UK Tamils have already told Bala to shove it up. We won’t be surprised if this mediocre movie Naan Kadavul gets a similar box office response elsewhere.
2. You are right. The beggars did a good job.
3. Danny Boyle knows how to make a movie. Bala doesn’t.
WOW what a critic!!!
This is the first time I am visiting this website, oh maan who ever wrote this review you are too good when I first read your review I felt ok then started reading all the comments then felt the better critics are lying down in comments section. You know what? You better stop writing reviews and go to some other site where some good reviewer has written something about the movie n what?…. START YOUR SILLY FIGHTS THERE. Reviews are to be written by people who have broader minds and who can think in all directions, to make it simple for you its for some one who atleast have the common sense. You dont worry I will send you the link to other websites where you can fight. Have a good one.
And don’t forget I should never see you here again.
SearchIndia.com Responds:
You write above: And don’t forget I should never see you here again.
Are you a complete retard?
I have to completely disagree with the “Naan Kadavul” portrayed as a piece of crap.
The reviewer either should be a big fan of directors like “Perarsu” who would make a movie with 5 songs(1 kuthu song and an item dance), 6 fights….probably would be appreciated by Mr. Reviewer as an excellent movie. The hon’ble reviewer doesn’t seem to understand the underlying theme of the movie in first place. In order to be able to understand the character and picturization of Rudran one should understand what an “Agorhi” cult is….their life style…..their view of God etc and etc.
I would say Bala has done an excellent job of accurately depicting the Aghori life style and their nature. Personally I liked the movie….Bala has churned out one another good movie. Amidst crappy movies in Kollywood these days….only a very few directors come out with some good stuff like Subramaniapuram, Katrathu Tamizh etc….among them I would definitely say Bala lead the list. After watching the movie I felt like one would definitely go for movies like “The City of Gods”, “Motor Cycle Diaries”… etc for a scale of comparison. There may be a group out there spreading bad comments & reviews about Naan Kadavul….but I would definitely encourage every one to watch the movie and make their own judgements. I fell in love with Arthur Wilson’s camera…I liked his work in Anbe Sivam too….. and Illayaraja had proved one more time that he is a Maestro. What I really liked about the movie is it’s truly open ended and let the viewers make their call….when the movie ends it would make you think I am blessed. Also Bala’s style of sense of humor worth mentioning too….. this movies doesn’t have a bullshiting separate track for comedy…… instead he has chosen to bring the best sense of humor from the physically challenged people in his own style is truly a commendable work.
Bala has always had an unique way of story telling…..this movie is not any different too…..especially he puts things in perspective and make you think. I definitely appreciate his courage in making a movie like this and encourage everyone to watch the movie in theater….not a pirated version……as good efforts should always be appreciated.
I would rate this movie 3.9/5.
SearchIndia.com Responds:
1. You write above: I would rate this movie 3.9/5.
We would rate your comment 0.0005392/100.
At 379 words, your comment reads like a review. As Bill O’Reilly (of Fox News) would say, leave the bloviating to us.
2. You write: After watching the movie I felt like one would definitely go for movies like “The City of Gods”, “Motor Cycle Diaries”… etc for a scale of comparison
Oh, my God. What planet do you come from?
Comparing Naan Kadavul to Cidade de Deus (City of God) is blasphemy. Next, you’ll be comparing Mother Teresa to Hitler because both came from Europe.
We watched Cidade de Deus (City of God) recently. Naan Kadavul is nothing, nada, zip, zilch compared to Cidade de Deus.
3. You are right in suggesting that Bala is better than many other Tamil directors. But that’s not enough. And Naan Kadavul is definitely not worth the $10 ticket-price at Movie City.
4. You write: this movies doesn’t have a bullshiting separate track for comedy
Thank God.
5. You write: when the movie ends it would make you think I am blessed
Yes, but not in the sense you suggest.
Making ugly meaningless movies just for the sake national award seems to be Bala’s tricks. He thinks makign it with beggars, with an age-old concept like vettiyan or yogis would make it look like a concept film. Which its not. Even Pithamagan was not. Vikram’s wig looked awful in that. But, on the whole it was not bad to watch it at home when you have a lot of free time to criticize someone. But, a film in the making for 3 yrs almost isnt worth it – Naan Kadavul, I meant. And thank god, Ajith didnt take up this movie..God heard atleast one of our prayers… 🙂
And films like this actually project a bad image of INdia itself. Crazy. This idiot makes two films in 5 yrs… 🙁
SearchIndia.com Responds:
You write above: And films like this actually project a bad image of INdia itself.
So, you think India doesn’t have deformed beggars being exploited.
I finally managed to watch the movie today. The movie has flashes of brilliance, is good in parts, but average mostly with some badly made scenes. Overall, it is ok for a one-time watch, and definitely not as bad as you make it to be. Anyway, it is still better than the phony fairy tale called Slumdog Millionaire.
SearchIndia.com Responds:
You write above: Overall, it is ok for a one-time watch, and definitely not as bad as you make it to be
As we say in the U.S., not a dollar vasool movie. 😉
I havent seen the movie yet.
However am not still convinced with the visuals in the promotions of the movie. I understand that every director has a social responsibility in making movies. Its not just enough to identify a problem,but try to solve it.
Every one knows that there are problems in this society. But when you(director) want to speak about them to a mass you have to have a solution otherwise it would only be a visual gory no matter how great director you are and how instrestingly you compose your shots.
I heard the director has invested 3 years to complete the film. Is this really worth it
SearchIndia.com Responds:
Naan Kadavul is most definitely not worth it.
If Bala really took three years to make this crap, he must be a really lazy fella.
Bottomline, it’s not a compelling movie whether in terms of photography or the story.
What else can you expect from a reviewer who thinks like this:
@SI: “And father, son and daughter are on the train back to good ol’ Tamil Nadu.
No sir, they do not live happily ever after.”
SI would have considered this movie to be the “greatest indian movie ever”, if Rudran had met Hamsavalli as a bikini clad neighbor, participates in “Koun Banega Crorepathi” to win her over, wins the show hands down using his past life experience to answer questions like “What do Aghori sadhus have for breakfast?”, “What is the strongest bone in a human body?” etc.., gets tortured by inspector Thandavan (turn’s out to be Hamsavalli’s uncle trying to force her into marrying him), and finally trashes him in a one-one fight, and the movie ends with a song like “JAI HO”, with the caption..”AND THEY LIVED HAPPILY EVER AFTER”……..
SearchIndia.com Responds:
You write: if Rudran had met Hamsavalli as a bikini clad neighbor
Hamsavalli in a bikini. Oh, God, yes. From your lips to Bala’s ears. 😉
I read your review first, but decided to see the film nonetheless as many of my friends had told me otherwise.
And I am thankful now that I decided to go against your stupid review, because the film was fantastic and simply too good to miss.
Many in the cinema hall gave it a standing ovation, and quite a few were moved to tears (and not, as you say out of “vayetherichal”, because they were longing for it to get over).
And yeah, a bunch of teenagers sitting next to me told me how they were, in fact, watching the movie for the second time since they liked the movie immensely.
The film was much more than a tear-jerker. A more appropriate description would be “A deeply emotional and soul-searching take on the lives of people whose presence we don’t like to acknowledge”.
“Pooja does a decent job as the blind girl Hamsavalli.”
It’s way more than decent and you know it. Unbelievably terrific acting would be more correct.
“As for the music, we doubt any of the songs will resonate even for a few weeks.”
The songs were splendid. The two main songs “Om shiva Om” and “Pichai pathiram” were superb and excellently picturised. “Pichai pathiram” especially was a haunting melody with beautiful lines. You are obviously tone-deaf.
But then I guess such honest unbiased opinions are too much to expect from you. It is becoming evident that you simply can’t bring yourself to accept that certain Tamil films are as good, if not better, than your so-called hollywood “classics”. Shame on you for panning such a great film.
SearchIndia.com Responds:
1. You write: It is becoming evident that you simply can’t bring yourself to accept that certain Tamil films are as good, if not better, than your so-called hollywood “classics”.
By no stretch of imagination is Naan Kadavul one of those non pareil must watch movies. Other than the decent acting (which we’ve acknowledged earlier), there’s little merit in this movie.
We still suggest Tamils stay away from this movie unless money is burning a hole in their pockets.
2. Can someone please help us understand why the movie is not resonating with fans in some corners of the world?
3. You write: a bunch of teenagers sitting next to me told me how they were, in fact, watching the movie for the second time since they liked the movie immensely
Yeah, right. Teenagers smoke pot a second time and a third time and a fourth time since they so liked pot the first time immensely.
http://www.behindwoods.com/tamil-movies-slide-shows/movie-3/top-ten-movies/tamil-cinema-topten-movie-naan-kadavul.html
says “upbeat”
SearchIndia.com Responds:
Where are the numbers?
SI – “why the movie is not resonating with fans in some corners of the world?”
The only reason I can think of is that you are so out of touch with what is really going on in India.
Mentally, you have become just another white man, who happens to have distant links to India and has been exposed to eating south indian food and speaks a bit of Tamil (that too,
I should add, definitely not fluent enough to understand all the dialogs of a Tamil movie like Naan Kadavul).
Put simply, you (not specifically you, but many NRIs in general), have become westernised and americanised to such an extent that you retain only the bare vestiges of your native land’s cultures, and in that process, you have not only weeded out some of our shortcomings but also lost the ability to enjoy whatever good things India does have.
SearchIndia.com Responds:
1. When people can’t counter the facts, they respond with ad hominem attacks like you do.
You guys have an idee fixe with Naan Kadavul as a masterpiece that you even refuse to even consider the possibility that some of the audience (including in countries like the UK) may not share your views on the movie.
Maybe, the movie has not done well in India too except with a bunch of hardcore, vociferous Bala fans.
In the absence of numbers, no one can say anything definitely about the box office status of movies running in India (Tamil Nadu in this case) because even crap movies run for 100 days defying logic.
2. NRIs don’t like the movie – ergo, they’ve also lost the ability to enjoy whatever good things India does have.
Bizarre logic.
3. You write: Mentally, you have become just another white man
Another meaningless attack on Whites, as if they alone are the cause of all of the world’s problems. The last time we checked, U.S. (mostly a White nation) was doling out more money in charity than a whole bunch of other ethnic groups.
“Yeah, right. Teenagers smoke pot a second time and a third time and a fourth time since they so liked pot the first time immensely.”
Don’t ridicule other’s views if you don’t share them.
For one thing, they seemed a far more discerning audience than you six jobless people.
But then, if you pronounce “pichai paathiram” as “pitchai pathirai”, “vayetherichal” as “veyatheruchal”, and “vandhutaangappaa” as “vandatangapa”, I don’t expect you to have comprehended the many thought-provoking and intelligent dialogues of the film, in which case, your review should be taken with a large pinch of salt.
SearchIndia.com Responds:
1. You write above: Don’t ridicule other’s views if you don’t share them.
We are not ridiculing others but ridiculing a ridiculous justification for a mediocre movie.
2. Pronounce and spelling are not synonyms.
In any case, there’s no accepted, single equivalent of writing Tamil words in English.
Hi S.I.
Watched NK,gave it a thumb,not the middle finger. Just curious, you a MISS,MRS,MS or one of the inbetweens.
SearchIndia.com Responds:
You talkin to us?
You are.
Well, we’re Phantom, the Ghost who Walks.
After seeing that downright idiotic link you posted about UK tamils’ response, I have to make certain things clear.
First, a film like Naan Kadavul, with no established star as hero, and not, as you like to say, a “run-of-the-mill tamil masala garbage” cannot hope for great openings like the ones for Sathyam, Kuruvi, Aegan etc.,(and, seriously, you have to be mad if you start making comparisons with Kuselan. It has the Superstar himself Duh..) notwithstanding the fact that its director is one of the most talented directors in indian film industry.
Second, people who go by idle talk and rumour also would not be too keen to book their tickets in the opening weekend, since the only things they would have heard is that the hero is a “saamiyar”, the heroine is a “pichaikkaari” and the story ends with the hero killing the heroine and eating her dead body. All in all, it is no surprise at all that the film didn’t have a great opening. Nobody in their right mind would expect it to.
SearchIndia.com Responds:
Bottomline, Great box office opening or Poor box office ending…Naan Kadavul is a mediocre movie.
I got you guys….Think you guys must be newly converted Christians, They way you support America and The whites and the way you hate India.
Further there is a reason why you guys hate the movie..Pooja talks about Christianity at the end of the movie and It might offended you guys.
SearchIndia.com Responds:
Folks, some zoo is missing one chimp.
We’ve said this a million times – All Religion is nonsense. A crutch for weaklings.
Naan oru thadava sonna nooru thadava sonna mathiri
“Pronounce and spelling are not synonyms.
In any case, there’s no accepted, single equivalent of writing Tamil words in English.”
Lame excuse, bro. In the absence of any accepted standard, one spells a word as it is pronounced.
Don’t try to cover up your inadequacies. It was evident as soon as I saw that your review did not contain a single mention of the film’s superb dialogues, which have earned the writer Jayamohan (who wrote the dialogues and story from which the movie was partly inspired) tremendous critical acclaim in TN. Even other critics who were lukewarm in their response lauded the intelligent dialogues as one of the film’s main strengths.
Whether you accept it or not, Naan Kadavul remains a path-breaking masterpiece which has treaded uncharted territory and, despite a few glitches, has successfully put its message across.
SearchIndia.com Responds:
You write above: Naan Kadavul remains a path-breaking masterpiece which has treaded uncharted territory
You are entitled to your delusions.
You get angry….. Then sure i am right
SearchIndia.com Responds:
You surely must be the late Connecticut chimp.
“Bottomline, Great box office opening or Poor box office ending…Naan Kadavul is a mediocre movie.”
There you go again. You put forth a silly, and indefensibly stupid argument, get nicely clobbered, upon which you silently drop the argument, but childishly refuse to admit you are wrong.
Like the old adage goes: You can only lead the horse to the water, you can’t make him drink it.
I can only show you the light of reason and good sense. It is up to you to open your eyes and see it.
If you wish to continue to be a moron, it is purely up to you.
SearchIndia.com Responds:
1. You guys can keep shouting till the cows come home but Naan Kadavul was not sui generis.
2. You write: You put forth a silly, and indefensibly stupid argument, get nicely clobbered, upon which you silently drop the argument
It’s true that some movies we didn’t fancy (Singh is Kinng, Ghajini et al) fared well at the box office. Just because they did well at the box office is no reason for us to change our views. So, there’s nothing silly or indefensibly stupid here. Stop the BS.
Racer44: Naan Kadavul remains a path-breaking masterpiece which has treaded uncharted territory
SI: You are entitled to your delusions.
Again, no direct replies. Just sound-bites.
Why do you get scared stiff ever time you read a logical counter to your fantasy reviews???
Your method of reviewing seems to consists of entering a movie with pre-concieved notions(either damning it or praising it even before entering the cinema hall), backing up those notions with exaggerated and illogical reasons and then ridiculing and abusing anyone who dares to contradict you.
SearchIndia.com Responds:
1. You write above: Your method of reviewing seems to consists of entering a movie with pre-concieved notions(either damning it or praising it even before entering the cinema hall),
Are you the monkey on our back, constantly watching our actions.
2. You cite: Racer44: Naan Kadavul remains a path-breaking masterpiece which has treaded uncharted territory
SI: You are entitled to your delusions.
And pray what insightful analysis did you provide for your bizarre claims. At least, we made things clear in our review.
“It’s true that some movies we didn’t fancy (Singh is Kinng, Ghajini et al) fared well at the box office. Just because they did well at the box office is no reason for us to change our views. So, there’s nothing silly or indefensibly stupid here.”
On the one hand, you “justify” your claims of NK being a “mediocre” movie with its box-office response (that too only for the opening weekend and that too in UK).
And then, when someone points out that this so-called “vindication” of your review is actually plain “BS”, you get all worked-up, prickly and touchy.
Don’t have double-standards, man. Either you consider the box-office response all the time, or ( as any good reviewer will do) don’t care about it at all. This oh-look-the-people-say-the-same-thing-as-me nonsense reflects poorly on the quality of your reviews.
SearchIndia.com Responds:
1. You write above: you get all worked-up, prickly and touchy.
There’s not a prickly bone or cartilage in our weathered, disease-ravaged body.
2. You write: Either you consider the box-office response all the time, or ( as any good reviewer will do)
There are no good reviewers or bad reviewers…only good movies and bad movies (hint: Naan Kadavul).
3. If you’ve heard of Google, you might also find other unbiased reviewers that have not gone mushy over Naan Kadavul.
4. You write: Don’t have double-standards, man.
Thanks for the compliment. A lot of readers (including you) have often accused us of having no standards at all. It’s kinda nice to know we have double-standards (no, we’re not drunk though we wish we were…it’s just that for no reason we woke up and it’s 1:36AM now…you must have flung nasty imprecations at us).
And what’s with the man? Did you by any chance peek at our crown jewels while we were asleep?
Stop being sexist, a woman could well have written this review!
5. We do second week Box Office (U.S. not UK) usually only for Bollywood movies.
Now, we’re getting back to our Updike short stories.
“And pray what insightful analysis did you provide for your bizarre claims. At least, we made things clear in our review.”
As you yourself said when someone actually did give a far better, and accurate description of the movie:
“Hey, we write the reviews around here. ”
Despite this, I have given some valid points to argue my case, which, in your hurry to lambast the movie and its supporters, you seem to have missed.
I will briefly outline them again, so that even a dull-witted person like you may understand them.
A superb story, with its two main protagonists being from two corners of society which have never before been so realistically portrayed.
Intelligent and subtle dialogues, sprinkled with humour, that inject life into the film.
Two wonderful songs, Om Shiva Om and Pichai Pathiram which synchronized well with the mood of the film and were picturised excellently.
Stupendous (and not merely “decent”) performances from the two lead actors Arya and Pooja, and also from the group of beggars (who, in fact, are real-life beggars)
who were the life and soul of the film.
And finally, several beautiful underlying concepts; the main one being that death can be both a punishment as well as a boon, depending on who receives it.
SearchIndia.com Responds:
Wow, so many superlatives in your ‘review’ for a mediocre film.
Let’s look at the superlatives in your mercifully short ‘review’ – superb, never before, intelligent, subtle, wonderful, excellently, stupendous, life and soul, several beautiful… BTW, what thesaurus do you use? Can’t be Roget’s…must be Bala’s, right.
Now you know why we insist on writing the reviews and you writing the comments. If you haven’t got it, the answer is balance.
Naan Kadavul had decent acting (a rarity in Indian movies), as we’ve said all along. But by no stretch of imagination is the movie a masterpiece.
I wouldn’t want to go as far as showing the middle finger to Bala but I’d surely give him the thumbs down on this one. I can’t help but agree with every single line of your review.
Superficial review. Please google to find more about Aghoris, spend a bit more time in understanding the appropriate use of RigVeda, Bible lines and Sivavakkiyar paadal. I felt the movie to be repulsive when I watched it. But when I mull over it for a few more days, I have to say “Hats off to Bala”.
SearchIndia.com Responds:
We don’t agree.
Face it, Naan Kadavul is a great movie which your tiny (or perhaps non-existent) brain couldn’t understand. It is your review which is mediocre.
Whatever bile you keep spewing forth, that fact doesn’t change.
I thought I could put some sense into your empty head, but you have proven to be an incorrigible fool.
Arguing with a fool like you is a waste of my time because first you will drag me down to your level, and then beat me with experience.
Bye.
SearchIndia.com Responds:
We don’t consider Naan Kadavul to be a non pareil movie.
The movie got choppped off pretty badly in Malaysia .. till we had no idea wht ws happening. Many scenes were deleted and somehow that didn’t help the audience to understand the flow of the movie and the essence of it. In the chopped version, Arya was not in most scenes.
Many questioned wht Danny Boyle did for the kids in Slumdog.. i’m wondering… Bala spent 3 years making this movie and hopefully the Indian goverment or Bala at least did something good for these handicapped people or did they???
SearchIndia.com Responds:
1. You write above: Bala spent 3 years making this movie and hopefully the Indian goverment or Bala at least did something good for these handicapped people or did they???
We are not sure if anything was done to assist the handicapped beggars in Naan Kadavul.
2. Why were the scenes chopped in Malaysia? By the censors?
Since Malaysia is a Muslim country “they” the censorboard were responsilble for the chopped of version.Gory scenes plus cannibalism is a big NO in Malaysia.The scene after the censor didn’t even make sense, worse the ending ws killed either by the censorboard or Bala. The movie started around 9.30pm ended at 11.30 … 2 hours… the last time I watched a tamil movie that ended at 2 hours ws Alaypayuthey and that was 9 years ago.
i guess you guys [trash talk] for the cheap american dollars that they are throwing
You keep abusing [deleted because of falsehood] section in india
so wat abt u guys u beg in the hands of f****** americans and brits…
instead of feasting on the bones thrown by americans and brits u better [trash talk]
its because of you such guys, whole india is being ridiculed….. better dont call urself an indian anywhere in the world wer ever u go
its definitely a good attempt by an ace indian director..if u cant appreciate it just leave it dont write some nonsense in the name of review… even more rotten is you guys are justifying it by responding to each and every comments posted…
last but not the least,,,,Dont ever mention that you are from india even in your graveyards…
go on write reviews about the f****** batmans, supermans…
SearchIndia.com Responds:
1. Naan Kadavul is a mediocre work. Naan oru thadava sonna nooru thadava sonna mathiri 😉
2. You write: its because of you such guys, whole india is being ridiculed…..
Read our posts on Incredible India.
Bet you’ll come back on your knees begging for more. 😉
Go on guys u can continue this … even the dastatdly terrorists are better off than you “slaves of americans”
SearchIndia.com Responds:
dastatdly?
Surely, there must be a ‘dickionary’ even for dickheads like you.
[Trash Talk]
SearchIndia.com Responds:
Going by your user name and the trashy comment, it’s clear that your learning stopped at the alphabets.
guys you have written a review and must face the consequences
why do want to hide a comment in the name of trash talk if you have a write to abuse india, we the indian citizens have a right to defend it and go hard against anyone who is against mother india
please understand and be bold enough to accept it, [trash talk] please dont write such reviews and get bashed up all over.. every comment posted (trash talk) is aimed at [deleted]
why do you want to review a movie at the expense of [deleted]
SearchIndia.com Responds:
Your comments were deleted because of the trashy content that you wrote under this new name (bhaaratpyaari) and the old name.
That said, we do not delete comments here just because someone is critical of us.
There are several thousand comments on this blog and a lot of them are critical of various posts here. That’s fine with us because we don’t expect readers to agree with all that we have to say and vice-versa.
We have strong views on some subjects and expect no less from our readers.
All that we insist on is no garbage and filth here.
Ur review was good for this movie..Because i watched this movie a week later after its release in theatre..some of my friends have watched the movie earlier and told that its worth a watch.so me and my friend decided to go to theatre..We thought that the movie is going to show the in depth characterisation of ‘AGHORI’.
But after 20 minutes of the movie i.e.ARYA (AGHORI) returning to his native village (or) town from kasi..and the showing of villain THANDAVAN..i thought what could have been be the end. After 20 mins of the movie the story was deviating further showing the plight of those beggar’s who are all working under villain ‘Thandavan’..after interval, i thought they could show some connecting scenes between beggars and ARYA..but still director BALA shows the plight of beggars for next 15 mins..the next 45 mins was the mere formality for the film..
AS far as saving grace of the movie is concerned, it’s acting..pooja does well..arya was ok..I think the main drawback of the movie is Story and Screenplay.. I think director Bala was little confused in developing the Story,because he didn’t depict the life of AGHORI fully,and the plight of beggars was shown more than it needed, its a mixed bag..I paid 50 R.S..which I thought was ok compared to the other crappy Tamil movies.
But surely its not a well made movie!!!!
How much u guys are spending in theatre for watching a Tamil movie? Are u guys getting any sponsors?
SearchIndia.com Responds:
You write above: How much u guys are spending in theatre for watching a Tamil movie? Are u guys getting any sponsors?
We spend a lot on movies. Last year, we spent over $1,000.00 on movies (just on movie tickets and Netflix (excludes gas, toll et al).
Ticket prices depend on the movie.
Tamil movies are the most expensive in the U.S. Ticket prices range from $12 to $25 (Sivaji).
Hollywood movies are the cheapest here – starts at $6.00 for a super-matinee show. Ticket rates vary depending on theatre and the area.
Bollywood movies start at $6 (AMC) and $8.50 (Regal) for matinee shows and go up to $10.25 (at Regal Commerce in North Brunswick, NJ) for evening shows. More expensive in NYC.
hi
SearchIndia.com Responds:
Hi,
Your earlier comments have been processed.
What a load of crap.
This probably is one of the worst i have seen.
Anyone who finds this movie is a “great movie” needs a reality check. It is as bad as any Vijay movie.