Ranjith doesn’t show the people in north madras as poverty-stricken, loud-mouthed ranters. He shows the other side of the people, which is often overlooked in films made here. Kaali (Karthi) is a software professional, teens in the neighborhood practice cycling regularly, they participate in dance competitions (which is also why you will see a bunch of dancers perform to almost every song in the film), they passionately play football in the nights, they play carrom for timepass and most importantly, they are interested in politics which is why you will see them wear Che Guevara pictured, Manchester United logo-printed t-shirts. The women are independent, sympathetic and brave – example, Kalaiarasi’s (Catherine Tresa) beautifully constructed character arc. Catherine Tresa has neatly pulled off the role with her cute expressions and razor-sharp dialogue delivery with a tinge of north madras slang. Her chemistry with Karthi is etched so well that even a forced romantic portion and a momentum-cursing Aagayam Theepidicha song in the second half seem bearable. The camaraderie among people oozes a new mood of realism and never once it feels forced. There is a genuine authenticity in Ranjith’s characters and their attributes, which is the big success of his writing.
Tamil