'Kanna Laddu Thinna Aasaiya' (Tamil)

The catchy one liner of a popular commercial becomes the title of actor Santhanam’s maiden home production (jointly with Thenandal films).

Directed by debutant Manikandan, an ad film maker, it centers on three guys who go all out to woo the new girl on the block.

The plot is borrowed from Bhagyaraj’s hilarious entertainer ‘Indru Poi Naalai Va’.

Crass and crude in its humour quotient, the film lacks the finesse of the earlier version. The director has remained almost faithful to the original.

It depicts how the equation between three thick buddies changes once Saumya, Vishakha of ‘Pudichirukku’ fame, enters their life.

With an ‘all is fair in love and war’ attittude, the trio unabashedly indulge in a game of one upmanship. While one tries to get his way into the heart of the girl’s father (Shivashankar), another tries to impress the girl’s uncle.

While the third tries to please the girl’s bratty younger brother and an aunt. Saumya, pretty and gracious and left with very little choice, seems to choose the better of the lot (debutant Sethu).

Sethu is just about adequate in his role while Santhanam is his usual self. Surpisingly it is Power Star Srinivasan who overshadows all and spices up the narration.

A lot of sarcastic barbs are thrown at him. There is this hilarious scene where Srinivasan to get into the good books of the girl’s father uses a dupe to dance at the temple. Old film songs have been used to good effect here.

Genuinely humorous at times and unabashedly crass at others, what works for the film is its speedy momentum, and the series of gags that flow in quick succession.

Film: Kanna Laddu Thinna Aasaiya Director: K.S.  Manikandan Cast: Sethu, Santhanam, Power Star Srinivasan