Tamil Movie Review: Kolamavu Kokila
The most complicated thing about Kokila (played by Nayanthara) is that as a viewer you can’t guess her next move. In plain sight, you might think her motivations are purely emotional, but sometimes she makes you believe that there could be more to that character. Is it revenge? Is she a psycho? It’s not easy to play such a role on screen. The calm demeanour and the eyes that don’t blink when she is determined about her actions shows how Nayanthara has grown as an actor over the years. Nelson Dilipkumar (debutant director) has created a character as good as Chandru (played by Prathap Pothen) from Moodu Pani. Note: That doesn’t mean she is a psycho in the movie (I can keep you guessing too).
Kolamavu Kokila is indeed a dark humour movie but it doesn’t stick to one genre. Korean movies have successfully experimented on genre benders and sometimes the critics pan them because they can’t paste the movie into a particular genre. It’s a story about a young woman, who is forced to help a drug mafia and ends up as a drug dealer due to unforeseen circumstances. The rest of the story deals with how her family comes to terms with her “job” and how she escapes the mafia. (Again, I am keeping it ambiguous to keep you guessing)
Nelson Dilipkumar has created a tight screenplay that resides on the shoulders of Nayanthara, but some supporting characters are impressive. Be it Yogi Babu, who is in love with Nayanthara and his one-liners or Saranya, with her diabolical innocence or the helplessness of RS Sivaji, they keep you entertained throughout the movie. The sheer audacity and antics of Yogi Babu and Smile Settai Anbu will make you go crazy. Even the small boy Karthik who works at Yogi Babu’s store makes a mark. And I should say, it’s an excellent debut for Jacqueline (Vijay TV Kalakka Povathu Yaaru), and she shines in the most unexpected scenes.
Although, I usually don’t comment on technical aspects of movies, the cinematography by Sivakumar Vijayan (Irudhi Suttru) can’t go unnoticed. The use of red shades to show the character changes of Nayanthara is exceptional. The other star of the movie is Anirudh who silently scores with his background score (listen to Yogi Babu’s and Nayanthara’s theme), and Kalyana Vayasu is a riot in theatres. My favourites are Gun-in Kadhal and Kaabiskaba Coco.
It’s not easy to create genre benders (on the hindsight I might argue that all our masala movies are genre benders) and Nelson Dilipkumar treads into dangerous territories like the rape sequence and comes out successfully. The character switches might make you uncomfortable, but that’s what Nelson wants, and he does it quite successfully. Sometimes you might feel that it’s tad overdone, but the excessive craziness is what makes Kolamavu Kokila enjoyable.
Nayanthara as an actress has matured over the years, and this is one of the best roles she had done in her career. There are few sequences you will be taken aback and applaud her subconsciously. Take a bow, Nayan.
I am not going nitpick on flaws for this movie as I feel it’s stupid to do so. Kolamaavu Kokila is one of the better films to have come in Tamil cinema this year and enjoy the ‘killer’ performances of Nayanthara, Saranya and Jacqueline.
A 3.5/5 for Kolamavu Kokila and a particular bow to the riveting performance of Nayanthara.
PS: My favourite one-liner of Yogi Babu in the movie is a line from Ennavale Ennavale song (Kadhalan) that he uses as a quote on the rearside of his van. Guess it if you can or watch the movie.
