Review of Aiyyaa (2012) by Harina K — 13 Oct 2012

The movie is a very classy love story between Meenakshi and Surya. Meenakshi is played by Rani Mukherjee and Prithviraj Sukumaran is Surya in the film. Majority of the film is shot at the J.J School of Arts in Mumbai - There are a lot of very funny scenes in the movie that simply crack you up. The movie has some excellent supporting actors - Nana, Maina, the mother, father, the blind grandma, in-laws. The songs are great especially Mahek Bhi and also the exotic Dravidian dance number - Dreemum Wakepum. Rani and Prithivaraj both act and dance very well. And I totally agree with Meenakshi's comment to Surya: Na shave panikada (you should not shave).

The movie reminded me of the old V. Shantaram movie Navrang - where a person prefers to live in a world of fantasy rather than facing reality head-on. The transitions between the fantasy and reality scenes are very subtle at times. For example, I still don't know whether the part where Surya is sitting perched up on a tall pillar like an Indian Greek God is real or Meenakshi's fantasy. The movie has some great comical scenes. It cracked me up sometimes, and on other occasions took me into a world of pure love and fantasy. There are a couple of sexually suggestive scenes in the movie, and may not be suitable for the very conservative folks. The only thing missing in the movie were a few rain scenes. It would have been lovely to have shot some scenes in the monsoon season especially the ones in which Meenakshi is following Surya in a trance-like state in the dark and dingy streets of Mumbai. I thoroughly enjoyed watching Aiiyaa...