Maanaadu

Maanaadu (2021)

Written and Directed by: Venkat Prabhu
Starring: STR, SJ Surya, Kalyani Priyadarshan
Streaming on Sony LIV.

This film is almost like a video game. It is a time loop film, where a day keeps repeating over and over again for the protagonist. But it's also a cat and mouse game between the hero and the villain. Though, I saw the interval twist coming, I found the film to be interesting. My only issue was that the loop was done too much. It got irritating after a point. They made a loop even for small small things. Although it was nice that later, they weren't cutting from the start and I loved one cut in the film, which is there is an intense action sequence and then they cut to the coffee shop - it's beautiful because tonally it gives a relief and this coffee shop was already established earlier. I enjoyed some of the twists and turns in the film, which Venkat Prabhu's films usually have, but I didn't quite enjoy the way SJ Surya was yelling throughout. The pitch of his acting, was a bit too much for me. He was too dramatic, he was yelling and I personally would've liked a toned down version of the performance. 

I like how the film too treats itself like a game. There is a nice pay off, when Simbu in the airport stands below a glass falling from the roof. I like the scene where SJ Suryah is convincing the CM's brother that he can't kill him, and Simbu is pretending as if they both are a team - that scene had nice word play. I enjoyed the film in parts, it's mostly because the repetition felt too much at places and it was even draining at times.