Sometimes, you wish that a movie didn't quite delve into deep and dubious earthly problems, and just let you have a rip-roaring blast, even while retaining some semblance of commonsense and realism.
R K Productions' Yaaradi Nee Mohini, the Tamil film directed by Mithran R Jawahar and a remake of the Telugu blockbuster Adavari Matalaku Ardhalu Verule, the brainchild of ace director Selvaraghavan, is certainly something that satisfies all these criteria.
Though you have your doubts when you see a struggling-to-earn Vasu (Dhanush), getting his first glimpse of Keerthi (Nayanthara) as she rolls down her car window in the midst of pouring rain, thankfully, the deja vu soon passes.
Keerthi is a software engineer at a reputed firm. The only way Vasu can get to even see her (and by the same token, win some of her respect) is by joining the same firm -- which is like climbing Mount Everest, considering his less-than-sterling educational qualifications. Somehow, with his stumbling English and regular phone calls to his irritated father (Raghuvaran, his usual, expressive best), he does manage to land the job. And then the fun begins.
Vasu has little experience with the sophisticated life, and rubs Keerthi the wrong way often, managing to get into her bad books. Friends Ganesh (Karunaas) and Cheenu (Karthik) don't help much. Between trips to Australia and much ribbing from his father, Vasu finally gets to profess his love, only to receive a virtual slap in the face as she's already engaged to his best friend. Plus, she hails from an extremely orthodox family.
Yes, it's the same old story with the same old characters and emotions. But it's a fun-filled and fairly realistic screenplay, which makes the treatment fresh and tempting.
For Dhanush, it's a tailor-made role. He's the boy-next-door, with his unkempt hair, scraggly beard and the body language of a frustrated young man in love. His relationship with his father is poetry; they squabble amicably and come to blows every two seconds, yet their deep and abiding love for each other is apparent in their little gestures. Obviously, he's got the gift of the gab and a flair for comedy.
Nayanthara is a svelte, pretty young thing who has some issues. Though she looks good in the second half, parading as a conservative girl in a village, she really doesn't have much to do, which is typical of a heroine, anyway. In any case, she's upstaged in the beauty department by her younger sister.
Karthik has some screen-time this time, and he has made good use of it, despite his paunch. The scenes just before the climax are sure to win him some laurels. Raghuvaran plays the role he's best at -- the understanding father who's like a prickly bush on the outside. The only thing that doesn't ring true is the portrayal of the orthodox Brahmin family, which falls apart at times.
Yuvan Shankar Raja's music is definitely of the feet-tapping variety especially the track Oh Baby. The stunts are thankfully strategically placed and for that very reason, work.
But it's Selvaraghavan's screenplay which notches up top place even if the second half drags a bit.
The movie is another example of a familiar story making a good watch simply because it's been made differently.
Here's some good, laugh-inducing romantic fare for you, if you're in the mood for something funny, something cool.
Rediff Rating: 
