Remakes galore! well . that being the recent trend in Tamil cinema. NI is one such movie but it’s not a’frame-by-frame’ remake but a’commercial fare’ where certain scenes and the base storyline had been copied from the Malayalam superhit "Classmates". The story is about a college reunion which happens after 8 years wherein which a demised student in remembered and one of the old student(Obviously the hero) is found strangled, the reasons for which drifts the movie to the "good old college" days and certain twists are revealed at the climax. Hmm. that’s the story line quite close to the original. Did the screenplay ride on this story? Hmm. That question couldn’t have a definitive answer.
The movie is like a deck of cards in the first half and second half quite renders the story. As you flip thro’ a deck of cards you find a spade, clubs, heart. likewise the first half has a song, fight, comedy all placed one after other. Infact they are in no cogent order. Siva(Prithviraj), Sakthi(Sakthi), Karthik(Karthik), Lollu Saba’Jeeva’ and host of other actors form the college crew. Groupism and cat fights between the Arch rivals Siva and Karthik often happen while both fall for the same girl Meera(Priya Mani). Sakthi happens to a pacifier and common friend of both. It is a typical "celluloid" college so it has all ingredients already found in many movies set in a college. As it’s celluloid college it’s far from reality. Infact the first half is quite buoyant from the base storyline.
While the second half of the movie is quite fine and at times sticks close to the original. As for actor Prithviraj this movie has projected him as a commercial hero. He dances with swift moves and does the omnipotent fights shedding down the "soft" hero image he donned in tamil. He is the one who has more screen space. Unfortunately on the acting front he doesn’t have much scope. Priyamani hardly emotes. The chemistry between the lead pair too poor. The spark and the subtle of the original is missing:(
Though the original movie didn’t have an exclusive duet, this movie despite duets lacks the romance which was potrayed much elegantly in the original. Sakthi being his second film has improved a very little but has a looooooooooong way to make it. Karthik does his part with elan but unfortunately his part is small. Bhagayaraj, with his voice seems comical even in serious dialogues. The person who needs a special mention is the Anuja Iyer who plays the girl "Shali". Infact, she was the person I liked the most among all the actors in this movie. Ms. Iyer does perform excellently. She is the’better of the lot’.
Vijay Antony comes with his usual fast - beat numbers but "Azhagai Pookuthey." is worthy melody which makes you hum along. The director Kumaravelan could have avoided the deliberate commercial additions and concentrated more on the base storyline. Well to sum up. Ninaithale Inikkum "may be inikkalam" original movieyoda ninaivugal illamal irudhal "That roughly translates to "Watchable once if you haven’t seen the original"
Some pitfalls:Buoyant first halfLack of the subtle romance and nostalgia of the originalPriyamani and her hardly emoting actingCommercial projection of PrithvirajUnsolicited songs - Sexy lady and en peru .A lot of carelessness. The college is’National Arts College’ but the library is engineering college’s:P.