Director Selva Raghavan is on a hatrick by making another love story “7G, Rainbow colony” after two blockbusters “Thulluvatho Illamai” and “Kadhal Konden”. Music of the movie by Yuvan being chartbusters, “7/G” is one of the most expected movies of the year next to “Ayutha Ezuthu”. Though there was lot of expectation for this movie there was no hype. Film being produced by Sri Surya Movies, A.M.Ratnam found a right person as the director to make a perfect launch of his son Ravi Krishna as the hero.
Plot: Kathir (Ravi Krishna) is a brave, arrogant, adamant, irresponsible youth of this generation and a college student who gets 5 arrears in every semester and lives with his nuclear family in 7/H, Rainbow colony. Anitha (Sonia Agarwal) is a disciplined, determined and an ambitious Punjabi girl who is anew entrant to the colony and stays with her family in flat no: 7/G. Kathir gradually falls in love with her. Kathir follows her wherever she goes and tries to propose her. Every time, his way of approach turns opposite to him and makes her to hate him more. The hatred goes to an extent that she goes to police to give a complaint on him on eve teasing.
After that, Kathir assures her that he will never follow her anymore. The days go but he couldn’t forget her. Again he approaches her and asks her not to love him but at least accept him as his friend. Though she didn’t respond initially, she gradually forms a thick bond with him as a good friend. They become good friends but kathir still loves her and tries his best to convince her but she never reciprocates. Kathir says that he will do anything for her and truly sticks to his words.
As a friend, she taps the hidden talents of kathir and makes him a man by getting him a good job and in due course she also falls in love with him. Meanwhile, Anitha’s parents come to know about their love and the family immediately vacates the colony and they fix a immediate marriage for Anitha and she got imprisoned in her new house. Somehow Anitha escapes from the house and they both run away to a hill station and the rest if to watch on the celluloid screen. Whether Kathir and Anitha unite in life???
This is a plot that we have seen in a lot of Tamil movies before but this is not a movie driven by a huge plot instead it is driven by neatly sequenced incidents happening in a colony and its consequences. As the promos of the movie say, it is a story of boy turning into man and a sensitive depiction of happenings between two tough hearts. The movie belongs to the creator, Selva Raghavan. He proves his skills in weaving a neat screenplay for a sensitive subject like this. The movie doesn’t drag at any point and moreover the scenes runs fast. First half is packed with lot of joyful moments happening in the colony, which lightens our hearts and prepares for lots of twists and turns happening in the second half.
Selva Raghavan creates a lively, natural colony atmosphere with his down to earth scenes especially the scenes between Kathir and his father and their conversations which most of the present youth can relate to and enjoy. Virutally he makes us feel like another family in the colony. He also does a great job in characterization. The characters of Kathir and Anitha are complete without any ambiguity. When such completeness is given to the characters, a neat screenplay packed with happenings between the two will fall in the way. He is very clear about the way the character reacts in any situation. That makes us accept all fiction happening in the movie.
Though the director in an interview said, “There is no message for youth in this movie” he has used Anitha’s character as a mouthpiece of his thoughts and conveys it strikingly at right places in the movie with powerful dialogues. The decision of Anitha in the pre climax to run away and asking Kathir to have sex with her in a hotel room and her reasons for her asking like that are those Tamil cinema has never seen before, very poetic indeed. Then follows a stunning climax that will disturb every one at least for one day. Though the climax reminds us “Kuddaikkul Mazhai” concept, it doesn’t go deep into it. But nonetheless a very poetic ending and makes us to leave the theatre with heavy hearts. The whole movie is an out and out director’s special.
Music by Yuvan Shankar Raja is a major plus for the movie. Expectedly he has done an excellent job in background music again and proves that he is the son of Illayaraja. It is worthy to make an OST album as they did for “Kadhal Konden”. The songs are picturised and placed well. Most of the songs are situational, shot as montages and moves the story further except “Vayadhukku Vandhom” song. “January Matham” is a hot, sizzling number with good picturisation and choreography and the major twist in the movie happens in this song. The most popular “Walking through Rainbow” theme music not used as it is in the movie is a big disappointment.
Ravi Krishna as Kathir looks like a boy in next-door step. He comes up with a descent performance in an author-backed role in his debut. He is here to stay if he comes up with such author-backed roles. He is fit to be a good actor and not a good hero. He has to improve his dancing skills and also he lacks modulation in voice.
Sonia Agarwal as Anitha does it again after “Kadhal Konden” in a very sensitive role. She has acted well and her eyes are expressive. She has got a lot of close-up shots and her face and eyes emulates all her emotions. The dubbing artist has done a good job for her. Even in some scenes she over acts but that’s okay overall it is a laudable portrayal from Sonia. Sonia to Selva Raghavan is what Urmila to Ram Gopal Varma, he extracts the best from her.
The best performance in the movie comes from Vijayan as a typical father of Kathir. He is perfect in his expressions and dialogue delivery as a responsible father and one who worries about the future of his son. Manorama does a neat cameo. The short, plumb, black guy who comes as a caring friend of Kathir does a fine job and evokes laughter.
Cinematography by Arvind Krishna is pleasant especially in the close up shots and he has made Sonia look like an angel. Peter Hayne has well choreographed the stunts and with the help of the graphics his stunts does wonders on the screen and it is powerful enough to depict Kathir’s character.
The movie is a great entertainer with a sensitive subject. Though it is not as sensitive as that of “Kadhal Konden” it is equally good and entertaining. As the government’s stringent acts on CD piracy are working well and people have started to come to theatres to watch the money, I am sure the movie will become a hit. Selva Raghavan has the skills to present sensitive subjects in a commercial way and that is a big boon for any director, so I hope he comes with more such movies in the future.