1.5 / 4 STARS
DIRECTOR: K. SELVABHAARATHI
ACTOR: PRASANTH
ACTRESS: PREETI
MUSIC DIRECTOR: DEVA
STORYLINE:
Chandru (Prasanth) is a young student who works with his friends (Vayapuri, Charlie, Suresh B.E.) at a telephone stand. All his friends have lovers, so Chandru spends his existence searching high and low for the girl of his dreams. Ever heard the phrase "lo lo lo innu alayuran"? That's Chandru. Because his friends are so insistent, he says he does have a girlfriend. He encounters Gayathri (Sujitha) who tries to help him out, but the plan backfires.
Chandru had promised his friends he would show them his lover at the temple, but he ends up, not knowing what else to do, just pointing out some girl named Sweta (Preeti) in the temple that he knows nothing about. His friends believe him. Because of Chandru's lie, eventually Sweta's engagement is ruined, and her life is in shambles.
The rest of the story involves how Chandru tries to make it up to her.
COMMENTS:
Ever since "Guru Paarvai" came out (which was an excellent movie, by the way), writers have been scrambling to write stories about how you can ruin a person's life without even knowing who they are. The same trick was employed in the year's earlier "Kannodu Kaanbathellam," and here, as well, in "Hello."
The first 75% of the movie stinks. It degrades girls (who appear in the movie as just going after a guy because he has a nice bike and will take them to the movies every other day) and it's disgusting. It's implausible, and Chandru's voyage to find a lover is ridiculous (seriously -- if Vayapuri can have a lover, why not Prasanth?). The only redeemable quality in the first three-quarters of the movie are the occasional joke that is actually funny (including a 'gay' joke at Manivannan's expense).
But once we get introduced to Sweta's character and her situation, the movie becomes (1) much more plausible, and (2) much more watchable.
Still, you leave the theater wondering if it was worth the time.
NOTE ON THE MUSIC:
Most of the songs are only okay, but one struck me as having the potential to be a hit. That was "Salaamu Gulaamu" and it might have college students in Tamil Nadu singing it for quite some time. It's been nominated for Best Song as well. Another nice song is "Intha Nimisham."
RECOMMENDATION:
If you like Prasanth and have a whole lot of patience, watch it on video. Otherwise skip the whole ride.
VIJAY VANNIARAJAN