Title: Kandukondain Kandukondain Year: 2000
Cast: Tabu, Aishwariya, Mammootty, Ajith, Abbas
I had heard a lot about Kandukondain Kandukondain (KK), and had been searching for it for a while. I guess I invested so much effort in the search, that when I finally saw the product, it just felt like a task long overdue, finally accomplished :)
Was it worth it- I'd say yes: its beautifully shot, well executed, with good performances all around. Unfortunately, my copy was in Tamil and had no subtitles, which somewhat prevented me from fully understanding what was going on :D
In a village somewhere in Tamil Nadu, lives a old lady who runs a school- her daughters: Tabu, Aishwariya and a third, younger girl whose name I couldn't catch help out their mom. The lady's primary problem seems to be getting Tabu married off.
Soon enough, Tabu is attracted to Ajith, a young film-maker who visits the village for shooting a movie.
In the meantime, the family comes into contact with Mamootty, an ex-army war hero who is keen on Aishwariya, but feels that he is too old, handicapped etc.
While Mammooty hesitates, in steps Abbas, who sweeps Aishwariya off her feet with his boyish charm.
Things come to a head when the girls' grandpa dies, leaving the school the women have been toiling over to their uncle, who in turn promptly turns the entire family out.
Struggling in Madras together, the women are surrounded by doubt and worry about their love lives, livelihood and survival. Will they survive? Who will Aishwariya end up with? If you have read Austen's "Sense and Sensibility," you know the answer :D
Pros:
1- Beautiful cinematography, especially during songs.
2- Tabu, Tabu, Tabu- also Ajith :)
3- There was real chemistry between the interpersonal relationships shown: Ajith-Tabu, Tabu-Aishwariya, daughters-mother, which really drew me in, even though I had no idea what they were saying to each other! :)
Cons:
None- I am very biased towards Tabu's movies, so if there were issues, I didn't cotton on to them at all :B
10 comments:
I watched this movie a few weeks ago after reading a review in blogland. It was a pretty good effort and I really liked Aishwarya. I thought she learnt to act after Chokher Bali and was pleasantly surprised! ;-)
Couldnt take to Mammooty, though. For some reason Aishwarya falling for Mammoty was just yuck-inducing. Wish it hadnt got the songs - most of them were just plain interruptions in the otherwise beautiful narration.
Somebody was just asking about this movie on BollyWHAT the other day. The fact that Tabu's in it made me want to see it. I wonder if it's available through Netflix. One of these days I'll have to bite the bullet and go to iTalkies.
Bollyviewer: lols- poor mammootty- he is like a cute big bear though :) I loved Ajith though- so handsome!
I have realized that songs in South Indian cinema (prob true for many Bollymovies as well) can happen anytime, anywhere- saw Sivaji last night, and songs just crept out of the woodwork at odd places:D Yep, they do appear a bit disjointed- but I'm guessing the director adds em to draw in the masses- no complaints from me :D
Ajnabi: TCM (!!!) is selling at a decent price http://turnerclassic.moviesunlimited.com/product.asp?sku=525987, but yeah Neha has it for like $3 less :) Though you may find it in the bargain bin at your Indian grover (which I did) for far less :D
I liked this film a lot too, and the music :-) Even Aishwarya was...*good*! in it, and I don't say that often. And maybe because I'm "old" too, I love Mammooty.
Tabu could be painting walls, and I'd probably reverently watch her anyways :)
And maybe I am coming around to Aishwariya or soemthing, but she really wasnt annoying here at all, which worked for me :)
You're v cool Memsaab & not old (unless u are 200 and hid it really well on that TV show clip :D)
Per my understnading, traditionally, heros in the South have been moustachioed, older, "manly" men, while those in Bollyland have been younger, clean-shaven, faiir and "boyish." This stereotype is obvious in Mammmooty, but is rapidly changing today, ever since Abbas and all the younger guys that came in. In Bollyland, the biggest example of this was perhaps Amitabh's continued attempt to dye his hair, shave and look younger thrugh the 90s- at least he has gotten over that now. And I should stop too, before I go writing a post within a comment :D
Nice review. I love this film! Mamooty is HOT! Tabu is fantastic as ever. I love when Aish's character is almost swept down the sewer and I LOVE Chitra's voice. Here's post I did on that a while back:
http://bollywoodfoodclub.wordpress.com/2007/12/17/video-of-the-day-engae-enathu-kavithai-from-kandukondain-kandukondain-200/
All the best!
Sita-ji
I luuuuuuurve this movie - and Emma Thompson's version too. But not the novel - I could hardly finish it. The songs are lovely to listen to and to look at. The mynah bird one is one of my favorite picturizations ever. Everyone is great. The adaptation of the story is very sweet and strikes me as very well contextualized.
Plus Ajith. That song in Egypt...phooo [fanning self].
Bollywoodfoodclub: that IS possibly the one scene that AIshwariya has ever done that has touched me most. Your post is gr8- thanks!
Beth: I like every version :D and I share ur feeling about Ajith- this is the 1st I've seen of him, and I love, I love :) All that sensitive hotness in Egypt- ooh :D
Yes shweta, that's a great Aish scene: for those who already love her it's just proof of her acting ability; for those who don't they can be happy at the thought that nearly she gets washed down a drain. So it's a win/win! And how bollywoodviewer thought Aish finally showed her acting ability in Chokher Bali, I think she does a similar understated bummer character well in Raincoat.
:)
Sita-ji
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