First thing first, Kanden Kadhalai presented by Sun Pictures is fun unlimited, heart warming in its sincerity and a romantic romp.
However don’t expect it to be a carbon copy of the Imtiaz Ali original, as director R.Kannan has made it to suit the taste of the mass Tamil audiences.
So a brand new character in the form of Santhanam is added to the plot and no two ways about it, he is a scream as Mokaraj. The two likeable leads Bharath and Tamannaah makes the film work, especially the sparks that fly between them when they meet in the train and a series of well conceived incidents that slowly bring them together.
Two strangers , Sakthi Rajasekharan (Bharath) a young businessman and Anjali (Tamannaah) who are brought together by destiny in a train and how love blossoms between them. Sakthi is dejected and depressed as the girl he loved was getting married to someone else.
Unable to muster courage, to face the world he runs away and aimlessly boards a train. For company he has Anjali, a pretty chatterbox who is going home to Theni to break to her family the news about her love for Gautham Menon(Munna). Irritated by her continuous chattering, Sakthi gets off the train but soon he finds that she is back to bug him. What follows next is how their life, feelings, outlook and destiny changes as they slowly fall in love.
The first half of the movie succeeds in capturing your attention with splitting comedy and fast paced sequences when Anjali takes Sakthi to her home in Theni. The pace slackens post interval as the movie takes a dramatic leap with Anjali’s return into a reformed and more committed Sakthi’s life after nine months.
However the Tamil remake lacks the magic of the original, and is a bit slow paced in the second half. Funny and full of life, it is Tamannaah who is the heart and soul of this love story. She has come up with a live wire performance and the magic of the film lies in her performance. She may not pass off as a Thevar girl from Theni but no actress in Tamil cinema could play Anjali better than Tammu. Bharath’s understated and mature performance provides a perfect foil to Tamannaah’s bubbly character. Santhanam brings the house down with his funny one liners and goof-up’s.
PG Muthiah’s camera is first class, especially the Theni locations. Pattukottai Prabhakaran’s dialogues and Vidyasagar’s music is just ok, can’t be compared to the original. What works for the film is its simple charm and it’s immensely likeable lead cast. KK is a cute love story which reaches directly to your heart and good fun while it lasts.