K.S. Ravi Kumar and Kamal Haasan have come up with extremely funny movies like Bhamane Satya Bhamane, Tenali, Panchatantram etc. Now they are back with Manmadha Banam. What is interesting to see is that unlike their previous movies, this one looks different. How different is it, 123telugu.com let’s you know.

What’s it about: Ambujakshi (Trisha) is a pretty famous actress with the screen name Nisha. She is engaged to Madan Gopal (Madhavan), a corporate honcho, who influenced by his mother (Usha Uthup), starts suspecting that Ambujakshi is having an affair. Obviously, like any level headed and intelligent woman of today, Ambu kicks him out of her life. Three years later, Madan hasn’t gotten over her. He finds that Ambu is going to holiday in Europe, and sends a detective to see if she is going out with some other guy! The detective, a retired army major, R.Bhushan (Kamal Haasan), has his own personal reasons to do the seemingly low job. It is over this ‘emotionally motivated’ and ‘comedy of errors’ filled holiday that Ambu, Bhushan, Deepa, Madan find some interesting truths that will change their lives forever.

What is Good: The movie, right from the start, has a certain emotional texture to it that carries for almost first 70-80 percent of its run time. It has been shot in Europe at locations like Paris, Barcelona, Rome, Venice, giving a completely new feel to the movie.

Kamal Haasan is as usual honest in the role of a Major who has no other way but to do his job. Infact the role is a cake walk for him. Sangeetha has done some strange movies, but this one just goes onto prove that she has got loads of talent. Madhavan, as the comical villain, is funny and believable, and so is the kid who plays the role of Sangeetha’s son Vishy. However, it is Trisha who manages to surprise everyone. It is very rare to see a heroine get an ‘intelligent role’ and she manages it with the same audacity she worked in Vinnaithandi Varuvaaya. This could be there amongst her best performances so far.

Then there is a stunningly done song, where everything goes backwards, and the song goes forward. Yes the technique is not new, but the visuals on screen are just terrific. It just has to be seen on big screen!

Great visuals, honest characterization and great performances – with all these it seems like that the movie is set to do something great. It is exactly where it falls!

What is bad: By the end of first half, in spite of some really funny scenes, the tone of the movie is set for an emotional ride. The slow screenplay the director chooses is the main reason to expect such a treatment, and of course the major conflict points us towards the same. However, the movie suddenly becomes a comedy of errors. Yes the emotional first 70% of the movie was good, and the last 30% is enjoyable too; but we feel like we are watching two different movies with same characters.

Also we never know how romance between an important couple of the movie starts (a song was completely edited out or was it the cinema hall owner who did it?) Except that the director chose to disappoint us with the kind of end he gives to all characters, the movie isn’t bad at all.

Technical Departments: : Cinematographer Manush Nandan manages to add a certain texture to the visuals. The locations were rich, but the camerawork doesn’t go unnoticed. The entire team has to be congratulated for the song Neelakasam. Editing is great too, but it is the result of a well planned, but slow paced screenplay. Trisha looks uber chic, and so do everyone else; obviously the stylists do deserve appreciation. However, one person who needs more than appreciation is Devi Sri Prasad. The rerecording is top notch, and as said in the audio review already, he has dared to experiment with some outstanding results.

Final Point: Manmadha Banam is an interesting movie. It has flaws, but its good parts outweigh them by far. Watch it!