OK Kanmani - A breezy new age romance that could have been a lot more

Before OK Kanmani released, there was a lot of talk about the film being a possible throwback to Mani Ratnam’s Tamil classic Alaipayuthey (remade in Hindi as Saathiya). OK Kanmani does borrow certain situations from Alaipayuthey, but has a soul of its own.

In a scene reminiscent of Alaipayuthey, Aadi (Dulquer Salman, son of actor Mammootty) and Tara (Nithya Menen) meet at a friend’s wedding and the sparks fly instantly. Their light-hearted banter about why marriage is not for them sets the tone for their story to unfold. They exchange cell numbers in a characteristically American way and what follows are some guy-chasing-girl-trying-to-woo-her scenes which seem a bit outdated in the present scenario where urban youth no longer feel the need for the stalking / chasing game to win over their loved one.

The depiction of Aadi and Tara as two independent individuals with career aspirations of their own resonates with today’s youth who know exactly what they want and are ready to pull out all stops to achieve their goals. Aadi’s affection for the free-spirited Tara is endearing and one can only hope more Indian men are able to celebrate the growing assertiveness and independence of women.

Tara is frank about her personal life with her controlling mother (a single parent) and confronts her about her interfering ways. However, it is disappointing to see Aadi trying to hide facts from his father-figure like brother who is termed as a ‘control freak’. When Aadi’s sister-in-law finds out about him and Tara living in, an interesting exchange takes place privately between her and Tara. Nithya Menen uses her body language particularly well in this scene and conveys her character’s nonchalance effectively. I only wish Mani Ratnam had included more such situations in the film bringing out the strong-headed nature of the protagonists, being judged by their families and society for their life choices.

The co-existence of Aadi and Tara in Aadi’s paying guest accommodation has been shown in a feel-good manner. The sweet moments interspersed with Rahman’s fantastic songs take you into their dreamy world. The setting of two young working individuals living together as a couple has the potential for ups and downs caused by various factors such as lack of time, work pressure, personality clashes, annoying daily habits. Unfortunately, this not-so-dreamy part of living together has not been explored much, and it comes as a surprise considering Mani Ratnam’s mastery in the portrayal of conflict in his other movies (like Alaipayuthey)

Mani Ratnam more than makes up for these flaws in the script with a masterstroke. He has juxtaposed Aadi and Tara’s life with that of a much older married couple that exemplifies true love and commitment in the face of old age and ill-health. The beauty of it is in the subtlety with which the older couple’s interactions are shown, sure to get most people watching the movie teary eyed. The fieriness of the young couple contrasted with the soothing presence of the older couple is what makes this film click.

A lot has already been written in the media about the exquisite cinematography, music and performances. Go watch it.