Ravi shoulders Comali with his performance

After being part of some intense action films, Jayam Ravi has come up with a comical satire that’s not only entertaining but effective.

The director of the film, Pradeep Ranganathan, clearly knows that his script lacks logic but has managed to convince the audience with some engaging dialogues and emotional content. The scenes have the swiftness that keeps things from becoming dull while camouflaging the flaws effectively.

In the very first scene, the audience are taken back in time to the 90s where there were no mobile phones and only landlines. The director also showcases how video games, Cricket and Shakthimaan stickers were an integral part of 90s kids. Within minutes, we are introduced to Ravi, a schoolgoer in the 90s, who falls in love with his classmate Nikitha (Samyuktha Hegde). Like any other Tamil film hero, he too tries to woo her. However, things turn topsy turvy, as Ravi meets with a fatal accident the same day he confesses his love to her. He slips into a coma and wakes up after almost 16 yearsonly to find how things around him have changed to a great extent.

His school friend, (Yogi Babu) helps him to cope with reality and even takes him to Nikitha’s place only to find that she is married. While all these scenes are handled in a very comical way, the film gets a bit serious when Ravi’s sister reveals that their entire family is facing financial crisis because of his medical expenses all these years. Ravi decides to work as a security guard in his sister’s friend’s (Kajal Aggarwal) company. A series of events in his office helps him to find out details about a local politician Dharma (KS Ravikumar), who was indirectly responsible for his accident in the past.

The second half is all about his tiff with the politician and how he inspires the kids in his apartment to follow a lifestyle with no technology and mobile phones. He even starts a YouTube channel called ‘Comali’ to preach the importance of emotions and humanity.

Despite clumsy filmmaking in the second half, the director of the film manages to throw light on issues that society faces, which need to be addressed promptly. The dialogues are witty and sharp and strikes a chord, igniting a sense of responsibility within us. The only drawback is, the climax sequence is unrealistic, and the audience might find it difficult to empathise with Jayam Ravi’s character in the film. Music by Hiphop Tamizha hardly contributes to the film, as does Kajal Aggarwal’s brief appearance. Samyuktha Hegde’s performance as a young schoolgirl is impressive and doesn’t seem like her debut film.

Jayam Ravi has delivered a memorable performance yet again after Thani Oruvan. He made the character look natural through his expressions and gives life to the role. If not for Ravi, it would be hard for the audience to enjoy this entertainer.