Review- Jaabilamma Neeku Antha Kopam

Dhanush has turned director and is making some different films. His latest film is a youthful drama titled Jaabilamma Neeku Antha Kopama, featuring Pavish, Anikha Surendran, and Priya Prakash Varrier in the lead roles. The Telugu version is out now and read our review here.

Plot

Prabhu (Pavish) is a wannabe chef who breaks up with his rich girlfriend, Neela (Anikha Surendran). He moves on and decides to marry Preethi (Priya Varrier). However, one day, Prabhu receives a wedding invitation from Neela and confesses this to Preethi, who asks him to attend the wedding so that he can clear his mind. Prabhu arrives at the wedding with his friend. Did he see his ex getting married, or did he patch things up with her and reunite with Neela? That forms the basic storyline of the film.

Performances

Pavish, the young actor, is perfect for the role of a heartbroken Prabhu. His look, body language, and the way he emotes in the fun scenes are quite good. Anikha Surendran is good in the first half but does not have much to do in the second half. Mathew Thomas, who plays the sidekick, is the highlight of the film, as his comedy and punchlines are amazing. Ramya Ranganathan is very good in her role but gets limited screen presence. Sarath Kumar is perfect as the strict father. Saranya, however, overacts in her role for no reason, while the rest of the cast is okay.

Technical Aspects

GV Prakash composed the music, and while the songs in Tamil are quite good, they lose their charm in the Telugu version. The Telugu dubbing is perfect. The dialogues, lyrics, and production values are top-notch. Dhanush has written a story that is quite ordinary, but his screenplay is what stands out. As a director, the way he has transformed a simple storyline into a solid comedy is commendable. The film’s runtime is crisp and to the point.

Positives

Dhanush’s direction
Comedy scenes
Mathew Thomas’ punchlines
Relatable premise

Negatives

Predictable story
Dull climax
Lack of strong emotional depth

Analysis

Dhanush’s last film, Raayan, was a solid crime drama. This time, he has attempted a simple and breezy romance to test his luck. He has captioned the film An Unusual Love Story, which itself suggests that the film will be light on emotions and will not showcase anything groundbreaking. However, one must appreciate Dhanush for keeping the audience engaged with continuous comedy.

The hero and his friend keep cracking jokes about themselves, which feels quite relatable to today’s youth. The film explores how young people get attracted to different partners at various stages of life, and without delivering any preachy messages, Dhanush keeps the tone lighthearted. At no point does he try to beat around the bush or force a message. His narration is simple, and even the twist he uses to bring the lovers back together is subtle.

However, the film has its share of flaws. The climax feels quite dull. Just to leave room for a sequel, Dhanush ends the film with an open ending, where this time, the heroine chases the hero, who is set to get married. The fast-paced thinking of today’s youth is well captured in the film.

That said, there are a few logical inconsistencies in Jaabilamma Neeku Antha Kopama. The film lacks emotional depth, especially in the second half, where there is significant scope for drama, but Dhanush chooses to keep the mood light. This makes it seem like the hero isn’t very serious about his love story, which weakens the impact. These issues bring the film down occasionally, but the humor and strong supporting cast keep it engaging.

Finally, there’s nothing particularly new in what Dhanush has tried to showcase, but the quirky comedy may resonate well with today’s youth, who face similar situations in love. Overall, the film serves as a decent time-pass comedy.

Bottom Line: Just a time-pass comedy

Rating: 2.5/5