‘Dikkiloona’ movie review: Santhanam’s comedy asks us to suspend disbelief, and our sense of humour

Props to the director Karthik Yogi for developing with an apt title for his movie. It’s from a recreation that Babloo (Senthil) invented in Gentleman. When he tries to play ‘Dikkiloona’ (the place it’s important to transfer backwards and collide one other individual’s butt with yours; if , ) with Mani (Goundamani), he will get a kick in his rear. Yogi, in his movie Dikkiloona, additionally talks concerning the ramifications of a man who strikes backwards… in time.

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Sadly, there’s little else to applaud concerning the movie other than its title. The setup is great for a madcap comedy: a person, who’s annoyed together with his life (particularly together with his spouse) will get a chance to return in time to cease his marriage. The resultant absurdities and conflicts are presupposed to spark, burst, and produce sensible flashes like fireworks within the night time sky. However they merely flicker like a tube mild on low-voltage electrical energy.

Mani (Santhanam), who works as a lineman within the electrical energy board, causes an accident that will get a time machine working in 2027. The scientists developed it to stop crimes. Mani, who most likely thinks his marriage to Priya (Anagha LK) is a criminal offense he dedicated upon himself, goes again seven years to cease it.

Time journey is advanced. Normally, movies have a scientist explaining the way it works, which might generally result in extra confusion (*cough* Tenet) However you gained’t have such points with Dikkiloona as a result of we now have Albert Einstein (Yogi Babu) himself spelling out the formulation for time journey! (Learn until the top of the article if you wish to know*)

The movie fortunately doesn’t overdo the long run with ridiculous devices. Yogi is conscious that it’s simply six years forward of our current. However he might have been a bit extra inventive with the long run. If the Again to the Future collection confirmed us a flying automobile, Dikkiloona reveals us ‘Elite Tasmac Bar’, whereby the alcohol is free, however a water bottle prices Rs 2,500!

The movie’s second half has extra social commentary, particularly on ladies. Mani goes again in time and alters his current, the place he’s married to a different girl who likes him. This girl, not like Priya, doesn’t nag him. However he quickly finds out that she is worse. She is a “trendy ponnu”. She drinks, events by means of the night time and wears a figure-hugging costume and stilettos to temples. She has a “boy bestie” with whom she does “Bit Tok” movies.

Mani, after a degree, is unable to tolerate her and leaves her… however not earlier than mansplaining ideas like decency and freedom. Pattern: “Freedom just isn’t residing as you want; it’s residing in a approach that’s accepted by others.” In a approach, this too is time journey. When Tamil cinema is treating ladies empowerment because the in-thing, Dikkiloona reminds us of the occasions when our heroes used to show ladies classes… on tips on how to be a lady.

If the intense strains are problematic, the comical ones are, effectively, principally not comical. Living proof: “Ennadhu, idhu time machine ah? Time paaka edhukku ivalo periya machine?”

Santhanam employs his standard model of insult comedy. He calls the opposite characters, “thavalakotta vaaya”, “kung fu panda”, “customs la maatna aamai” and different issues. However they fail to evoke even a chuckle. The supporting characters (together with Motta Rajendran, Munishkanth, Anandraj, Nizhalgal Ravi, Sha Ra) too fail to entertain, although Yogi Babu delivers just a few humorous strains. Oh, additionally cricketer Harbhajan Singh performs a cameo. Happily, it’s only a cameo.

The Per Vechaalum music from the legendary Michael Madana Kama Rajan appears to be reused as some form of a tribute. On this model too, a man is carrying a chunk of log to knock one other man out. Possibly they need to have as an alternative thrown in 4 time-travelling Santhanams attempting to do away with each other? The unique is rife with comical occasions accentuated by very good appearing and sensible choreography. This one too tries to be humorous, however falls quick.

There are fairly just a few logical loopholes too. However let’s not get into that. For, we are able to droop disbelief in a sci-fi comedy… however ought to we droop our sense of humour, too?

* Thanks for studying until the top. Right here’s the time journey formulation: (43^2)+a*f->Rain effect->2+tyre+forest fire->EPS->(Over Construct^2)->ATB->TN2020+Velocity of sunshine = zero dynamic stress. That is nonetheless easier than Tenet, no?

Dikkiloona is at the moment streaming on Zee 5