96 (2018)

Critic - No.161

Director: Prem Kumar       
Casts: Vijay Sethupathi, Trisha, Aadithya Baaskar, Gouri, Devadarshini, Janagaraj, Bagavathi Perumal, Aadukalam Murugadoss, Kavithalaya Krishnan
Language: Tamil
Genre: Drama / Romance
Music: Govind Vasantha

SYNOPSIS:
After chancing pass his native place, Tanjore, Ram (Vijay Sethupathi), a travel photographer decides to organise a reunion with his school friends. After 22 years, Ram meets his childhood sweetheart Janu (Trisha) that sparks a flood of memories.  

REVIEW:
‘96’ joins the list of films that successfully rekindles our school memories convincingly in the likes of Autograph (2004) and Premam (2015). Right from the first frame, the film starts to stir our emotions through sounds of nature followed by the soulful ‘Life of Ram’ track that grows on us with its arresting visuals in Andhaman. Ram’s simple life and motivations are established in that so subtly. The visual storytelling starts there and echoes throughout. Kudos to the Shanmuga Sundram’s camerawork that carries so much of soul.

The inciting incident is the reunion which is crafted so naturally and nostalgically. Each characters have distinctive traits that contributes to the story significantly. The relationship between Ram and Janu gets a good set up and the school portions serve as a great pay off. The crush encounters, the friendship and tensions are so relatable. Kudos to the young actors Adithya (actor MS Baskar’s son), Gouri and Niyathi (actress Devadarshini’s daughter) who give so much of life to the story with their raw, natural acting. The amount of finesse they carry in each scenes are terrific. The second half however is majorly carried by just Ram and Janu. It’s an uphill task to engross the audience with just two characters for about an hour but the tension of whether they will reunite runs throughout our mind that keeps us on the edge of our seats.

Like admiring the calm of a sea, 96 just immerses us into the world of emotions without big conflicts, actions or loud scenes. When Ram and Janu starts to catch up, their conversations, awkwardness and even sexual tensions are portrayed so poetically. I liked how the film teases us whether both of them will cross their moral limits. The silence, the subtext in the dialogues and visual symmetries used by director Prem shows his maturity and boldness to defray from any commercial liberties despite having stars like Vijay Sethupathi and Trisha. Dialogues like “Romba thooram poitiya Ram” comes in here are there to prick our hearts frequently.

Vijay Sethupathi and Trisha, as the live wire of the film, have delivered such strong conviction to pull off the baggage, the pain and the love of Ram and Janu. It’s not the surface acting we are talking about, they even express internal conflicts that they are struggling with. Vijay Sethupathi goes subtle than usual while Trisha proves her experience. In fact, we have never seen a complete actor in Trisha after films like VTV. For me this is her career’s best. That said, as a mission to tap on 80s and 90s kids’ memories, the film also brings actors like Kavithalaya Krishnan and Janagaraj after so long to make us smile in nostalgia.

Last but definitely the best aspect of the film is the music by Govind Menon. After delivering a successful album, he shows so much of maturity and grasp in tapping emotions at the rights places with his score. Of course, the highlight and the highest point is the placement of ‘Kathale Kathale’ which will go down as one of the iconic scenes of Kollywood cinema. 

On the flipside, the film does have logic loopholes here and there especially when Vijay Sethupahi just buys a ticket instantly in the airport. But nothing really sticks out in this genuine tale of love. The unhurried pacing might not work for all but for it was a meditative journey that rarely gives the audience a memorable experience than just merely entertainment.

VERDICT: 

Poetic and meditative, 96 immerses the audience into its heavy hearted, nostalgic destiny, landing as one of the finest contemporary romantic drama in Kollywood, in recent times.

CELLULOID METER- 4/5: