Balaji has told a very straightforward and simple story with an ending straight out of a real life incident based on the now infamous 'Dharmapuri bus burning incident' where three young college girls were burnt alive by an angry political mob. Balaji has blended it well with the help of 10 talented new faces who simply are outstanding.

`Q & A with Balaji Sakthivel`

The story is told in a flashback, as some young people get ready to pay homage at a particular spot with flowers on a highway. Cut, to a Government Arts College in a small town somewhere in Tamilnadu, where a group of freshers studying for first year BA (History) bond. All of them studied together from their school days together Muthuchelvan( Akil), Ramesh, Kayal( Hemalatha), Salima and others are coming from poor homes and children of farmer, quarry worker, cobbler, auto driver, farm labourer etc. However there is a rich kid Shobhana (Tamanna) coming from an aristocratic family who had done her schooling at the elite Bishop Cotton in Bangalore who for certain reasons is studying in the same college.

The childhood friends soon strike a friendship with the upper caste and aloof Shobhana, after saving her from a ragging incident. The strong willed Kayal who comes from a family of five sisters has laid the moral code that they are all good friends and love should not develop between friends. However Shobhana slowly develops a soft corner for Muthu more out of sympathy, which leads to a situation where Kayal thinks that she is overstepping her limits. This leads to a piquant situation and the lovers suffer in silence and when matters are being sorted out, life takes an ugly situation.

`I want to do good films`: Tamanna

Balaji's story is wafer thin; he uses a technique that he popularized in Kathal to strike a chord with the audiences, the socio-economic and the cultural differences between his protagonist and others to mime humour. The well educated and classy Shobhana calls her father 'daddy' and when others coming from rural Tamil background imitate that it becomes a laugh riot! The brothers in the college, arguing and saying "you first", a typical rural take that evokes laughter for others. There is definitely a Kathal hang-over from which the director cannot escape.

In a way Balaji has made a women's movie, with powerful characterization, and no make-up. The new girl Hema who has done the role of Kayal is absolutely realistic as she is able to convey the agony of her character, and the guy who does Ramesh is like any village "wanna-be smart cookie". Akil as Muthu is controlled and augers well for the future of Tamil cinema. However it is Tamanna as Shobhana who is the scene stealer in the films best etched role. Balaji has handled with great sensitivity her role and she has delivered a knock-out performance.

The camera of Chezhiyan gives the narrative its bleak and forlorn look necessary to tell the story. You can see that he has not used any artificial lights, which heightens the conflict, especially the crucial scene and song (Sariya idhu thavara…) to convey the blossoming love between the lead pair. Natural light breaking out from the overcast sky and the rain as sun plays hide and seek is beautifully etched against the college grounds. The art work of Mayilsamy gives it an authentic small town campus look. Joshua Sridhar's songs grow on you along with Na.Muthukumar's lyrics.

On the downside the film slows down and drags in the second half as Balaji has put a lot of scenes to highlight the impending doom by making it gloomier, probably aimed at the lady audiences. Does he feel a tragic ending in all his films helps it at the box-office? Anyway you can pass these off as the 'Balaji touches', as he should be given a pat on his back for encouraging new blood and making a different genre of films from the usual masalas.

Verdict: Good