Irandam Ulagam

This film sets a benchmark in Indian cinema. A fantasy film with creativity at its peak. General audiences often draw comparisons with Avatar, One thing to be made clear, IU is not a mainstream fantasy story like most Hollywood films of the similar genre. Selvaraghavan has related the Sufi and Zen concept in plot. His direction, screenplay and dialogs were flawless. Arya's performance was excellent in the first half but was just good as Maruvan. Anushka as both Ramya and Varna was excellent. The songs by Harris were melodious. However, Anirudh's BGM was not up to the mark as few parts of his score had reminiscence of '3'. Selvarghavan has to be lauded for his concept in this story development that has never been seen before. This is not a film, its a fairy tale. Indian audiences should be prepared to accept a change in film genres and watch it with an open mind with wisdom. All those negative reviews are by critics/viewers who lack wisdom and rational thinking. Its obvious that general viewers lack the ability to decipher simple metaphors in few scenes of this film. The only question, when Indian audiences like Hollywood films like Inception though its depth is significantly complex, why cant they accept much simple and straightforward quality Indian films like IU and the rest? Those mindsets have to change for Indian cinema to progress.

First of all, Irandam Ulagam isn't a film. It's imagination from an individual flawlessly splashed into cinema. I can't see Irandam Ulagam as a film, but as a canvas of unlimited imagination from the master Selvaraghavan. Let be it Hollywood, Bollywood, or any other cinema industry, a fearless splash of imaginative brilliance is nowhere to be found as every director maintains the systematic and mechanical structure of a film. Mr. Selvaraghavan has masterfully created a canvas of his romantic imagination in just 2 hours 40 minutes, and 9 seconds. Yes it may seem very lengthy, but this is imagination, and I never felt the time passing by. As for the "critics" which "reviewed" IU, ignore everything, because again, this isn't a film, it's a dream which will be enjoyed by predominantly children, who're careless of the mechanical world and filled with imagination. The proof of God's existence is clear throughout the film. The cast was perfect, and if you truly understand Mr. Selvaraghavan's vision, you'll find the cast perfect. And for the ratings or reviews, I have no comment, because this is my outcome: 10/10 and 100%.

Love is in certain cases worse than action sequences, it has no logic, it can crop between two completely strangers who will later claim theirs to be love-at-first-sight, it can bring a patient back from death when the doctors themselves declare a hapless situation, it can breach boundaries. But to what extend are these boundaries breached? What happens when such a breach occurs? Selvaraghavan's "Irandam Ulagam" is a boundary breaching love with a visual finesse, credits to the director's imagination and the men behind the lens.

Irandam Ulagam is a parallel love story set in a fantasy world and in our times. The love stories are distinctly opposite, present day Arya tries to woo Anushka while fantasy Arya lives in a world where there is no such word as love. Anushka's feminine qualities fill the present day while the fantasy Anushka kicks Arya in the groins just to keep some distance between them. But a tragedy strikes and brings these worlds together, Aryas meet and what happens when present day Arya meets fantasy Anushka forms the rest of the story.

Selvaraghavan's distinct signature is written all over the movie, but as good as it might be, not everyone will be able to appreciate the artistic touch in the screenplay. The characters are well described and used only to the point; the lip sync of the Georgian actors deserves special credit. Cinematography is on par with screenplay and in certain cases exceeds the latter. Background score hymns but it is the anti- feminine-alcoholic song that got the best of the whistles.

Arya and Anushka have stamped their authority while Anushka creates a bigger impact as Varna (fantasy world) than Ramya (real world). Dashes between Aryas have spared the need for a separate humor track. When a Georgian actor, younger than Arya and Anushka is introduced as Arya's mother one finds it tough not to smile. Despite all these pros, there seems to be a drag in screenplay and action scenes lack logic, as usual. But in the midst of a romantic flow, it can be excused.

Long story short, A good romantic movie but not for all.

This review is after 5 years of the film's release, I don't even know if someone would read it or not. (Tomorrow is Ngk's release)

Well, Love can't be described more purely in any film. This film had that soul, soul of the universe.

In first half, Arya and Anuska's love in Earth is pure Bliss. I can't take my eyes off Anuska, she was so charming and charismatic and carried forward the soul of the film. The movie non-linearly also tells about their love in parallel universe. Which was good, but we all know budget and time constraints so, Vfx was not that great, and it lacked the soul which can be felt in Earth scenes.

Songs and bgm were too awesome, I can keep on repeating this word soul for this film. Everything in this movie, actors, screenplay, songs, everything had contributed to the soul.

I loved it soooo much until first half.

But second half was .. t.e.r.r.i.b.l.e .. I expected much more. There's no problem in the story. But the way it was picturized. It was so cheesy. But this can also be due to budget and time constraint. But even though, all the foreign actors had perfect lip sync.

Climax was good.

Good attempt to be honest. But Parallel universe concept in Indian cinema is something so ahead of its time. Also, everyone can't feel the soul of love in this material world, you know, ..

Irandaam Ulagam (IU) bears a very unique yet simple idea of love. When you love someone sincerely, even if the person leaves you, you will always be able to live with them, be it here or in an alternate universe. To put it short, loving a person sincerely makes love itself becomes your destiny, regardless of the person you love. Although IU had so many flaws in the making, Selvaraghavan's brilliant and novel concept of love is inarguably astounding! For IU had perfect execution, audiences would have had the chance of experiencing one of the best love stories ever told in Kollywood's history. Oh well, I guess the concept itself is ahead-of-time making it hard to be understood and digested.