'Theeya Velai Seiyyanum Kumaru' - cliched, but entertaining (Tamil Movie Review)

Film: "Theeya Velai Seiyyanum Kumaru"; Cast: Siddharth, Hansika Motwani, Santhanam, Ganesh Venkatraman, Balaji, Vidyullekha Raman, Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Vishal Krishna, Mano Bala and Bosskey; Rating: **1/2

It's extremely difficult to make a highly entertaining film sans cliches, and proof to that is "Theeya Vela Seiyyanum Kumaru" (TVSK). The film manages to be a laugh riot, but it's hard to ignore how passe the overall effort is. It's like you wish these films tell us something new in the name of entertainment, but not something we have known for years.

Born in a family that has been loyal enthusiasts of love for generations, Kumar's (Siddharth) luck with love and women has been unfortunate ever since he was a toddler. Everyone in the family - starting from the great grandfather, has had love marriages.

Having given hope on love and marriage, Kumar lives life of a loner until he meets Sanjana (Hansika), an attractive co-worker. It is then that Prabhu realises that he wants her at all cost.

Convinced that he doesn't have it in him to impress her, Prabhu seeks the help of a love guru, Mokia (Santhanam). Mokia, in other words, is a broker who fixes up people for a price. How does Mokia help Prabhu to eventually impress Sanjana, and in turn win her heart? This forms the rest of the story.

Lately, it has become a fad where a comedian steals the show from a hero in Tamil films. Playing Siddharth's wingman, Santhanam saves this ship from sinking. He breathes life into the film with his razor-sharp one-liners and well-timed humour. At one point, he even takes over Siddharth's role with his extended screen time. However, I don't think audiences really care about all this as long as they are entertained.

It's an enjoyable rom-com at heart, but it's the umpteen cliched references that make it irksome at regular intervals. Why all love stories portray women as vulnerable, while men as cheaters and opportunists? Barring several other cliched references, TVSK is one jolly fun ride with a lot of scope for laughter.

Needless to say, it's a Santhanam film all the way and from the minute he enters, it has non-stop entertainment. Siddharth reminds us of his "Boys" days in a role we haven't seen him in a long time. It takes guts for a hero to even let a comedian overshadow him in the film, and Siddharth needs special mention for it.

Hansika as a glam doll is a treat to watch. There isn't much scope for her to act, but she still delivers a decent performance. The prologue by debutant Balaji, a radio jockey-turned-actor, instantly strikes a chord with the audiences, but his presence in the film doesn't make much of a difference. He speaks as though he is still on air, but not on the screen.

A couple of songs by Sathya are impressive, but the rest fall flat.

So, here is another Tamil film that struggles due to long second half. Can't we ever make a shorter film a la "Delhi Belly", which was funnier yet short? If you're seeking plain entertainment, here's your film.