Idly Kottu Movie Review: Dhanush Delivers Heartfelt Village Nostalgia

Idly Kottu, written, directed, headlined and co-produced by Dhanush, was released in theatres today. TFN reviews the movie. Story: Murali (Dhanush) hails from a small village where his idealistic, duty-minded, ahimsa-abiding father Shivakesavudu (Rajkiran) has run an idly centre for decades. The idlis made here may be a brand across the district, but Murali has typical foreign dreams. In Bangkok, he makes a name for himself at a business owned by a millionaire named Vishnu Vardhan (Sathyaraj), whose son Ashwin (Arun Vijay) is an arrogant brat. When Ashwin’s sister Meera (Shalini Pandey) plans to get married to Murali, Ashwin doesn’t like it. Meanwhile, Murali faces a personal setback, which prompts him to fly to his village. The rest of the coming-of-age tale is about the consequences of Murali’s homecoming and more. Analysis: Idly Kottu, released in Tamil as Idly Kadai, is your quintessential family drama with only a couple of customary action sequences. The film, written and directed by Dhanush, is primarily a drama that rides on the nostalgia associated with hometowns, parental love, and attachment to the fragrance of the soil. The village life in India is synonymous with simplicity, solidarity among people from similar socio-economic backgrounds, the goodwill of the sincere-minded folks, and social unity in the face of adversity. Village stories in our cinema also present childhood sweethearts who carry their love well into their adulthood. The film under review has all of these elements and more. Dhanush’s sensibilities are evidently rooted and cultural. Since he is a Lord Shiva devotee in real life, he makes sure that the image of Shiva becomes a recurring presence. He also names the father’s character after the God. Then there is the element of the Kula Devta, a calf with a sentimental story, and the soothing presence of a good spirit. It’s good that no character makes fun of these beliefs in the name of humour. Director Dhanush doesn’t compromise on the integrity of his script. There are three women in the male lead’s life. His mother, played by Geetha Kailasam, is a comforting presence in his life. Nithya Menen‘s Kalyani is someone who is more attached to the “sacred shrine” (read the idly centre) than the male lead himself. Then there is the entitled rich woman who wants to marry Dhanush’s Murali. The first half is narrated like a feel-good, no-nonsense human drama that meets the requirements of a mainstream Gandhian movie. The second half is where the script acquires commercial movie elements, with one or two scenes feeling like they are from Mahesh Babu’s Maharshi. The characters played by Samuthirakani (as Pattabhi, the mandatory bad villager) and others are milked for dramatic tension in these portions. Arun Vijay‘s restless character gets more prominence and screen-time than in the first half. G. V. Prakash Kumar‘s music is mellowed; it totally suits the calm vibe of the movie. A montage song during a segment involving Dhanush’s protagonist and the villagers is very good. The cinematography by Kiran Koushik is apt. GK Prasanna’s editing allows Dhanush’s performance and other elements to breathe. Idly Kottu is your family film that totally shuns violence and other populist elements in the age of hyper-masculine action dramas. Verdict: A mellowed, rooted family drama with a feel-good story and a decent emotional core, making it a satisfactory watch for those seeking non-violent, culturally rich cinema.