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Review: Koditta Idangalai Niruppuga is Parthiepan's show all the way

January 16, 2017 13:47 IST

A scene from Koditta Idangalai NirappugaKoditta Idangalai Nirappuga may not appeal to all but fine performances, a decent plot and good music make the film passable fare, writes S Saraswathi.

Veteran actor director R Parthiepan is known for his excellent writing skills and scripts. His last directorial was the critically acclaimed Kadhai Thiraikadhai Vasanam Iyakkam in 2014.

After several successful acting projects recently, the director returns with a film interestingly titled Koditta Idangalai Nirappuga (Fill in the blanks)

The film can best be described as a censored version of an adult comedy.

Noted filmmaker K Bhagyaraj’s son Shanthanu and Parvathy Nair play the lead with Parthiepan himself in a significant role. 

Set in Chennai, the film revolves around a shrewd taxi driver, who will do anything to make a quick buck.

Rangarajan (Parthiepan) is a middle-aged alcoholic working at a travel agency. An accident has left him crippled and he walks with a limp. His wife Mohini (Parvathy) is a pretty Malayali girl, who is half his age. 

Rangarajan targets rich foreigners and NRIs travelling in his taxi and tricks them into investing in real estate in the city. His latest victim is the Kevin (Shanthanu), who is in the city for business. Instead of putting him in a hotel, Rangarajan lures him into a guest house, tempting him with home-cooked food, which he learns is Kevin’s weakness.

It is here that the drama unfolds.

Mohini not only cooks Kevin delicious food but also appears to be trying to seduce him. Rangarajan seems to be quite aware of what is happening, but chooses to turn a blind eye.

With Kevin becoming increasingly attracted to Mohini, while also being fond of the broken English-speaking Rangarajan, he finds himself in a strange dilemma. Despite the underlying elements of suspense and thrill, the narrative gets quite tedious and ends on a rather lame note. 

Parthiepan is hilarious trying to communicate in English with a sincerity and earnestness that evokes plenty of laughter.

The role seems to be tailor-made for him and the actor breezes through his part. The pronounced limp, his trademark thought-provoking dialogues and unassuming style add strength to his characterization.

Shanthanu, as the guilt-ridden lover, and Parvathy, as the seductress, give good performances but their characters appear to be stuck in a rut doing the same thing over and over again. 

Koditta Idangalai Nirappuga may not appeal to all but fine performances, a decent plot and good music make the film passable fare.

Rediff Rating: 

S Saraswathi in Chennai