By Krishna (aka Caesium)
If the wiki article is to be believed, GVM’s fiftieth birthday is subsequent week. Utilizing that as an opportunity to write down this text (principally from reminiscence) – a group of memorable mini-moments from our Menon’s films.
Minnale (2001):
Poopol Poopol tune freeze-framing to Pepsi sponsored Minnale! (I’d equally credit score HJ and GVM for this one)
Kaakha Kaakha (2003):
Open curtains – “Ippadithan irukanum nu sollala.. Ipdi irundha nalla irukum nu solren..” and its poignant echo within the climax.
Upon Pandya’s first name to Surya, Surya takes Jothika by way of the again door. She casually asks “is that this the way you usually exit?” And he responds “generally”. This informal tone, once they simply acquired a menace, was so recent. To remain cool was really kinda massy, nevertheless it was achieved in an aesthetic means right here.
Vettaiyadu Vilayadu (2006):
In a flashback, Kamal and Prakash Raj encounter a couple of villains. Kamalini will get damage and Prakash Raj rushes her to hospital instantly (whereas Kamal is someplace slightly away nonetheless combating the dangerous guys). Regardless of that, docs couldn’t save Kamalini. Kamal is devastated.
In present time, Kamal is trying to find the serial killers realizing they’re additionally liable for Prakash Raj’s daughter’s dying. Through the investigation, he talks about Prakash Raj to a fellow cop and says “I owe him that. Truly, I owe him greater than that”. That second line was such a refined echo of that flashback scene the place Prakash Raj tries to save lots of Kamalini. I used to be simply blown away by how subtlety GVM establishes the emotional connections.
Pachaikili Muthucharam (2007):
“Who mentioned dangerous issues can’t occur to good folks?”
Vaaranam Aayiram (2008):
As an aged couple, Surya invitations Simran to bop, dances together with her, seats her again on couche, sits on the ground by her facet & gently massages her foot.
Vinnaithaandi Varuvaaya (2010):
Simbu abruptly wakes up from a nap with a flash of an thought. Goes to Ganesh and says “Luck favors courageous illa. Luck favors the clever. Tomorrow is Sunday, so let’s deal with church”. This by itself was sensible sufficient. The following line by Ganesh made it out proper sensible! “Indha oorla veedungala vida church dhaan neraya iruku..” An instance of how self conscious GVM is of his personal plot holes and letting different characters poke holes at his hero’s traces.
Nadunisi Naigal (2011):
<Skip> (Typically you push boundaries and change into a pioneer. Typically you push boundaries and get burnt. This one, for me, falls within the latter class)
Neethane En Ponvasandham (2012):
The teaser second: Samantha & Jiiva sit in a terrace. She sings “.. Oru raja vaazhkai naalai nam sondham.” He corrects “un sondham”. She says “apo naan gaaaali” with a couple of additional a’s.
Yennai Arindaal (2015):
Within the unakenna venum tune, the daughter writes a msg for her mother in a helium balloon and sends it up. The great contact was, there could be a small spelling mistake in it and she or he would right it with a ^ in between.
Acham Enbadhu Madamaiyada (2016):
Whereas Simbu and Manjima are watching TV late at night time, she says she’s a tad hungry, noting that it’s 12am and so they had dinner at 8pm (which itself was a shock to me, as she cared to elucidate that). Simbu goes to the kitchen and will get her one thing. What caught my consideration was what he will get. Had he received only a chocolate, it might’ve been “simply okay”. Had he made omelette or dosa, it might’ve been “an excessive amount of”. As a substitute, he will get an ice cream with some fruit toppings – which means that he cares to place in some effort to make it, however not exhibiting all his playing cards (but)..
Ennai Noki Payum Thotta (2019):
Hey Nijame tune in soul-soothing voice of Bombay Jayshree. Robust luck that it received overshadowed by Maruvarthai.
Skipping his shorts in Navarasa (2021), Puthum pudhu kaalai (2020), Kutty Story (2021) & Paava kadhaigal (2020) and different language options
Vendhu thanindhadhu kaadu (2022):
Mallipoo tune – humanizing everybody within the room, even when they’re goons. Simbu is hardly even there within the tune.
Thanks, G, for these moments. Joyful fiftieth birthday! Might this be a particular birthday. (Mathematically, it already is: your DOB provides to your age: 25/2/23 → 25+2+23=50 :D)
– A fan of GVM, earlier than he turned GVM, and even GM (who was credited as simply ‘Gautham’ in Minnale)
