Movie Description
Sridevi Apalla, who gained recognition with Court, makes her Tamil debut with Haiku, a romantic drama that was released in both Tamil and Telugu on October 23. Aegan makes his debut as a solo lead, while Femina George plays another important role in the film. Directed by Yuvaraj Chinnasamy, the movie attempts to combine college comedy, romance and emotional drama.
Despite a promising setup and a few entertaining moments, Haiku struggles to maintain its momentum throughout.
Story
The story follows Manohar (Aegan), a college student who gets into trouble with his friends and ends up being rusticated. He later joins a women’s college, where he is the only male student among around 2,000 girls. There, he meets Pavazhakodi (Sridevi Apalla), and their friendship eventually develops into love.
However, circumstances separate the couple. Years later, Manohar’s colleague Nivedha (Femina George) develops feelings for him, bringing new complications into his life. The rest of the story revolves around his relationships and the choices he makes.
Performances
Aegan delivers a decent performance in his first outing as a solo hero. He handles his role reasonably well, although the writing does not always give him enough scope to make a strong impression.
Sridevi Apalla looks comfortable in her character and delivers a composed performance in several scenes. Femina George adds some liveliness to the proceedings with her cheerful screen presence. The supporting cast, however, does not get enough opportunities to make a significant impact.
What Works and What Doesn’t
The college portions offer some enjoyable moments, particularly when Manohar struggles to adjust to life in an institution filled with female students. These scenes provide occasional comedy and give the film a reasonably entertaining start.
The bigger problem is the familiar storyline. The romantic drama follows a predictable path, and the screenplay fails to bring enough freshness to the narrative. Some scenes feel stretched, while the repeated dialogues and nicknames become tiresome after a point.
The first half has a few engaging moments, but the second half loses its grip. The narrative becomes less focused, and several sequences fail to deliver the emotional impact the story needs. Femina George’s character also suffers from inconsistent development.
Technical Aspects
Director Yuvaraj Chinnasamy has an interesting premise but struggles to translate it into an engaging cinematic experience. The screenplay lacks consistency, especially in the latter half, where the storytelling becomes repetitive.
Priyesh Gurusamy’s cinematography is adequate, while Siddhu Kumar’s music does its job without leaving a lasting impression. Sakthi Pranesh’s editing could have been tighter, as trimming a few sequences might have improved the film’s pace. The Telugu dubbing is passable.
Verdict
Haiku starts with an interesting college backdrop and benefits from decent performances by Aegan and Sridevi Apalla. However, a routine storyline, uneven screenplay and a sluggish second half prevent the romantic drama from reaching its potential.
The film has a few watchable moments, but the overall experience is let down by repetitive scenes and underdeveloped characters. Those looking for a fresh and engaging love story may find Haiku disappointing.
FilmyFast.Com Rating: 2.25/5
