How often have we seen a stoner comedy film in Tamil cinema? Yes, it is a rarity and here is Bharath’s Simba which deals with one such premise. This Arvind Sridhar directorial is not just a stoner film but also has much more to it. Read our review of this film here.
Simba deals with the life of Mahesh (Bharath), a frustrated IT employee, who is on drugs constantly and his relationship with Simba (Premgi). He falls in love with his neighborhood girl, and what impact do these drugs have in his love life forms the rest of the plot.
Simba is creative with its treatment and ample credits to debut director Arvind Sridhar for delivering a film of this style. The quirkiness is maintained for the most part of the film. If you can adapt to the quirky mood of the film, you might find Simba to be an interesting watch. The characteristic features of a dog are neatly infused with the flow of the film. The dogs panchayat scene in the first half is funny and it definitely needs a special mention for conceiving a scene of that style. The dog's loyalty for its owner is picturized at one of the right places in the film, which is noteworthy. Dog lovers will have a better connect with the film. Though the film’s premise is that of a regular love story, the treatment is quite different from the mainstream films.
At the same time, Simba also has quite a few downfalls in the form of unnecessary characters. The need for Diana is questionable as she doesn't supplement the core theme of the film. Actor Ramana is also wasted in a character of no scope. The post-interval sequences face a dip with the pace. The chemistry between Bharath and Premgi works much better than the chemistry between the lead pair. The love isn't felt much and it fails to establish a connection with the audience. For people who expect a complete stoner film, they might be a little disappointed because of the fact that the second half deals with more emotions. Also, the overall likeability of the film for the audience is questionable, given the type of experimentation the makers have attempted.
Bharath has delivered a neat performance as Mahesh who reflects the attitude of a lonely common man. Premgi Amaren is one of the biggest strengths of the film and his style of humour works in the favour in the movie. He makes sure to bring some laughs at majority of the scoring areas. As said earlier, the friendship between the two boys is heartwarming. Bhanu Shri Mehra as the female lead doesn’t leave an impact and there are also quite a few lip sync issues.
On the technical front, Vishal Chandrasekhar’s re-recording could have been trippier to make the ride even more exciting. Sinu Siddharth’s visuals bring out the trendy colours with the beautiful portrayal of urban city life. An editor’s job is very important in a film of this style to maintain the quirkiness. In that way, editor Achu deserves a special mention for his innovative cuts and the style.
Director Arvind Sridhar’s creative writing doesn't completely reflect on the big screen, though he does a fair job to an extent. Having a creative one line in the hand, the director could have explored a fresher and exciting premise, than opting to travel on the tried and tested romance genre. With more intensity in the emotions, the overall feel of the film would have attained completeness.
Verdict: Simba is quirky and creative but doesn't completely give a satisfying stoner experience.
