Nooru Kodi Vaanavil Review: ★★½☆☆ (2.5/5)
Nooru Kodi Vaanavil is a gentle, good-looking romance with honest performances and pleasant music. The love triangle is too familiar, the twists are easy to guess, and the film feels like it came a few years late.
Rating: ★★½☆☆ (2.5/5)
Genre: Romantic Drama
Language: Tamil
Director: Sasi
Cast: Harish Kalyan, Siddhi Ithnani, Vijay Parvathy, Kovai Sarala, Thambi Ramaiah, Sampath Raj
Music: Sidhu Kumar
Diwali is a good time for a soft, sweet love story, and Nooru Kodi Vaanavil tries to be exactly that. The Tamil film streams on ZEE5 and is directed by Sasi, the man behind Poo, Pichaikkaran, and Sivappu Manjal Pachai. Fans of those films may expect something special. What they get is a pretty romance that plays it very safe.
Harish Kalyan plays Vino, a TV producer in Mumbai who is waiting for his next big promotion. Instead, he is sent to run a local channel in Goa. He wants to prove himself, and he starts work on a new show. Soon he meets Fanny, played by Siddhi Ithnani, who zips around on a scooter.
Fanny already has a boyfriend named Richie, who has been in a coma for about 170 days after an accident. She records the important moments of her life on video to share with him when he wakes up.
Vino decides to build a show around her, called the Scooter Girl Show. The two start with small fights, then become friends, and slowly the friendship turns into love. When Vino finally says how he feels, Fanny cannot say yes. Her old love and her new feelings pull her in two directions. Then Richie begins to recover, and the rest of the story is about the pain this creates for everyone.
The idea is sweet, and the film is at its best when it stays with its two leads. Harish Kalyan is natural as a man who wants to grow in his career and then gets caught off guard by love. He is especially good in the romantic scenes. Siddhi Ithnani does a lovely job as Fanny.
Her face shows the mix of guilt, hope, and confusion that a woman in her place would feel, and her emotional scenes work well. Together, the two share a warm chemistry that gives the romance some charm.
The supporting cast helps too. Vijay Parvathy brings some spark to a few scenes, and Kovai Sarala, Thambi Ramaiah, and Sampath Raj each add a few light moments. Some of their one-liners get a smile, even if they do not always get a big laugh.
The best part of the film is how it looks. The beaches and green corners of Goa are shot with care, and the colours give every frame a fresh, happy feel. The Mumbai scenes, in contrast, give us a peek into Vino’s work life. Sidhu Kumar’s songs and background score also fit the mood, and they carry the soft feelings of the romantic scenes without being too loud.
The problem is the writing. A love triangle between a man, a woman, and a lover in a coma is not a brand new idea, and many parts of this story feel like something you have seen before. Some of the twists are easy to guess. Sasi spends a lot of time on the moods of his characters, but he gives less thought to making the screenplay fresh or exciting.
If you want more to watch this festive week, our Mookuthi Amman 2 review looks at Nayanthara’s big devotional fantasy. For something much more fun, our Scene review covers Suriya’s breezy serial killer comedy, and our Ramayana movie review looks at Ranbir Kapoor and Yash on a grand scale.
Nooru Kodi Vaanavil has a good heart, two sweet leads, and a lovely setting. It just needed a stronger script. Watch it at home with low expectations, and it makes for a pleasant, if forgettable, evening.
Nooru Kodi Vaanavil is now streaming on ZEE5.