Chennai

The film opens with photographer Ram (Vijay Sethupathi), a travel photographer who visits his school in Thanjavur and travels down memory lane. On his return to Chennai, he is added to his batch’s Whatsapp group by his friend Murali (Bagavathi Perumal). They plan a reunion in Chennai, which lays a platform for Ram and Jaanu (Trisha), high school lovers to meet each other after almost two decades. The story then travels back to the past for us to witness some spectacular performances from Aaditya Bhaskar and Gowri G Krishna, who have played the younger version of Vijay Sethupathi and Trisha, respectively. Back to present day, the reunion scenes make for a lot of fun. 

The romance resumes from Jaanu’s last memory of Ram as she walks to meet him. Towards the interval, it is Trisha’s dialogues and Vijay Sethupathi’s emotions that build the suspense in their romance. In the second half it is the other way round. Vijay Sethupathi’s dialogue deliveries and Trisha’s emotions keep us engrossed.

Govind’s background score adds to the narration and escalates the mood of the characters well. Power-packed performances from Vijay Sethupathi and Trisha aside, the other characters in the first half have done justice to their roles. However, it is the lead actors who shoulder the film throughout. Minute details like ‘Mind the gap between’, when they commute on Chennai Metro are something that will build to what will happen next between Ram and Jaanu. The scenes in which they spend a night together to decode why they didn’t end up marrying each other are well-etched and performed. 

The success of the film is the maturity with which Ram and Jaanu convey their emotions and ultimately, the message behind in film. Despite 96 being a long film, it doesn’t drag. The film is success sans your typical fight scenes, punch dialogues or kutthu paatu. A subtle narration with brilliant performance will make 96 have repeated audience.

96

Director: Premkumar 

Cast:  Vijay Sethupathi, Trisha Krishnan, Devadarshini, Janagaraj, Bagavathi Perumal, Aadukalam Murugadoss, Aaditya Bhaskar and Gowri G Krishna  

Music Director:  Govind Vasantha

Synopsis: A school reunion of the 96 batch bring together high school lovers Ram and Jaanu, who meet after 22 years and rediscover their bond

Rating: 3/5

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