[Lt_Apple]

thamiz, Naan Avan Illai is the original title of the 1974 movie starring Gemini Ganesan, Jayanthi, Kutty Padmini etc.

I watched NAI last night. Good attempt at remaking and was quite entertaining, as long as you dont take things too seriously.

Jeevan was miscast. He just cant emote properly and went about the entire movie with similar style.
Srikanth would have been apt for the role. Or even prithviraj of Mozhi.

None of the gals impress very much except for darling soniechoa.
Namita is fat as ever and looks like huge beside the white gals in the desert scene. uke:

Songs have been rehashed. My personal favourite raadhaa kaadhal varadhaa originally sung by SP Bala has been royally mutiliated by Vijay Anthony. And to drive the nail to the coffin, dancemaster dances to in in saffron robes with disco steps.

the original mandhaara malarE mandhaara malarE is also not spared and appears in the tail end of the kerala scene, which is also preceded by kadallinakkara pOnOrE. god! isnt any thing sacred.

talking of sacred, even Kandha Sashti is not spared... and also pazham neeyappa!

Overall the movie is fun and definitely a respite from the norm called films these days.
Of course I had to ruin the instant by watching PEAs next, but that is another story.

[doctorzlo]

Nov,
Neenga avan illiya?

[Drugmachine]

PR, :P
enakku andha angigaaram vEndaamnu thaan sonnEn. too much of respectability. :P

I have not seen it, but I shall catch it on TV.

velli thirai?
there is an incredible amt of movies playing now. NAI, PEAS, AT, UU, MK, MV and of course Spiderman3.
hope to catch some this wknd.

[softy54534]

Maams chumma download panni paarunga! Sneha, Namitha, Jodhirmayi, Keerthi Chawala, Malavika ellarayum ottukka paatha maadhri irrukumla!

Ellaarum Jeevan-a paathu mayanguraangalaama....

[doctorzlo]

http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/Thursday/Features/20070502154524/Article/pppull_index_html

CINEMA: Jeevan’s no Gemini Ganesan
By K.N. Vijiyan

03 May, 2007

AAN AVANILLAI (Tamil) Directed by Jeeva Starring Jeevan, Sneha, Namitha, Malavika, Jyorthirmayi, Keerthi Chawla, Tejashree, Letchumy, Raj Kapoor, Livingstone, Mayilsamy IN 1974, noted director K. Balachander came out with Naan Avanillai, with Gemini Ganesan in the lead.

Gemini, who had produced the black-and-white movie himself, did not get back his investment. All he got was critical appreciation for his superb acting, playing seven different characters in the film.

I remember how impressed I was with the story in which Gemini was accused of marrying more than five women, abandoning each one after robbing them blind.

It was then that I began to appreciate director Balachander even more.

Now Tamil movie producers have caught the fever sweeping Bollywood — remaking old movies. After Naan Avanillai, Rajnikanth’s Billa is also being remade.

I would rather prefer producers continue to remake movies from other Indian languages like they have been doing for so long.

Naan Avanillai 2007 has more “sex”, with the producers splurging on making the song sequences more interesting and outstanding. Hero Jeevan danced with all five heroines.

The songs, by Vijay Anthony, who found fame through his Dailamoh song from the movie Dishum, are very hummable and enjoyable.

Maybe I am biased, but Jeevan’s acting never comes up to Gemini’s level in the original movie. This was a golden opportunity for him to show his histrionics but Jeevan displayed so few emotions. The only time he seems to show great enthusiasm is when frolicking with the maidens, especially the Malayalee lass.

This is a bit surprising as Jeevan was so effective in the role of a criminal in the 2003 film Kaakha Kaakha.

The movie has a different ending from the original. In the original, you begin to doubt that one man could be married to so many women. When you see all those flashbacks in court, you have to keep guessing whether all the allegations against the hero are true. It is only in the last scene that he is exposed for what he is and was.

But in the new movie, director Selva assumes that the audience know that the hero is guilty from the start.

Having seen the original somewhat reduced the pleasure I would have got from watching this movie. Otherwise, one will enjoy this movie, basically because the story is so different from what we have been getting lately in Tamil movies.

[Paul Bunyan]

Heard this movie is a hit.

[brraverishhh]

Was the original a hit ? I vaguely remember that it was produced byb Gemini himself and didn't do that well. Senior hands may confirm.

[softy54534]

Was the original a hit ? I vaguely remember that it was produced byb Gemini himself and didn't do that well. Senior hands may confirm.

I beleive it was just a moderate hit ,since the concept is bit advance then ..Selva is Balachandar's assist,I think ..So he chooses this movie since it is KB's movie and fit for this modern time.

[PhillipHer]

Was the original a hit ? I vaguely remember that it was produced byb Gemini himself and didn't do that well. Senior hands may confirm.

naa senior illa, irundhaalum confirm pannurEn.

i have yet to watch the old movie, but have listened to the story umpteen times, courtesy of LP's then.

memorable song: raadha kaadhal varaadhaa...

[LottiFurmann]

naa senior illa, irundhaalum confirm pannurEn. Exactly

idhukku pEr dhAn 'engappan kudhirukkuLLe illai'

[Raj_Copi_Jin]

Originally Posted by NOV naa senior illa, irundhaalum confirm pannurEn. Exactly

idhukku pEr dhAn 'engappan kudhirukkuLLe illai'

[Slonopotam845]

Originally Posted by NOV naa senior illa, irundhaalum confirm pannurEn. Exactly

idhukku pEr dhAn 'engappan kudhirukkuLLe illai'

joe,"Nan avan illai" is very average film . but its a HIT here...

karumathukkunu padam yedukirAnunga....

ithE KAMAL vizhundhu,vizhundhu nadicahlum... , sila nalla padatha namma alUnga Flop akurAnunga.....

TN yengE pothu..

[Drugmachine]

I think it's unfair comparing Jeeva to Gemini. It's like comparing Rajini in Thalabathi to NT in Karnan.

I have not seen it, but I shall catch it on TV. I heard it was a flop.

Oh, the original has an interesting segment in Kerala. It featured the then child star in an adult role. What was his name? Some Haasan.

[Peptobismol]

Oh, the original has an interesting segment in Kerala. It featured the then child star in an adult role. What was his name? Some Haasan.

[9mm_fan]

hmmm i doubt people are going to watch this film in anticipation of comparing it to the original it will be for the songs, Sneha, the glamour, i was going to say the slight suspense...but if he's guilty from the beginning...( )Sneha better have a pretty good reason for falling for such a cad!

[softy54534]

hmmm i doubt people are going to watch this film in anticipation of comparing it to the original it will be for the songs, Sneha, the glamour, i was going to say the slight suspense...but if he's guilty from the beginning...( )Sneha better have a pretty good reason for falling for such a cad!

Here is a fun review from a blogger.

Note to Joe: neenga maatum dhAn blog review pOduveengaLA, naangaLum pOduvOm

[HedgeYourBets]

Originally Posted by Querida hmmm i doubt people are going to watch this film in anticipation of comparing it to the original it will be for the songs, Sneha, the glamour, i was going to say the slight suspense...but if he's guilty from the beginning...( )Sneha better have a pretty good reason for falling for such a cad!

Here is a fun review from a blogger.

Note to Joe: neenga maatum dhAn blog review pOduveengaLA, naangaLum pOduvOm Thanks PR for quoting that blog here. Athula NAI-ai vida oru interesting-aana thagaval irunthuchu (killing of TN fishermen). Hope I can get more information on that. Comments post paNNi paakanum. Thanks once again

[S.T.D.]

Athula NAI-ai vida oru interesting-aana thagaval irunthuchu (killing of TN fishermen). Hope I can get more information on that. Comments post paNNi paakanum. Thanks once again

It is being discussed in the Hub too, rather lazily and a tad too cautiously .

[LottiFurmann]

Originally Posted by Roshan Athula NAI-ai vida oru interesting-aana thagaval irunthuchu (killing of TN fishermen). Hope I can get more information on that. Comments post paNNi paakanum. Thanks once again

It is being discussed in the Hub too, rather lazily and a tad too cautiously . PR, I am a silent reader of that thread. anga discuss paNNuRathu vElaikku Avaathunnu enakku theriyum Besides, muzhusa vishayam therinju pEsuravanga antha thread-la kammi - ellaam emotional outbursts.

[Lt_Apple]

naan avan illai a good movie but many feel that Jeevan's charcter of Playboy should've been given to arya...

but the ending is crap... the movie has a good suspense and the reason it makes ppl think tht he is guilty, coz he is running away from the police from the 1st scene itself, he'd rather got caught and act normally and wouldve've been different !!