3

The story of 3 is the story of expectations leading to disappointments. And we aren’t talking about its content here. In a way, 3 had a lot going for it. With Kolaveri Di acquiring international status, Aishwarya Rajnikanth Dhanush calling the shots for the first time, while canning her award-winning husband Dhanush opposite Shruthi Haasan, the hype was a given. But 3’s is a two-sided story. Its screenplay is crafted to trace three stages in the lives of its leads—Ram (Dhanush) and Janani (Shruthi Haasan). It consists of only two parts though. The first—a school romance with some humour that blossoms into a marriage—has its moments. The second smacks of bipolar disorder. A couple of incidents—one in which Ram kicks and kills his dog in a fit of rage—indicate not all’s well with him. Janani is kept in the dark while Ram, with help from friend Senthil (a sensitive performance by Sunder), attempts to find a cure. Fortunately, Dhanush is a natural at portraying mental and emotional turbulence (recall Kadhal Konden in which he plays an abused child who turns into a psychopath in love). Talking of transformations, Shruthi Haasan’s—from timid school girl to doting wife—is noteworthy. The film’s song and score by Anirudh (Ravichander) provide a sensitive texture to the emotional layer. Kolaveri Di’s choreography is a bit of a let-down though. The cleverly choreographed visuals that went viral cut better teeth. Smart PR does work, after all.