Kadhalum Kadanthu Pogum is a 2016 Indian Tamil language romantic comedy drama film written and directed by Nalan Kumarasamy. Produced by C. V. Kumar under Thirukumaran Entertainment banner, the film stars Vijay Sethupathi and Madonna Sebastian in the lead roles. An official remake of the 2010 Korean film My Dear Desperado, which was also remade in Hindi as Jayantabhai Ki Luv Story in 2013, the film was released on 11 March 2016 to positive reviews.
Plot
Kathiravan is a rowdy who works for a local area councillor. His only aim in life is to own a bar of his own. He had just been released from prison after serving a five-year sentence for taking the blame for a crime he did not commit on the orders of the councillor. Kathir did the deed on the promise that his status within the councillor's gang will be elevated once he is released, but the promise was reneged. Meanwhile, a young Villupuram-based engineering graduate Yazhini Bakthirajan, leaves for Chennai against her parents' wishes to pursue a career in the IT sector. When the company she works for shuts down suddenly five months later, she faces financial hardship and is forced to move into a low-cost housing colony while searching for a new job. Her neighbour is Kathir. Though both of them dislike each other in the beginning, they gradually warm up to each other despite their different backgrounds and become a sort of support system for one another. Facing pressure from her family over her career and wedding, Yazhini introduces Kathir to her parents as her boyfriend who is a successful manager in an IT firm. Her parents decide to fix their marriage but change their mind after seeing Kathir thrashing two men opposite a temple, realising that he is a rowdy. They bar Yazhini from returning to Chennai, even forbidding her to attend an important job interview. Meanwhile, Kathir starts a gang war by beating up the henchmen of a rival gangster Kumar. The councillor decides that Kathir should murder Kumar. After ensuring that Yazhini attends her interview, Kathir proceeds with the plan to murder Kumar. However, during the ensuing scuffle, Kathir ends up being stabbed with a rebar and is left to bleed to death. Two years later, Yazhini has become a director in her company and has moved out of the housing colony. She constantly thinks about Kathir, whom she had never seen again after her interview. Yazhini yearns to show Kathir her new life, knowing that he is the one person who will be happier than even herself in her having achieved her dreams. She soon finds Kathir working at a petrol bunk, having survived his murder attempt and abandoned his rowdy past. The two rejoice in the happy ending.
Nalan Kumarasamy shelved a film titled Kai Neelam and began working on a remake of the Korean film My Dear Desperado for the same producers, C. V. Kumar paid to acquire the Korean film's remake rights. The film had an official launch in April 2015 and began filming, with Dinesh Krishnan announced as the cinematographer and Leo John Paul as editor. The film was developed under the title of Eskimo Kadhal, but was later renamed as Kadhalum Kadandhu Pogum.
Soundtrack
The film's soundtrack and background score were composed by Santhosh Narayanan. A single "Ka Ka Ka Po" sung by the composer was released on 25 January 2016. The soundtrack album consist of five tracks. The album was released on 4 March 2016 with positive reviews. Behindwood rated the music 3/5 stating "Santhosh Narayanan strikes again with his unique ideas of fusion music!"
Reception
The film opened to positive reviews from critics. Behindwoods wrote: A film that makes you smile, sad, laugh out loud and feel pain, but never bored with rating 3/5. Sify gave the film a rating of 3 stars out of 5, noting "Overall, Kadhalum Kadanthu Pogum is a classy rom-com, which can be watched for the superb writing and phenomenal performances." Times of India rated the film 3.5 out of 5 stars, calling it, "A film where the magic lies in lingering on - rather than rushing through - in this world." Hindustan Times rated the film 3 out of 5 stars. "Packed with wit rather than violence, the movie has us tickled with innumerable one-liners." India Today assessed a rating of 3.5 of 5 stars, commenting, "Nalan Kumarasamy makes ordinary something look extraordinary." Movie Crow : A treat of a different kind from the team of Soodhu Kavvum rated 3.25/5 Rediff: With riveting performances by the lead actors, a delightful script and the magic wielded by the director and composer, the film is a sure winner with a rating of 3.5/5 Baradwaj Rangan of the Hindu wrote "As second films go, Kadhalum Kadandhu Pogum has to count as a letdown, but give Nalan Kumarasamy this much — he hasn’t made Soodhu Kavvum II, and he hasn’t gone commercial with a vengeance either. He isn’t just reshaping the Kollywood romance here... He’s also reshaping the hero himself."
Box office
In its opening weekend, the film collected in Tamil Nadu from 327 screens, and crore from 264 shows in Chennai. Overall, it was the highest opening in Vijay Sethupathi's career. It continued its number one position at the Chennai city box office making it a total of in its first week. In the United States, the film grossed $41,000 on its first day. The film was released in 47 theatres in North America. In the United Kingdom, the film collected across 23 screens. In Australia, it earned and in Malaysia,.
