ஏ.ஆர்.முருகதாஸ் production மான்கராத்தே - சிவகார்த்&

[kubrick]

Sivakarthikeyan finally comes of age!

Maan Karate is a comedy, barring the last 30 mins of so when it becomes serious. Until then its a laugh riot - let it be the main star, Sathish, Suri or the other co-stars. Lots of laughter in the cinema throughout.
It is playing in two halls in Summit...!!! And both were packed for Sat afternoon show.

Sivakarthikeyan gets an intro complete with a song
Film starts in a mysterious manner, so typical of ARM, who wrote the story. The director Thirukumaran plays on Sivakarthikeyan's strength with excellent results.
Everyone performs well.... Anirudh's BGM is good but his songs are speed breakers. I liked the last song which sounded like Deva, with Anirudh himself coming in cameo. But he looks like baby with bottle.

Sivakarthikeyan has come a long way since Ethirneechal days.
Although, its similar to a hundred earlier sports movies, it is fun.
Go for it.

Mostly what I thought.

As I have already been hooked on to the entire soundtrack I could bear the songs even though they were poorly placed. Sivakarthikeyan has shown that he can single-handedly carry a film until it sticks to be funny. I got exactly what I expected and found it to be much funnier than VVS (with all the subtle Tamil Cinema references).

Unlike everyone else I found the BGM to be a let down as it dint have much new music in it except for excerpts from the already seen and heard songs from the film itself.

This is a typical celebration of Sivakarthikeyan becoming a Tamil Cinema Hero, therefore it needn't be anything more than what it is. Almost perfect "Summer Holidays" film. Kids are going to love it and Sivakarthikeyan has hit bulls-eye amongst kids too now.

[Mr.GreyShirt]

have you watched cool runnings?

Wasn't this movie based on a true event that happened?

[NOV]

Wasn't this movie based on a true event that happened?

Yes, proving that truth is often stranger than fiction.

[arulraj]

Maan karate is a dust bin .... Director handled screenplay badly in many scenes almost like 1980s movie .....

[balaajee]

Movie Review ‘Maan Karate’: Debutant director fails to live up to the hype- www.deccanchronicle.com

Rating: **1/2

Sivakarthikeyan-Hansika's much awaited film Maan Karate finally hit the
silver screens on Friday April 4.

Sivakarthikeyan appears in the role of Peter from Royapuram, Chennai. He is
in love with Yazhini (Hansika) and poses to be a boxer to woo her, as she
happens to be a sports lover. In a bid to prove his love for Yazhini, Peter has
to win a boxing competition. Peter, who knows nothing of boxing, manages to win
against his opponents with the help of a technique called Maan Karate (Deer
Karate). At the end, he has to fight against the defending boxing champion who
is also named Peter (Vamsi Krishna) and who wins the championship forms the crux
of the story.

"Maan Karate" is a mix and match of several genres like fantasy, romance,
comedy and drama. Critics applauded Sivakarthikeyan's performance in the film.
They have also heaped praise on Sukumar's camera work and Anirudh's background
scores and editing done by Aswin.

While the film's first half is enjoyable with pleasant moments, and keeps the
audience glued to the screen. The second half comes across as a predictable plot
and is stretched a bit to far. The slow pace of the film adds to the misery and
could have cut short and kept the momentum going. Many critics feel, director
Thirukumaran could have worked harder on the screenplay to come up with a better
film. Sivakarthikeyan impresses his audiences by his brilliant dance moves and
the slow paced film comes alive.

The chemistry between the to lead actors is believable and comes across as
natural, giving the film a much needed plus point.

Sivakarthikeyan has done his job and there are no distinguishing elements in
his acting, except for the climax, where he has portrayed his emotions well.

Hansika’s slim avatar is welcomed by the audience and provides ample amount
of glamour in the film.

Other casts include Vamsi Krishna, Sathish, and other actors have done a fair
job. Anirudh, Soori and AR Murugadoss have done guest appearances in the
film.

The film’s strength is its music by Anirudh, who has churned out chartbusters
like ‘Maanja’, ‘Darling Dambakku’, ‘Royapuram Peter’ and ‘Open the tasmac’ which
helped the film in getting a good opening.

Sukumar gets full marks for his brilliant Cinematography and Editing by Aswin
is impressive.

Verdict: For Sivakarthikeyan and Hansika fans, this movie
will prove to be decent entertainer, if not a blockbuster.

[balaajee]

HINDU

Sivakarthikeyan, the likeable boy next door, has transformed into Sivakarthikeyan, the big star — and Maan Karate is less a film than a ticker-tape celebration of this reality. He’s given a hero-introduction song, where he’s surrounded by posters of films of our two big “mass” heroes, MGR (Naalai Namathey) and Rajinikanth (Uzhaipaali). Even if we miss these references, the fact that he’s a man of the masses is evident from where he hails from: Royapuram. No Tamil-film star ever became big by playing a character that hailed from Boat Club Road.
In an amusing twist, which I think is unintentional, he’s named Peter — though, predictably, he’s anti-“Peter” in the ways that really matter. He says “Darjeeling” when he means “darling.” He says “careless” when he means “careful.” No Tamil-film star ever became big by playing a character that spoke proper English. In another amusing twist — this one’s intentional — the antagonist (Vamsi) is named Peter too, and he snarls, “I'm gonna break you.” Gonna? Oh man, is he gonna go down.

The story is by AR Murugadoss, and it sounds like a leftover page from the binder that contained his research for 7aum Arivu. A sadhu in the wilderness hints at a future event. It involves boxing, and lots of prize money. We expect something strange and mystical. But the director, Thirukumaran, is content to give us something familiar and mundane. No Tamil-film star ever became big by stepping too far out of his comfort zone.
One does wonder though: Would these slightly offbeat scripts be better served by non-stars? After all, the definition of a star — whether here or in Hollywood — is someone who plays the same part over and over, giving the people exactly what they like about him (or her), with slightly different variations. Cary Grant was a huge star, and no one ever called him to play an axe-murderer who had a thing for little girls. Why hire a star to go through these motions when there are actors for this sort of thing?

With an actor (or a newcomer, or with Sivakarthikeyan in the early phase of his career), Maan Karate might have been a genuinely moving underdog story, with a touch of the supernatural. There might have even been a better use of that intriguing title, which, if you think about it, is really the USP of the film. We’ve seen the trailers that showed Peter as a boxer. We walk in wondering what Maan Karate is. And when we discover that Peter isn’t really a boxer, we await developments that detail his evolution.

But that would mean writing a screenplay that involved tiresome things like character arcs, thematic continuity, and a fair measure of serious and committed storytelling. Who has the time for that? We keep waiting for happenings that befit the gravity of the opening portions with that sadhu and his eerie prediction.

Instead, we get a first half that’s almost entirely disposable, filled with lightness and romance, between a brown-skinned boy and a fair-complexioned girl. (Hansika Motwani does the duties. And as per the recent mandate that requires heroines of these mass-hero movies to have classical-sounding names — remember Koperundevi in Veeram? — she’s called Yazhini.) The love affair begins with a dreadful meet-cute, involving ice cream and an undone shoelace, and when the relationship progresses to something meaningful, she gifts him a crotch guard and a boxing robe with the inscription “My Peter.” Clearly, she’s unversed in American slang.

And we get a number of songs, which show just how big Sivakarthikeyan has become. Forget the script. He now has a proper stylist. He’s outfitted in scarves and tees with asymmetrical necks and, coolest of all, lungis held in place with two belts. He even gets to wear yellow sneakers in the inevitable sarakku song — of course, there’s a sarakku song; this is, after all, a “family entertainer” — that goes ‘Open the TASMAC’.

In the middle of all this showboating, we are reminded, occasionally, that there’s a story. We get a bit of boxing. We even get the meaning of the title, which, instead of being presented as a highlight, a grand revelation, is casually tossed off by a random viewer of one of the fights. I suppose that’s all right. This isn’t about Maan Karate or even about boxing. It’s about the cult of the star.

And as is the case with these movies, some two hours go by during which nothing seems to be at stake. And then we get the last half-hour, soaked in melodramatic sentiment, where everything seems to be at stake. The coach was just a mute figure in the background. Suddenly he’s called in to deliver a rousing speech. Did Peter have any relations? We try to remember, as someone who looks like a father wishes him luck for the final match. And we try to pretend that we’re invested in Peter’s fate in that match, though his victory is a given.

There’s a decent Punnagai Mannan spoof. There’s a nice stretch where Peter mimics Tamil-film actors. These scenes remind us of the boy next door, who’s, of course, moved on in life — he can now afford a villa on Boat Club Road. We need to find a replacement soon.

Genre: Comedy-Drama
Director: Thirukumaran
Cast: Sivakarthikeyan, Hansika Motwani, Vamsi.
Storyline: A non-boxer becomes a boxer and fulfils a prediction.
Bottomline: Familiar and mundane.

[balaajee]

மான் கராத்தே - திரை விமர்சனம் - Hindu Tamil

லாஜிக்கோடு கதை சொல்வது ஒரு ரகம். லாஜிக்கே இல்லாமல் மசாலாக்களை மட்டுமே நம்பிக் கதை பண்ணுவது இன்னொரு ரகம். ‘மான் கராத்தே’ இரண்டாவது ரகம். வலுவான ஒரு முடிச்சின் அடிப்படையில் சங்கிலித் தொடர் திரைக்கதை அமைக்கும் ஏ.ஆர். முருகதாஸ் எழுதிய மிகப் பலவீனமான கதை இது.

பிரபல ஐ.டி. நிறுவனத்தில் வேலையிழக்கும் ஐந்து நண்பர்கள் (மூன்று ஆண்கள், இரண்டு பெண்கள்) அடுத்து என்ன செய்வது என்று யோசிக்கிறார்கள். அப்போது அவர்கள் கையில் சித்தர் ஒருவர் ஒரு செய்தித்தாளைக் கொடுக்கிறார். ஆறு மாதங்கள் கழித்து வரவிருக்கும் செய்தித்தாள் அது. அதில் ஒரு செய்தி இவர்களைப் பற்றியது. ராயபுரத்தில் வாழும் பீட்டர் (சிவகார்த்திகேயன்) மாநில அளவிலான குத்துச்சண்டைப் போட்டியில் சாம்பியன்ஷிப் வெல்கிறார். அதில் கிடைக்கும் பரிசுத் தொகையான 2 கோடியை, ஐந்து ஐ.டி. நண்பர்களுக்கும் அவர் கொடுப்பதாகவும் அந்தச் செய்தி சொல்கிறது.

இதில் உற்சாகமடையும் அவர்கள் பீட்டரைப் பிடித்து வந்து ஒப்பந்தம் போடுகிறார்கள். ஆனால் அவருக்கு பாக்ஸிங் என்றாலே என்னவென்று தெரியாது. இதனால் அவருக்குப் பயிற்சியாளரை ஏற்பாடு செய்கிறார்கள். தான் காதலிக்கும் யாழினிக்கு (ஹன்சிகா) குத்துச் சண்டை பிடிக்கும் என்பதற்காகப் பீட்டரும் ஒப்புக்கொண்டு தயாராகிறார்.

முதல் இரண்டு சுற்றுக்களில் ‘மான் கராத்தே’ என்ற உத்தியை (எதிராளி முகத்தில் குத்த வரும்போது விலகிக்கொள்வது) பயன்படுத்திச் சிவகார்த்திகேயன் வெல்கிறார். இறுதிப் போட்டிக்கு அவர் தகுதிபெறும்போதுதான் ஒரு உண்மை தெரிகிறது. பல ஆண்டுகளாக சாம்பியன்ஷிப் பதக்கத்தைத் தக்கவைத்திருக்கும் தொழில்முறை குத்துச்சண்டை வீரரின் பெயரும் பீட்டர் (வம்சி கிருஷ்ணா) என்பதே அந்த உண்மை.

நாம் ஒப்பந்தம் செய்ய வேண்டிய பீட்டர் இவர்தானோ எனக் குழம்பும் ஐடி நண்பர்கள் ராயபுரம் பீட்டரை என்ன செய்தார்கள்? தனக்குக் குத்துச் சண்டை தெரியும் என்று நினைத்துக்கொண்டிருக்கும் காதலிக்காக இறுதிப் போட்டியில் கலந்துகொண்டு ராயபுரம் பீட்டர் வெற்றிபெற்றாரா இல்லையா என்பதுதான் திரைக்கதை.

கதையாகப் பார்க்கும்போது சுவையாகத் தோன்றலாம். ஆனால் காட்சிகளாகப் பார்க்கும்போது தலை கிறுகிறுக்கிறது. நிஜ வாழ்க்கையில் நிகழ வாய்ப்பே இல்லாத சரடுதான் ‘மான் கராத்தே’ கதை.
சிவகார்த்திகேயன் ஏற்கனவே நடித்த எதிர்நீச்சலின் எதிர்மறை பிம்பம் இது. அதில் இருந்த முயற்சி, தன்னம்பிக்கை இரண்டையும் இழிவுபடுத்தும் விதமாக ஒரே நாளில் ஒருவன் குத்துச்சாண்டை வீரனாகி, பல ஆண்டுகளாக உழைத்துச் சாம்பியன்ஷிப் வென்ற ஒருவனை வீழ்த்துவதுபோலக் காட்டி, குத்துச்சண்டையையும் படம் பார்க்கும் ரசிகர்களையும் இழிவுபடுத்துகிறார் இயக்குநர்.

கதையின் முதன்மைக் கதாபாத்திரம் மட்டுமின்றி நாயகியின் அப்பா, ஐந்து ஐ.டி. நண்பர்கள், பயிற்சியாளராக வரும் ஷாஜி எனப் பல பாத்திரங்களும் பலவீனமாகவே இருக்கின்றன.
நடிப்பு, நடனம் இரண்டிலும் அடுத்த கட்டத்துக்கு நகர்ந்திருக்கும் சிவகார்த்திகேயன், டைமிங் சென்ஸைத் தவறவிட்டிருக்கிறார். மசாலாவை நம்பினோர் கைவிடப்படார் என்ற முடிவுடன் ஒரு புது இயக்குநர் (திருக்குமரன்) களம் இறங்கியிருப்பது ஏமாற்றமளிக்கிறது. ஹன்ஸிகா கொடுத்த வேலையைக் கச்சிதமாகச் செய்திருக்கிறார். காமெடியனாக வளர்ந்து வரும் சதீஷை வீணடித்திருக்கிறார்கள்.

படத்தில் நிமிர்ந்து உட்கார வைப்பவர் இசையமைப்பாளர் அனிருத் மட்டும்தான். ஆனால் பின்னணி இசையில் கொஞ்சம் அதிகமாகவே தட்டி அதைச் சராசரி ஆக்கிவிட்டிருக்கிறார்.
ராயபுரம் பீட்டருக்காக வெற்றியை விட்டுக் கொடுங்கள் என்று ரியல் பாக்ஸர் பீட்டரிடம் அவரது மனைவிச் சொல்கிறார். ‘உன்னை யாராவது கேட்டால் நான் விட்டுத் தருவேனா, அதே மாதிரிதான் பாக்ஸிங்கும்’ என்று உணர்ச்சிக்கரமாகப் பேசும் அவர், ராயபுரம் பீட்டரிடம், ‘உன் காதலியை விட்டுக்கொடு.. வெற்றியை விட்டுக் கொடுக்கிறேன்’ என்று வசனம் பேசுவது அருவருப்பான முரண்.

பெருங்கூட்டத்திடம் தர்ம அடி வாங்கிய பின், முகத்திலும், மூக்கிலும் ரத்தம் வடிய "மடங்க மடங்க அடிக்கிறதுலகூட இப்படியெல்லாங்கூடவா யோசிப்பாய்ங்க..! என்ற வடிவேலுவின் நிலைதான் ரசிகர்களுக்கும்.

மான் கராத்தே - ரசிகர்களை ஏமாற்றிய மாய மான்.

[balaajee]

Rediff

Thirukumaran, Maan Karate is all about how a weak, good for nothing is suddenly transformed into a boxing champion by the power of true love, says S Saraswathi.
The charming television anchor-turned-actor Sivakarthikeyan seems to have won over audiences with just a handful of films.
He had three releases in 2013, Kedi Billa Killadi Ranga, Ethir Neechal and Varuthapadatha Valibar Sangam.
All three have been massive successes, making him one of the most bankable newcomers in the Tamil film industry.
In his latest film, Maan Karate, directed by debutant Thirukumaran, a former associate of director A R Murugadoss, Sivakarthikeyan is paired opposite the ultra glamorous and much sought after Hansika Motwani.
Sathish and Vamsi Krishna play significant roles in the film.

Anirudh Ravichander, who has composed the music for the film, makes a special appearance for a dance number.
Director A R Murugadoss, who is credited with the story, has produced the film along with Madhan of Escape Artistes Motion Pictures.
Maan karate is supposedly a form of defence in which one escapes an attack by using the tactics of the deer. The film is all about how true love can help one accomplish the impossible.

Peter (Sivakarthikeyan), a weakling, is suddenly transformed into this boxing champion, to prove his love for Yazhini (Hansika).
The film opens on a mystical note. Five IT professionals, Sandy (Sathish) and his friends are on a camping trip in a dense forest. The visuals here are simply amazing.
Cinematographer, Sukumar has perfectly captured the raw, untouched, almost divine beauty of the forest.

It is here that they meet a Siddhar (saint meditating in the forest, believed to have mystical powers), who promises to grant them a wish.
Sandy, who is a non-believer, asks him for a daily newspaper that will be printed four months into the future, on the day after Ayudha Pooja, knowing very well that this is the only day that newspaper offices are closed. To their great astonishment, the Siddhar is able to produce the paper.

But a bigger shock awaits them when they find their names in the paper, as friends who have helped someone called Peter win a Boxing Championship, which carried a reward of Rs 2 crore.
Greatly intrigued, the friends are determined to find this stranger, Peter, help him win the championship, and then cheat him out of the money.
They are deeply disappointed when they realise that Peter (Sivakarthikeyan) is a good-for-nothing, unemployed drunk, who has absolutely no clue about boxing.
Do they or do they not succeed in this mission, especially when they realise that there are not one but two Peters, who can potentially win the title?
Killer Peter (Vamsi Krishna) is a boxing champion, who has won the title many times in the past. Are they backing the wrong horse?
Though we see nothing new in Sivakarthikeyan’s performance, he does have a certain mass appeal. He has worked on his dance skills and even makes a grand entry, much like our A-list stars, in a song, Royapuram Peter, which he has sung himself.

Hansika has lost oodles of weight and looks slim and pretty, but sadly, the Sivakarthikeyan-Hansika onscreen chemistry does not seem to work very well.
Vamsi Krishna does not have much to do in the film and Soori, too, does not make much of an impression in his brief appearance as a boxing referee.
Kolaveri Anirudh, however, has proved once again that he understands the pulse of the youngsters. In fact, the BGM and sound tracks in the film, make the film appear more exciting than it actually is.
An ordinary effort by the director, whose immense faith in the power of love seems utterly fantastical.

[balaajee]

AR Murugadoss, Hansika Motwani, Siva Karthikeyan and Anirudh at Maan Karate success meet

[NOV]

Watched a second time and enjoyed it till the serious part begins.