Oh My Kadavule is a romantic comedy written and directed by Ashwath Marimuthu that stars Ashok Selvan, Ritika Singh, Vani Bhojan and Sha Ra in principal roles while Vijay Sethupathi and Ramesh Thilak play extended cameos. The film is produced by G. Dilli Babu under the banner Axess Film Factory.
Arjun (Ashok Selvan) is a confused, slacking youngster who is close friends with Anu (Ritika Singh) and Mani (Sha Ra). During a seemingly normal drinking session involving the three, Anu proposes to wed Arjun, thereby leading to a rocky marriage.
Luckily, Arjun receives a second chance due to divine intervention from two people (played by Vijay Sethupathi and Ramesh Thilak) who run a place called ‘Love Court’, which also gives him an opportunity to right his wrongs. He tries to pursue his passion and hopes to win the love of Meera (Vani Bhojan), a budding filmmaker and his childhood crush, who also happens to be a year older than him. Will Arjun's second shot at life leads to a happily married life forms the rest of the story
OMK starts on a shaky note, where initially, the film tries too hard to be funny (the background score by Leon James oversells every funny moment). But as the narrative progresses, the film takes an engaging turn by rising above the clichés of a romantic comedy. The script organically gives room to humour that assume greater significance in the narrative.
For instance, Arjun becomes the quality control supervisor of a company (owned by Anu’s father, played by MS Baskar) that manufactures bathroom toilets. Wait till the “joke” gives room to a touching moment that hits backs as a reality check for Arjun. The interestingly oddball premise (that reminds you a bit of Jim Carey’s Bruce Almighty franchise) presents a relationship drama through the lens of a fantasy.
Not just the concept, the director carries highbrow sensibilities and it is evident when the film doesn’t sensationalize the heroine’s drinking scenes. The first half is packed with good writing that leads to a lot of surprising moments in the second half.
The second half revolves around Arjun’s second life through a golden ticket that is visible only to him, where he tries to rectify the mistakes of his previous life. Along with the boon comes a few conditions, and this conceit leads to a lot of tense moments where Arjun finds it difficult to not reveal this secret.
The payoffs at the second half come across as little surprises that makes you revisit the earlier moments of the film. A stretch involving Arjun’s efforts to surprise Meera on her birthday is one of the most endearing moments of the film. Ashok Selvan fits into the bill as a non-threatening, confused youngster and the actor’s chemistry with Ritika Singh is visible in every scene. For instance, take the scene where Arjun quarrels with Anu in an elevator. The scene felt less like acting and more like a lifelike exchange of reactions.
Vani Bhojan and Sha Ra play their parts well, while Vijay Sethupathi and Ramesh Thilak chip in with effective cameos. The ensemble performances and the brightly lit cinematography adds to the fun vibe of the film. With OMK, Ashwath Marimuthu proves to be a filmmaker with modern sensibilities. Oh My Kadavule is an engaging and a highly inventive romance.