Manmadha Leelai movie review: This adult comedy, starring Ashok Selvan, is a decent fare, thanks to some hilarious sequences

3/5

Story: A highly successful businessman who is also an unapologetic womanizer indulges in a one-night stand with a lady when the former's family is away from home. After having a memorable night, he wakes up the next day to find that his wife has returned earlier than expected. As if this isn't enough, he gets the shock of his life when he realizes the identity of the strange lady with whom he had fun last night. Will he be able to conceal his infidelity from wife? Who's the mysterious lady with whom he spent the night?

Review: Venkat Prabhu's films, needless to say, are relentlessly fun outings. Be it his previous project, Maanaadu, a complex time-loop thriller which had an intense political backdrop, or his debut flick, Chennai 600028, which revolved around a bunch of youngsters and their obsession for the sport of cricket, he ensures that his attempts are popcorn entertainers.  

Manmadha Leelai is the latest to join the bandwagon. The movie is billed as an adult comedy - the filmmaker knows who his target audience are - and seems to have kept them in mind while making it. But has he fulfilled their expectations?

Sathya (Ashok Selvan) is a successful apparel entrepreneur who is on the verge of opening a new branch in the city. He leads a happy life with his wife Anu (Smruthi Venkat) and a little daughter. A womanizer and a boozer from a young age, he plans to have some fun when his wife and kid are away for a day.

An unexpected lady lands at his home in the night. They become close in no time and spend a long, fun night together. The next morning, Anu returns back earlier than expected, thus spoiling Sathya's plans. Will he be caught red-handed?

Interestingly, Sathya encounters something similar almost a decade ago with Poorni (Samyuktha Hegde), a girl with whom he gets close to online. The latter invites him when her father Mohan (Jayaprakash) is away for a professional trip for a couple of days.

But to the couple's shock, he lands up the next morning at her house. Poorni manages to keep the house tidy and ensures that her father doesn't recognize the presence of her boyfriend there. But fate has some other plans for them.

The highlight of the film is the manner in which both the stories that happen over a span of a decade are presented simultaneously, keeping the suspense factor intact. The filmmaker has ensured that relevant props are used in the story which happens in 2010. The performance of Ashok Selvan who sports two looks and carries dual body language is impressive.

Samyuktha Hegde convinces us with the portrayal of a character which is full of surprises. She depicts romance, fear, greed and a slew of other feelings with ease. A twist which is associated with her character after the plot becomes thick is downright hilarious and reminds us of what Venkat Prabhu is capable of.

Smruthi Venkat is apt in the role of a dutiful mother and a loving wife who is unaware of her husband's affairs. Riya Suman, too, excels in a role which appears mysterious initially. The character arc of her role is partly engaging. Thamizh A Azhagan's cinematography is pleasant while Venkat Raajen's editing deserves praise.

Premgi Amaren's background score surprises you in a few funny scenes, but goes downhill in emotional sequences. Manmadha Leelai begins on a lighter note, and the filmmaker, like most of his movies, manages to maintain the tempo till the pre-climax portion.

The twists and turns that follow aren't convincing enough to hold your attention. Venkat Prabhu has a knack of coming up with mind-blowing twists, but this time, they seem to be rushed and seem like the unexpected incidents in the climax happen just for the sake of leaving the audience surprised.

The grey shade attached to Ashok's character which is revealed towards the end dilutes the film's overall fun mood. The sudden genre shift from an adult comedy to a revenge thriller in the last few sequences leaves you unimpressed. What works is the fun episodes in the former half and the cracking chemistry between Ashok and female leads.

Verdict: Fans of Venkat Prabhu may like this considering the fun elements and twists involved especially in the first half.

Manmadha Leelai is streaming on aha Tamil.