Choosing to narrate a semi-biographical account of his own life for his debut was indeed a gutsy move from director/writer/lyricist/composer Hip Hop Tamizha Adhi. Featuring a bunch of YouTubers and local RJs who all were handpicked by Adhi to give life to the characters that nurtured him in his youth, and a solid 'Tamizhannn Da!' act from Vivekh who play's Adhi's father, and Athmika who plays Nila (Adhi's love interest), 'Meesaya Murukku' is for most part, a cheerful film.
While the movie is a cent per cent success in trying to reach out to its target audience (the youngsters) infusing humor and nostalgia, it doesn't reach the same heights in its portrayal of the romance between Adhi and Nila. As actors, Adhi and Athmika are average at best and their expressions (mostly Adhi's) come across as pale on several (emotional) occasions, as if they're acting in a college skit or a reality show. These portions could have gained from better writing and enactment. What works though is the relatable bits of humor sprinkled throughout the film. RJ Vignesh and Shah Ra make sure they leave the audience in splits whenever they're on screen. Also, big bow to the crew for blatantly ignoring an item number and a bar song, even though it is a musical and songs keep popping up every ten minutes.
Adhi seems to have a clear idea on what the audience is looking for, in a film such as this, and he has tried to deliver exactly that. The journey of a young man in pursuit of his dreams, and the roles played by his family members, his lover and most importantly, his friends, are depicted in engaging fashion. Never resorting to humor below the belt, Adhi has made a '100% clean entertainer'. Where he could have put in a little extra effort was shedding more light on his struggle as an independent musician, his influences in music, how he kept up with his romance during the phase of 'self- discovery', and his toil in coming to terms with his fate. The movie could have benefited from a few cameos by mainstream artists as well.
Nonetheless, the film packs in enough neat touches for the undiscerning viewer to sit through a (mostly) feel-good 2 hours and 15 minutes. Adhi places his numbers well and 'Vaadi Pulla' coming right at the end was a nice hat-tip.
Verdict: Fun, energetic if you choose to ignore the flawed romance!
