Vikram Prabhu-Priya Anand's "Arima Nambi," which hit the screens on 4 July, has opened to positive reviews from critics.
"Arima Nambi" is an action thriller flick directed by Anand Shankar, a former assistant of A.R. Murugadoss.
Plot: Arjun Krishna (Vikram Prabhu) falls in love with Anamika (Priya Anand) when he sees her for the first time at Hard Rock Cafe in Chennai. They both become friends and go out on a date the following day. After the dinner, Arjun visits Anamika's house where two goons kidnap her. Ajrun rushes to the cops to inform about the kidnap, but to no use. How the mystery behind the kidnap of Anamika is uncovered forms the crux of the story.
Critics have appreciated director Anand Shankar for coming up with an engaging screenplay. They also praised Vikram Prabhu's performance as an action hero in the film. Other actors including Priya Anand, Arjunan, Yog Japee, JD Chakravarthy and M.S. Baskar have also done their roles well.
While the first half is face paced, the second half fizzles out in some parts, according to the critics. Wafer-thin storyline and lengthy run time are some of the drawbacks of the film.
Check below the review roundups of "Arima Nambi"
"Having apprenticed under AR Murugadoss, it is evident that Anand Shankar knows the secret formula for a successful commercial entertainer. He wastes no time in getting into the main plot of the film. Within the first half an hour, you actually get to witness lot of happenings and it looks like a complete maze. Once the suspense is revealed to the audience, the proceedings slow down a little and the climax looks rather predictable too," said Sai Shyam G of iflickz.
Regarding the performances of the actors, Sify said, "Vikram Prabhu has come off age as an action hero and has improved in his dance movements and the action sequences he does especially the chase atop the building is terrific. Priya Anand fits the girl in distress role perfectly and is the pivot around which the film revolves."
"JD Chakravarthy as the villain has got a deadly introduction scene, but in the second half his character is reduced to a caricature," the website stated.
On the technical aspects, Siddarth Srinivas of Cinemalead said, "RD.Rajasekhar's camera gels into the mood of the film, the cinematographer has undoubtedly showcased pure talent in the chase scenes. Cuts by Bhuvan Srinivasan could have been a touch crisper in the second half, as the movie tends to take some time to build up to the climax. Stunts deserve a special mention, the street chase in the second half is truly riveting to watch."
"Music is a huge blip to the film, as none of the songs lead to a positive response. BGM though, is a saving grace, due to a well panned sound design," Siddarth added.
Behinwoods Review Board said, "The director clearly has adequate knowledge of the present day world – the general hang out spots of the youth, the world of the Internet – and a lot of research appears to have gone in to learn the type of gadgets policemen and media use for investigations and tracking. A minor flaw would be the 'upload' interface on YouTube."
Verdict: Decent Thriller
