Happy Raj

Directed by Maria Raja Elenchezhian, this Tamil film follows a romance that begins in the city and is upended by a family arriving from the countryside. Cultural difference, family expectation and the two sides failing to understand each other supply the comedy. The film works in the family entertainer mould of mainstream Tamil cinema: a large cast, songs and an emotional close. G. V. Prakash Kumar leads, in one of the films continuing the acting career of a performer better known as a musician. Since the template is familiar, what distinguishes the film has to be looked for in the execution. The contrast between city and village is built as mutual misunderstanding rather than as contempt, which is a gentler choice than most examples of the genre. Who it's for: those who like Tamil family comedies and light romantic narrative. Who it's not for: viewers looking for an original story; the film follows the known steps of its genre.