Siva Manasula Sakthi

M. Rajesh's 2009 Tamil film is about Siva and Sakthi, who lie to each other about their jobs when they meet. When the truth comes out both decide on revenge, and in the course of it they start to like each other. The film exemplifies a style that came forward in Tamil romantic comedy at the end of the 2000s: fast dialogue, a comic sidekick permanently in play, and jokes drawn from ordinary life. Santhanam's performance here opened the way to his leading roles in later years. The script sets up no dramatic obstacle; there are no families objecting and no class difference. The conflict comes entirely from two people being stubborn, which separates the film from the heavier examples of the genre. Who it's for: those who like light Tamil romantic comedies. Who it's not for: viewers looking for depth and character development; the film chooses to stay on the surface throughout and does not hide it.