Review: Aranmanai 2 has nothing new to offer

Neither the script, nor its characters or actors have much to offer in this horror comedy that is totally devoid of scary moments, writes S Saraswathi.

Colorful multi-starrers with plenty of comedy, loud pulsating music and spectacular sets are director Sundar C’s biggest strengths. 

With over 30 films to his credit, the filmmaker has been entertaining for almost two decades now.

His latest venture Aranmanai 2 is the sequel to the hugely successful horror comedy Aranmanai, which released in 2014.  This film too is scripted along the same lines and has nothing new to offer.

Siddharth, Trisha and Poonam Bajwa are the new additions to the cast, while Hansika Motwani continues to play the glamorous ghost and director Sundar C is once again the clever mystery solver. 

Others like Kovai Sarala, Manobala and Soori attempt to provide some laughs with their silly over-the-top antics. 

The film is produced by Kushboo’s Avini Cinemax and has music by Hiphop Tamizha.

The Aranmanai franchise does not boast of a very complicated premise, you have the aranmanai (palace), a huge spectacular extravaganza, whose residents are being tormented by an evil spirit.  Who is this spirit and why she has targeted this particular palace and its family forms the crux of the story.

Director Sundar C is the same old Ravi of Aranmanai, only this time he plays the brother of Anita (Trisha).  Anita is engaged to Murali (Siddharth), whose father owns the aranmanai.  The first half of the film ends with Ravi revealing the identity of the vengeance-seeking spirit to the stunned family members.

The film gets going from the very first scene and the pace never slackens.  Every character does his bit and there is ample screen time for all, even the supporting comic actors.

The VFX is rather ordinary and the film is loaded with annoying horror clichés like freaky shadows, creepy sounds, the flickering lights, doors and windows opening and closing by themselves, people flying several feet into the air, the mirror scare, tantriks, sadhus, bizarre rituals and of course the home of God offering the last refuge.

There is plenty happening throughout and director Sundar C is totally in his elements.  The actors breeze through their performances without breaking a sweat, though none stand out.  Trisha’s opening song has her sizzling in a skimpy bikini, while the usually glamorous Hansika mostly appears in shadows demurely draped in sarees. 

There is never a dull moment in director Sundar C’s Aranmanai 2 with its loud blaring music, the lavishly picturized songs and the non-stop mindless comedy.  But neither the script, nor its characters or its actors have much to offer in this horror comedy that is totally devoid of any scary moments. 

Rediff Rating: