Hansika-Andrea-Raai Laxmi's "Aranmanai" has fetched good reviews from the critics.
The film, deemed as a horror comedy entertainer, is directed by Sundar C. It boasts of an ensemble cast including the director, Vinay, Santhanam, Kovai Sarala and Manobala among others.
Plot: "Aranmanai" involves a bungalow that is haunted. Why is it haunted and what happens to a bunch of family members who want to sell the palace, which is their ancestral property, forms the crux of the story.
Critics have stated that the comedy quotient is good in "Aranmanai" and evokes laughter, while the film might not scare the audience much.
Andrea's performance has won accolades, while other actors including Hansika, Vinay, Raai Laxmi, Sundar C have done their parts well. Santhanam's one-liners, Kovai Sarala and Manobala manage to bring in comic relief.
Regarding the technical aspects, critics have stated the cinematography is average, while editing could have been better. None of the songs composed by Bharadwaj are impressive. Karthik Raja's background music is fine, while the VFX team has done a decent job.
Check below the review roundup of "Aranmanai"
"Sundar C is back with his typical commercial, fun-filled entertainer that has all elements that will keep you engaged all the way, making you overlook those "not-too-glaring" flaws. Like every horror movie, there are few disturbing visuals for the young-aged audience that the parents might want to keep a check on, according to Behindwoods Review Board.
"Aranmanai might not scare you much. Nor does it have something out of the box. But it successfully sets out doing what it intended to. The three girls in the movie might just be the icing on the cake. Go for this one if you liked the last flick in the genre - Yaamiruka Bayamey," said Siddarth Srinivas of Cinemalead.
"The saying, "old wine in a new bottle", might fit Aranmanai with Sundar C's narration and screenplay helping the movie out of its predictable script. The film has the commercial signature all over with humor taking the front seat, the scary moments just huffing and puffing behind. Overall the VFX gets its share of scare, and then fizzes out with some average CGI. Cinematography is just apt for a scary movie, some panning out well and some not," according to Indiaglitz.
"Director Sundar C has tried to combine two genres – comedy and horror, with little success. Although the comedy factor works to a certain extent, thanks to Santhanam's one-man show, the movie doesn't get scary or peak at any moment. The movie is pretty predictable throughout and one could easily guess the next scene. For a horror film, this factor is one of the major drawbacks," said Sai Shyam G of iflickz.
"The commercial elements comedy, horror and glamour has been mixed in the right proposition by the writer and director. What works is a riveting performance by Hansika, along with comedy track of Santhanam &Co and is packaged as a fun entertainer by Sundar C," according to Sify.
Verdict: Fun-filled Horror Film
