Wikipedia

Kolamaavu Kokila

Kolamaavu Kokila (transl. Kolam-powder Kokila) abbreviated as CoCo, is a 2018 Indian Tamil-language black comedy crime film written and directed by Nelson Dilipkumar in his directorial debut, and produced by Subaskaran Allirajah of Lyca Productions. The film stars Nayanthara, alongside Yogi Babu, Saranya Ponvannan, VJ Jacqueline, R. S. Shivaji, Charles Vinoth and Hareesh Peradi. It revolves around a woman who takes to drug smuggling to pay for her mother's cancer treatment, but soon her entire family is dragged into the conflict.

Kolamaavu Kokila
Theatrical release poster
Directed byNelson Dilipkumar
Written byNelson Dilipkumar
Produced bySubaskaran Allirajah
StarringNayanthara
CinematographySivakumar Vijayan
Edited byR. Nirmal
Music byAnirudh
Production
company
Distributed byZee Studios
Release date
  • 17 August 2018 (2018-08-17)
Running time
135 minutes[1]
CountryIndia
LanguageTamil
Budget₹8 crore[2]
Box office₹73 crore[2]

The film was announced in July 2017. Principal photography began the following month, and ended by January 2018. Anirudh Ravichander composed the music, while Sivakumar Vijayan handled the cinematography and R. Nirmal was the editor. The film was released on 17 August 2018 and became a commercial success, grossing ₹73 crore (US$8.7 million) against a budget of ₹8 crore (US$960,000). It received four nominations in the Tamil branch at the 66th Filmfare Awards South, including Best Actress (Nayanthara) and Best Supporting Actor (Yogi Babu) with Saranya winning Best Supporting Actress. The film was remade in Hindi as Good Luck Jerry (2022).

Plot

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The film opens with the killing of a police officer by a cocaine-dealer named Bhai and his henchmen. Kokila struggles to find a job to take care of her parents and sister. She stumbles on the cocaine smuggling business of Mohan. When her mother is diagnosed with lung cancer, Kokila is forced to work for Mohan. Her cunningness earns her a name in the business. The new inspector Guru is a no-nonsense cop who cracks down on drug dealers. Kokila is almost caught a couple of times but manages to evade the authorities. She convinces Mohan to kill two of his henchmen suspected of leaking information and then decides to quit the business. Mohan seemingly agrees but tries to kill her, however an enraged Kokila brutally murders Mohan and his men and tries to flee with her family but is caught by Bobi, who had recruited her initially.

He demands that she deliver one last consignment of 300 kilos to Alphonse. Kokila is forced to accept and enlists the help of her family. Shekhar and Lakshman Kumar join them unaware of their smuggling. She delivers the load, but it is revealed that she switched most of it for salt. She then tricks Bobi to double-cross Bhai and then frames him for swindling Bhai. She has him killed and continues the shipment run. On the way, she is caught by the police, who are Alphonse's men in disguise. She manages to avoid getting tortured and kills off her captors with the help of her family. Guru tracks her down and arrests her. Kokila makes a deal with him to nab Bhai and bring the whole drug business down. The plan works out, Bhai is shot dead by Guru, and Kokila and her family escape punishment with Guru's reluctant help as the latter's wife was tricked into being on the location during the drug bust. In the end, the family starts a legitimate business of Kolam powder, calling it 'Kolamaavu Kokila'.

Cast

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Special appearances in the promotional song "Kabiskabaa CoCo"
Special appearances in the promotional song "Gun In Kadhal"

Production

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Nelson Dilipkumar announced a project in 2010 titled Vettai Mannan, which was to have been his directorial debut. But the film ran into production trouble and was shelved, despite some filming being completed.[3][4] Later, on the recommendation of composer Anirudh Ravichander, Lyca Productions hired Nelson to direct a female-oriented film starring Nayanthara, which became his actual directorial debut.[5] In late July 2017, sources from the production house announced that the film would be a black comedy like the actor's earlier film Naanum Rowdy Dhaan (2015). It further added that Nayanthara was impressed with the script and the production house had her dates as the actress relieved off all her other commitments.[6] Sivakumar Vijayan and R. Nirmal were announced as the cinematographer and editor.[7] While the title was initially announced as CoCo, it was revealed to be short for Kolamaavu Kokila. Principal photography began in Chennai in late August 2017,[8] and was completed by early January 2018.[9]

Soundtrack

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Main article: Kolamaavu Kokila (soundtrack)

The film's six-song soundtrack and score is composed by Anirudh Ravichander, in his first collaboration with Nelson Dilipkumar. Lyrics for the songs were written by Vivek, Vignesh Shivan, Arunraja Kamaraj and actor Sivakarthikeyan, in his first stint as lyricist.[10] After three songs — "Edhuvarayo", "Kalyana Vayasu" and "Orey Oru" — were released as singles on 8 March,[11] 15 May[12] and 13 June 2018,[13] the soundtrack was released by Zee Music Company on 5 July 2018.[14]

Release

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Kolamaavu Kokila was released theatrically on 17 August 2018.[15] It is the first Tamil film distributed by Zee Studios.[16]

Reception

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Critical response

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M. Suganth of The Times of India gave the film 3.5 out of 5 praising the direction and technical aspects and wrote "The film is an out-and-out star vehicle that keeps giving its star whistle-worthy moments. And most remarkably, it manages to stay true to its genre and ensures that the script comes before the star."[17] Ashameera Aiyappan of The Indian Express gave the film 3 out of 5, praising the performances, writing and technical aspects.[18] Vishal Menon of The Hindu noted the film's similarities to Breaking Bad such as the protagonist's moral decline, "Yet what sets it apart is how the film treats even the darkest situations with humour". He said it is "one of the better films we've seen this year and a departure from the sermons that have come to be defined as feminist films", calling it "quirky, ridiculous and fun".[19] Baradwaj Rangan wrote for Film Companion, "The suspense factor is criminally low and this film could have been so much more, but it's so different in so many ways that I'm just glad it exists".[20] Kirubhakar Purushothaman of India Today wrote, "Kolamaavu Kokila had all the potential of becoming a tear-jerker, but it avoids those cliches like a plague and stays true to the tone of the film — dark and fun. And that's what makes it unmissable".[21]

Priyanka Sundar of Hindustan Times wrote, "Kolamaavu Kokila proves what spectacular writing can achieve. What could have otherwise been macabre becomes a great piece of black humour".[22] Sudhir Srinivasan of Cinema Express wrote the film's "inefficient digressions into comedy are a big problem" because "You get joke attempts where they scarcely seem to belong".[23] Writing for Firstpost, Sreedhar Pillai wrote, "The drawbacks are there in plenty. After a racy first half, the pace slackens in the second half, along with some logical loopholes in the plot. However, at the end of the day, it is a Nayanthara show and she shines bright once again".[24] Vikram Venkateswaran of The Quint wrote, "Only in an evolved movie can you switch from deep sorrow to fits of laughter. And Nelson wields this power over the audience with abandon", and rated the film four stars out of five.[25] Anupama Subramanian of Deccan Chronicle wrote, "There is a lot of quirky moments in this dark comedy and much of the hilarity comes from unexpected instants. The first half is entertaining with the director sticking to his genre, treating even the darkest situations with humor. However, in the second half, the film meanders a bit without any solid comic relief and the climax is also unconvincing".[26]

Box office

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Kolamavu Kokila collected close to ₹4 crore (US$480,000) on the opening day. In its first nine days, the film had grossed ₹20 crore (US$2.4 million).[27] Its closing collections stand at ₹73 crore (US$8.7 million) worldwide.[2]

Accolades

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Date of Ceremony Award Category Recipient(s) and nominee(s) Result Ref.
5 January 2019 Ananda Vikatan Cinema Awards Best Comedian – Male Yogi Babu Won [28]
25–28 April 2019 Norway Tamil Film Festival Awards Best Comedian – Male Yogi Babu Won [29]
Best Screenplay Nelson Dilipkumar Won
15 August 2019 8th South Indian International Movie Awards SIIMA Award for Best Actress Nayanthara Nominated [30]
[31]
SIIMA Award for Best Male Playback Singer Anirudh Ravichander Nominated
SIIMA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role Saranya Ponvannan Nominated
SIIMA Award for Best Cinematographer Sivakumar Vijayan Nominated
SIIMA Award for Best Comedian Yogi Babu Won
SIIMA Award for Best Music Director Anirudh Ravichander Won
SIIMA Award for Best Debut Director Nelson Dilipkumar Won
21 December 2019 66th Filmfare Awards South Best Actress – Tamil Nayanthara Nominated [32]
[33]
Best Supporting Actor – Tamil Yogi Babu Nominated
Best Supporting Actress – Tamil Saranya Ponvannan Won
Best Music Director – Tamil Anirudh Ravichander Nominated
Best Male Playback Singer – Tamil Anirudh Ravichander (for "Kalyana Vayasu") Nominated

Remakes and sequels

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Kolamaavu Kokila was remade in Hindi as Good Luck Jerry (2022).[34] In July 2023 Yogi Babu said it would have a sequel at the audio launch of Nelson's Jailer.[35] Later that August, Nelson confirmed the sequel was in development.[36]

References

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  1. ^ "Kolamavu Kokila". British Board of Film Classification. Archived from the original on 16 December 2024. Retrieved 16 December 2024.
  2. ^ a b c "Top 5 low budget Kollywood movies that earned high at the box office". The Times of India. 7 December 2021. Archived from the original on 31 October 2024. Retrieved 7 May 2024.
  3. ^ "Nayanthara's next, a dark comedy". The New Indian Express. 24 July 2017. Archived from the original on 13 January 2021. Retrieved 19 June 2021.
  4. ^ "Nelson finally reveals why Vettai Mannan was shelved". Hindustan Times. 28 August 2023. Archived from the original on 14 October 2023. Retrieved 22 December 2024.
  5. ^ Mirchi Shiva And Nelson Teasing Vignesh Shivan And Anirudh (in Tamil). SIIMA. 10 November 2019. Archived from the original on 27 October 2021. Retrieved 31 October 2024 – via YouTube.
  6. ^ "Nayanthara's next is 'Co Co', a heroine-centric dark comedy". The News Minute. 24 July 2017. Archived from the original on 24 June 2021. Retrieved 19 June 2021.
  7. ^ Acharya, Sandeep (24 July 2017). "Nayanthara on a roll, signs another female-centric script sans romance". Hindustan Times. Archived from the original on 24 June 2021. Retrieved 19 June 2021.
  8. ^ "Nayanthara's next, Kolamaavu Kokila". The New Indian Express. 26 August 2017. Archived from the original on 12 January 2021. Retrieved 19 June 2021.
  9. ^ "A unique song for Nayanthara's Co Co". The New Indian Express. 3 January 2018. Archived from the original on 13 January 2021. Retrieved 11 January 2021.
  10. ^ "Sivakarthikeyan turns lyricist for 'Kolamaavu Kokila'". The Times of India. 12 May 2018. Archived from the original on 26 June 2021. Retrieved 11 May 2020.
  11. ^ Aiyappan, Ashameera (9 March 2018). "Kolamaavu Kokila single Edhuvaraiyo: Sean Roldan and Gautham Menon croon for Anirudh Ravichander". The Indian Express. Archived from the original on 24 June 2021. Retrieved 19 June 2021.
  12. ^ "'Kolamaavu Kokila' song 'Kalyaana Vayasu' to be out on May 15". The Times of India. 11 May 2018. Archived from the original on 26 June 2021. Retrieved 11 May 2020.
  13. ^ "'Orey Oru' song from 'Kolmaavu Kokila' unveiled". The Times of India. 15 June 2018. Archived from the original on 27 June 2021. Retrieved 19 June 2021.
  14. ^ Karthik (5 July 2018). "Kolamaavu Kokila – CoCo (Music review), Tamil – Anirudh". Milliblog. Archived from the original on 18 November 2024. Retrieved 31 October 2024.
  15. ^ "Friday Fury-August 17". Sify. 17 August 2018. Archived from the original on 17 August 2018. Retrieved 11 January 2021.
  16. ^ "Zee Studios International to release the most anticipated films of August and September!". Adgully. 3 August 2018. Archived from the original on 16 December 2024. Retrieved 16 December 2024.
  17. ^ Suganth, M (17 August 2018). "Kolamaavu Kokila Movie Review". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 23 August 2023. Retrieved 19 January 2022.
  18. ^ Aiyappan, Ashameera (17 August 2018). "Kolamaavu Kokila movie review: Nayanthara hits it out of the park with this one". The Indian Express. Archived from the original on 12 January 2019. Retrieved 19 January 2022.
  19. ^ Menon, Vishal (17 August 2018). "'Kolamavu Kokila' review: a quirky, ridiculous and fun film". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 10 November 2024. Retrieved 16 December 2024.
  20. ^ Rangan, Baradwaj (17 August 2018). "Kolamavu Kokila Movie Review". Film Companion. Archived from the original on 3 August 2024. Retrieved 16 December 2024.
  21. ^ Purushothaman, Kirubhakar (17 August 2018). "Kolamaavu Kokila Review: Nayanthara Breaks Bad in this dark entertainer". India Today. Archived from the original on 7 April 2023. Retrieved 16 December 2024.
  22. ^ Sundar, Priyanka (17 August 2018). "Kolamaavu Kokila movie review: Nayanthara delivers applause worthy performance". Hindustan Times. Archived from the original on 22 September 2023. Retrieved 16 December 2024.
  23. ^ Srinivasan, Sudhir (17 August 2018). "Kolamavu Kokila Review: An inconsistent, problematic dark comedy". Cinema Express. Archived from the original on 29 July 2024. Retrieved 16 December 2024.
  24. ^ Pillai, Sreedhar (17 August 2018). "Kolamaavu Kokila movie review: Nayanthara is riveting as a drug peddler in a film laced with dark humour". Firstpost. Archived from the original on 23 September 2018. Retrieved 16 December 2024.
  25. ^ Venkateswaran, Vikram (17 August 2018). "In 'Kolamaavu Kokila', Nayanthara Gets You High, Yogi Babu Higher!". The Quint. Archived from the original on 18 August 2018. Retrieved 16 December 2024.
  26. ^ Subramanian, Anupama (18 August 2018). "Kolamaavu Kokila movie review: It's a Nayanthara show all the way". Deccan Chronicle. Archived from the original on 22 October 2021. Retrieved 16 December 2024.
  27. ^ MK, Surendhar (28 August 2018). "Geetha Govindam enters Rs 200 cr club; Kolamaavu Kokila becomes highest-grossing heroine-led film in Tamil". Firstpost. Archived from the original on 19 October 2019. Retrieved 19 October 2019.
  28. ^ "ஆனந்த விகடன் சினிமா விருதுகள் 2018 - திறமைக்கு மரியாதை" [Ananda Vikatan Cinema Awards 2018 – Respect for Talent]. Ananda Vikatan (in Tamil). 3 January 2019. Archived from the original on 2 May 2021. Retrieved 11 January 2021.
  29. ^ "'Pariyerum Perumal' bags Best Film award at Norway Tamil Film Festival". The News Minute. 9 January 2019. Archived from the original on 16 April 2019. Retrieved 23 August 2023.
  30. ^ "SIIMA Awards 2019: Here's a complete list of nominees". The Times of India. 19 July 2019. Archived from the original on 1 August 2019. Retrieved 23 August 2023.
  31. ^ "SIIMA Awards 2019 full winners list: Trisha Krishnan, Dhanush, Varalaxmi Sarathkumar take home trophies". Times Now. 17 August 2019. Archived from the original on 12 January 2021. Retrieved 23 August 2023.
  32. ^ "Nominations for the 66th Filmfare Awards (South) 2019". Filmfare. 10 December 2019. Archived from the original on 12 December 2019. Retrieved 23 August 2023.
  33. ^ "Winners of the 66th Filmfare Awards (South) 2019". Filmfare. 21 December 2019. Archived from the original on 22 December 2019. Retrieved 23 August 2023.
  34. ^ Kanyal, Jyoti (11 January 2021). "Janhvi Kapoor begins shooting for Aanand L Rai's Good Luck Jerry in Punjab". India Today. Archived from the original on 16 March 2021. Retrieved 11 January 2021.
  35. ^ "CONFIRMED: Jailer director Nelson Dilipkumar's Kolamaavu Kokila to get a sequel". OTTPlay. 30 July 2023. Archived from the original on 14 August 2023. Retrieved 14 August 2023.
  36. ^ Narain, Yatamanyu (14 August 2023). "Jailer 2 Confirmed; Rajinikanth, Thalapathy Vijay To Collaborate In Nelson's 'Dream' Film". News18. Archived from the original on 14 August 2023. Retrieved 14 August 2023.
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