Theeni Movie's Review: A romantic comedy done right with a pinch of salt

Nithya Menen's Theeni was a surprise delight we never expected. The movie, named Ninnila Ninnila in Telugu, arrived with little to no hype, thanks to its low publicity, and managed to be the package of the month. Theeni, which literally means Food in Tamil, talks about the lives of four people bound together by their love for food. Streaming on ZEE5 Cineplex, this movie is worth the money you pay for the ticket.  

Also read: Dhanush, Mohanlal & Sai Dharam Tej Unveil Trailers Of Bilingual Theeni & Ninnila Ninnila

Introduction

A romantic comedy, bound to be different from the ones released in the recent past, Theeni lives up to the interest of the viewers. Penned down and helmed by Ani Sasi, the movie unfolds in the grand setting of London. However, the small yet intriguing plot of the film manages to remain grounded, thus becoming a feel-good watch. The film which stars Ashok Selvan, Ritu Varma, and Nithya Menen in the lead roles is produced by BVSN Prasad. While the young cast leads the show, veteran actor Nasser features in a crucial supporting role and steals the show.

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What's the plot?

The movie opens with the life of a chef named Dev played by Ashok Selvan, who is starting his work in a renowned restaurant run by Nasser. Everyone around him is in awe of his talent of smelling dishes to find the slightest faults. A man of few words, Dev’s 'service' is all we hear about for the longest time in the movie. The spectacular chef is a loner after being separated from his wife and daughter years ago.

Later, he is introduced to Tara, played by Ritu Varma, who crashes into his life as a fellow chef and grows restless about his clumsiness. The movie unfolds as we hear more about his life’s tragedies which led to this point. It is then that we see Nithya Menen’s Maya, a childhood sweetheart of Dev, take the centre stage and almost catapult the story ahead. The movie goes on to talk about some more flashbacks from his life.

Also read: Ashok Selvan, Nithya Menen Talk About Their Film 'Ninnila Ninnila' Being 'different'

What works?

The movie is a feel-good watch and not a rush in the fast lane, and the music by Rajesh Murugesan fits right in. While the cinematography by Divakar Mani is good, the writing of the short yet juicy storyline needs to be applauded. However, it is the cast of the show that steals the show in every way. Nasser’s character is one with wisdom, and Nithya Menen’s character is full of life.  One can’t help but notice how Ashok Selvan resembles a young R Madhavan in the movie.

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What doesn't?

The director turned to the character of Rajesh essayed by Sathya for some comic relief which simply fell flat on the belly. The role is quite is off-putting. Also, Tara’s Oppressive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is continuously exaggerated to a point where it numbs the audience’s minds. While the movie is very well-written considering the theme, it could have touched upon some more effective topics related to the theme of cooking and following one's own passion.

Final thoughts

While Ashiq Abu’s Malayalam movie Salt N Pepper is considered to be one of the finest food-themed romantic dramas to be ever made, Theeni is more compatible with the 2007 Amitabh Bachchan starrer Cheeni Kum. Even though the two movies don’t draw parallels, their connection to the theme and their touch on the philosophical side seems to be on point. Theeni, overall, makes for a fairly good watch. 

Also Read: 'Oh My Kadavule' starring Ashok Selvan and Ritika Singh to get a Hindi remake

Rating (out of 5)

Theeni movie’s IMDB review seems to be fairly put as it classifies the movie under the genre of ‘comedy- romance.’ The movie can be rated 3/5.