Lady Superstar Nayanthara’s new film titled, Connect under the direction of Ashwin Saravanan of Maya fame has hit the screens today. Let’s see how it fares.
Story: Set in Covid testing times, the film showcases hospital scenes where Dr Joseph Benoy ( Vinay Rai) is seen treating Covid patients. In the process of rescuing affected patients, Joseph Benoy gets in contact with the virus and losses his life. Later, his wife Susan( Nayanthara) and daughter Anna( Haniya Nafis) start experiencing eerie changes in their residence. At one point, Susan notices changes in her daughter’s behavior. As lockdown is imposed, Susan takes the virtual help of a pastor named Augustine(Anupam Kher). How will the pastor helps to normalize the physical condition of Anna through virtual exorcism, forms crucial crux.
Performances: Nayanthara is impressive in her role as a single mother who is worried about her daughter’s health condition. On the other hand, Nayanthara is beautiful in saree attires as a homely lady.
Child artist Haniya Nafis did her part perfectly. Her makeover during the crucial juncture of the film is good. Actor Sathyaraj is decent in his role as a grandfather who has concerns about his granddaughter.
Bollywood actor Anupam Kher is okay in his limited yet key role. Especially, his performance during the climax portion brings depth to the proceedings. Other padding artists who did minor roles are fine with their performances.
Technicalities: The sound effects created for the film are top-notch as it elevates the mood of the film in an impactful manner. The background score given by Prithvi Chandrasekhar is arresting for the key portions.
Editing by Richard Kevin is okay. The cinematography work by Manikantan Krishnamachary registers. Production values for this tight-budget movie by Nayanthara’s husband Vignesh Shivn’s Rowdy Pictures banner are fine.
Though the film’s runtime is 99 minutes, not having an intermission is also a disadvantage for the film.
Analysis: Directed by Ashwin Saravanan, Kaavya Ramkumar provided the script for Connect in association with Ashwin. While the intention of Ashwin to showcase the sufferings during the pandemic times is appreciatable, the narrative lacks a racy screenplay.
If Ashwin and Kaavya would have taken care in writing a gripping screenplay and effective scene order, the result would have been even better. To summarize, Connect is a horror thriller that addresses how to deal with the devil’s possession. The lack of strong conflict and unengaging narrative with limited characters makes Connect an okayish watch. The film might find takers when premiered on digital space but theatrically it has fewer chances to click at the box office.
Verdict: Struggles to connect!
Rating: 2/5
