90 Ml review: A woman-centric adult comedy that never understands feminism

Anita Udeep’s 90 Ml can’t be embraced as one of those silly adult comedies that are clearly intended to appeal to the masses and make a killing at the box office.

It’s actually a film that could have been an eye-opener of sorts in making audiences; especially men realize that women too have a voice and the freedom to do anything they want — from choosing their life partner to drinking and smoking up. It could have really made sense of feminism in mainstream cinema, but it chooses to be a silly adult comedy which loses fizz halfway into the film.

The story revolves around five women and their wild escapades as they come to terms with several facets of life. The entry of Oviya Helen into the lives of the other four women in 90 Ml comes as a breath of fresh air, and it is through her eyes they see the world around them differently.

Oviya plays Rita, who lives life by her rules. She’s in a live-in relationship with her partner; has no qualms to talk about her sexuality; drinks at the drop of a hat and has no regrets whatsoever. As she befriends the other four women in her apartment, they form an unlikely alliance and they help each other fight their worst fears. In the process, they embark on a wild journey of debauchery, friendship and self-discovery.

90 Ml takes a bold step and explores certain aspects that haven’t been openly discussed in Tamil cinema so far. For instance, the film openly discusses live-in relationship, has women indulge in casual chat about their sexual encounters with their partners and even deals with homosexuality.

However, the biggest problem with the film is that it deals with all these aspects in the most awkwardly fun fashion, thereby stripping them off their sensitivity. If only these themes were treated with some degree of realism, the film could have been taken seriously. By trying to project itself as an adult comedy, every effort the film takes to talk about sensitive issues comes across as amateurish.

Oviya, who earned her share of stardom through her appearance in last season of Bigg Boss show, doesn’t quite make an impact in her role. She looks her part, thanks to her flashy outfits, but struggles to carry the charisma of her character. On multiple occasions, she goes overboard to sell her performance.

The rest of the cast features mostly newcomers. One of the lead actresses plays a Marwari, and it’s a pain to watch her mouth lines in Tamil in her thick accent. It’s easily the most annoying character of the film.

Simbu, who has composed music for the film, plays a cameo and he’s still stuck in an era where he made an impact as a hero with his punch dialogues.

90 Ml sets out to be a film about women’s liberation but the truth is that it never quite makes sense of feminism and turns the whole experience into a mockery.