Kaatrin Mozhi review: Jyotika shines in this heartwarming drama about pursuing dreams

It has been a great year for Jyotika, who continues to shine in handpicked roles that fit like a glove. After impressing audiences in Bala's Naachiyaar (2018) and Mani Ratnam's Chekka Chivantha Vaanam (2018), Jyotika delivers one of her more memorable performances in Radha Mohan's Kaatrin Mozhi, the Tamil version of Suresh Triveni's Hindi film Tumhari Sulu (2017).

The remake does full justice to the original. Radha Mohan and Jyotika reunite for a breezy, family-friendly drama about dreams and carving one's identity, and do not disappoint the viewer as they have a winner in hand.

Kaatrin Mozhi revolves around Vijayalakshmi Balakrishnan (Jyotika), a happy-go-lucky, high-spirited housewife who dreams of a life outside her home. She longs for freedom to drape a well-ironed sari and step out to pay the electricity bill even while her husband insists she pays online.

When she lands an opportunity to audition for the job of a radio jockey, she faces criticism from her own family who believe she is best suited for cooking and household chores. But Viji, as she is called, doesn't back down as she believes she can work and also take good care of her family at the same time. Whether she succeeds in this endeavour forms the crux of the story.

If you are a fan of Radha Mohan's brand of comedy and drama, Kaatrin Mozhi will work big time for you. Some of the scenes in the film are outright funny and heartwarming. Unlike most filmmakers, Radha Mohan uses dialogues and witty one-liners to make his jokes work but never relies on building a scene per se, and it again works beautifully in the film. The scenes featuring MS Bhaskar, for instance, are the best example of his style of filmmaking.

While it's easy to discard Kaatrin Mozhi as a remake and give all credit to Tumhari Sulu, which was undoubtedly one of the better films released last year; it's worth mentioning that effort has gone into making the former suit Tamil sensibilities.

Jyotika comfortably juggles roles as a homemaker and an RJ of a late-night show. When the remake was announced, it was feared that she might tamper with the soul of the character originally played by Vidya Balan by overacting, but boy! she springs a surprise with a memorable performance. She proves to be a powerhouse, particularly in the emotional scenes. Credit must also go to Radha Mohan for not letting her go overboard. There is one particular emotional stretch where we literally see Jyotika shivering with guilt.

Kaatrin Mozhi is well supported by a strong ensemble cast. Actor Vidharth as the hapless husband stuck between a demanding but unsatisfying job and his wife's dream to work is appropriately cast. MS Bhaskar is brilliant in a cameo and Lakshmi Manchu is fabulous in a lovely role as the head of the radio station.