Semma movie review: GV Prakash's growth as an actor can be seen in this entertaining but predictable comedy

In Tamil cinema stars always try to make movies that fit in with their image. Music-director-turned-hero GV Prakash has the image of a sappy romancer in films like Trisha Illana Nayanthara, Kadavul Irukkaan Kumarau and it has worked to his advantage. GV’s latest film Semma is down the same alley, and works to a certain extent purely on his "loser image" and strong supporting cast of comic actors.

Semma is a typical Tamil template comedy film that is set against a village milieu in the first half and in the second half shifts to urban Chennai city. It is a very old formula lightened up by Pandiraj’s script and packaging of Vallikanth.

GV Prakash in Semma.

Kuzhandai (GV Prakash) is a loser who keeps shifting his business and is now a vegetable vendor. He faces rejection from women often. His life revolves around his mother and best friend (Yogi Babu), who provides a dose of humour in the narrative. One day his mother consults an astrologer who says that her son should get married in the next three months or he will remain a chronic bachelor.

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The hunt starts for a bride, and that's where the fun begins. They finally zero in on Magizhini (Arthana Binu), daughter of ‘Attack Balu’ (Mansoor Ali Khan). Balu was a rich landlord but is now in debt and owes money to a lot of villagers. He's more than willing to marry his daughter to a “wealthy” guy.

Meanwhile, Kuzhandai and Magizhini fall for each other but on the day of their engagement Balu gets an offer from local MLA’s son who is smitten by his daughter. Attack Balu cancels the engagement as the MLA’s son promises to settle all of the father-in-law’s accumulated loans if he marries his daughter. The love birds are forced elope to Chennai with the support of their respective mothers. They get married without the father’s knowledge and decide to have a child and then surprise him.

The plot is ridiculous and outlandish, and clearly seems to be a ploy to get maximum laughs. They seem to be telling the audiences not to look for logic or continuity, just come and enjoy yourself. For this they have roped in an army of actors with proven skills in comedy – including  Yogi Babu, Tamil cinema’s most popular comedian right now, as the hero’s best friend and sort of ‘suthradar’, who takes the story forward. Mansoor Ali Khan, the comic villain as ‘Attack Balu’, spices up the plot and Kovai Sarala, the heroine’s talkative mother,  brings the house down with her comical gestures and dialogues.

GV Prakash has improved as an actor and is convincing as the underdog who ultimately turns into a winner. The supporting cast is the film’s calling card along with some soothing melodies (by GV Prakash himself). These factors make Semma watchable at a crisp 2 hour running time. On the downside, the film has hardly any twists or turns and is predictable.