LGM review: Ramesh Thamilmani’s film is a breezy romcom in tune with times

Director Ramesh Thamilmani’s LGM, an acronym for Let’s Get Married, is a breezy romantic comedy that works big time and leaves you thoroughly entertained.

Gowtham (Harish Kalyan), the only son of a widowed mother Leela (Nadiya), falls in love with an office colleague Meera (Ivana), an empowered woman of this day and age.

When Meera realises that Gowtham is interested in her, she says she is interested in him as well but asks for time to take the relationship further. She suggests that they date each other for a period of two years before she makes a decision.

Gowtham agrees to this. After two years, he proposes and she accepts.

The next day, Gautham and his family — which primarily comprises his mom Leela — head to Ivana’s place to formalise the alliance.

Things seem to be proceeding smoothly until Meera serves tea to Leela. Pleased that she is going to get a daughter-in-law finally, Leela tells Meera that she will take care of her like her own daughter.

Ideally, such a statement should have brought a smile to the face of any prospective bride. But not Meera. Instead, it only brings a frown to her face.

She calls Gautham aside and tells him that she only envisioned living with him but did not expect to live with his mother as well.

Gautham is stumped by this sudden outburst and says he cannot let go of his mother who lived all her life for him for her sake.

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Meera’s statement irks Gautham and he leaves in a huff. Needless to say, the wedding gets called off.

However, sometime later, Meera again invites Gautham for a cup of coffee in the office. She tells him that she wishes to spend some time with his mother to understand her.

To facilitate this, she suggests that both families go together on a trip. If during the trip, she finds his mother to be okay, they could go ahead and marry. If she doesn’t find Leela okay, then they could part as friends.

Gautham initially hesitates, but seeing no other way to break the deadlock, he agrees. Both families go on a trip. What happens then is what LGM is all about.

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In tune with the times

Ramesh Thamilmani delivers an interesting story that is in tune with the times. What makes the film work is the rich and invariably clean humour.

The filmmaker not only proves his mettle as a director by narrating a good story in a neat fashion but also shows that he is an equally capable music director.

The music he scored plays a significant role in the story’s narration and quite frankly, it leaves you impressed.

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Brilliant performances

Actress Nadiya delivers an outstanding performance as Leela and easily steals the limelight.

She wins your heart and makes you feel her pain when she weeps and asks her son, “Am I a car or a bike for your would-be-bride to try me and then decide if she wants to see if I am okay to live with.”

That one dialogue and the powerful manner in which she delivers it makes you understand how insulting Meera’s suggestion actually was.

Nadiya shows that she hasn’t lost the class that made her the superstar she was.

Harish Kalyan, who seems to be evolving as an actor with each new film, continues that trend with LGM.

He comes up with a neat and impressive performance that showcases the life of a man caught between the demands and whims of two infinitely difficult women he considers important.

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Ivana as Meera comes up with an equally sterling performance. In fact, so good is her performance in the film that you actually start hating her character — not only for the pain she inflicts on her lover and his mother but also for her selfish nature.

Two other actors who prove to be big strengths for the film are actors Yogi Babu and RJ Vijay.

Both these comedians are present throughout the movie and deliver punchlines that keep the laughter coming in.

Thanks to their invaluable presence, LGM comes across as enjoyable fare.

Final take

In short, director Ramesh Thamilmani and his unit can breathe easy as their outing LGM not only meets the expectations but actually exceeds them.

(Views expressed here are personal.)