Director Vasanthabalan's Veyyil was a realistic, emotional film about two brothers whose lives traversed radically different paths. Narrating a love story while at the same time laying bare the difficult lives of a particular group of exploited workers, the director turns up both the realism and the emotions a few notches in his latest film Angaadi Theru. While the sadness seems a little forced sometimes, the film is a touching romance that conveys the power of love in its own way.

Jyothilingam(Mahesh) is the school topper in his village of Ittamozhi but his dad's untimely death forces upon him the burden of supporting his family. So he goes willingly when he is recruited by an agent as a salesman at Selva Murugan Stores, a mega-store in Chennai. It doesn't take long for him to realize that his life isn't going to be a bed of roses but he endures everything to continue in the job since his family depends on his earnings. The lone bright spot in his life is Kani(Anjali), a supervisor in the women's garments sections.

Angaadi Theru is a love story where the lovers face a very unique problem - they work at a place where romance between employees is frowned upon. While an inter-office romance doesn't sound all that serious, it is for Mahesh and Anjali - and the other salespeople - since their life revolves around their work and so much depends on it. This scenario leads to its own set of problems as the couple try to keep it secret and there is a lot of tension and suspense in the scenes where they are under threat of being caught. It is ironic though that what eventually comes between the lovers is one's lack of trust in the other. While Mahesh's way of proving his point to Anjali works, it is his act at the end of the movie that shows Anjali - and us - how wrong she really was.

The movie looks at the lives of the megastore employees and it isn't pretty. They work in posh stores and tend to their customers' needs with smiles but the film shows us in disheartening detail what lies behind this. As they are abused by their supervisors and forced to live under hellish conditions where they have to fight for essentials like food and housing, they easily earn our sympathy. They aren't looking at a much better future either, as their encounters with some ex-employees show and that makes things truly scary. There are times(like when a girl is molested or another is insulted for requesting a bathroom break) when things seem a little extreme but the fact that these could happen ensures that the sense of realism is never lost. Vasantha Balan has ensured that we can never step into stores like Saravana Stores, Pothys or RMKV again without sparing a thought for those behind the counters and that is his real success.

The movie's scope expands beyond the store and spills out to the street on which the store is located. The director zooms in on a few characters as an example of the people earning their living on the street. While the fact that one of these characters plays a key part in the turn Mahesh's and Anjali's lives take towards the end helps integrate them into the storyline a little bit, these characters understandably get a lot less screentime and so the transitions to and from their segments don't feel very smooth.

It goes without saying that Angaadi Theru is downbeat for the most part. There are periods of happiness and laughter scattered around but there are usually some big tragedies just around the corner to put an end to them. But the film appears rather one-sided as everyone who is rich and/or powerful is bad while everyone who is poor and struggling is the very epitome of goodness. This isn't too noticeable when the owner and the supervisor at the store are mean since their nature is essential to the story. But when everybody who isn't poor, like for instance the woman at the place where Anjali's sister works, is portrayed as not just mean but downright inhumane, it rankles a bit and affects the realism the movie is striving to portray.

Mahesh is good find and a perfect fit for the role. He is rather casual but emotes well in a natural fashion when the situation demands it. Anjali looks good in a simple, earthy kind of way and is a good match for Mahesh. The two of them share good chemistry. Director A.Venkatesh bites into his role with relish. The ruthlessness and harshness with which he treats the salespeople is realistic enough to keep him from turning into a cartoonish villain. The actor playing Mahesh's friend does his job as comic sidekick without making us feel he is one but proves during a couple of scenes that he can act well too.

G.V.Prakash's soundtrack fits the film's tone and atmosphere perfectly. Aval Appadi Ondrum... and Un Peri Sollumpodhe... are picturized wonderfully with the store's setting and props being used very creatively. The latter in particular is very nicely conceptualized and picturized to be that rare song sequence where the costume changes and bright sets are logical. Kadhaigalai Pesum... perfectly conveys the joys of a couple who, after many days of hiding their love and walking around in fear, are finally free to proclaim their love to the world. The set design and cinematography go hand in hand as the store itself, both its the glossy, plush sales areas that we see or the dark, godowns that are hidden behind, is brought to life very convincingly.