Mysskin's previous film Anjaathey wasn't a very commercial movie and so it was surprising to hear the director complain about the commercial concessions he had to make in the movie. But seeing his latest film Nandhalala, one understands exactly what he meant. Moving, different and honest, his distinctive narrative style and the strong characterization transform a road trip, buddy movie into a unique and memorable film.

Akhilesh(Ashwath Ram) yearns for his mom even as he attends school and takes care of his grandmother. Using the opportunity provided by skipping a five-day field trip at school and armed with an old photo, he heads out to Annaivayal in search of his mom. He soon runs into a mentally challenged man(Mysskin), who has broken out of the mental institution and is headed to Thaaivaasal to meet his mother.

Like most road trip movies, Nandhalala is about a trip taken by two mismatched characters. But the similarities end there as the two indivuduals here are a mentally challenged man and a school kid. The difference between them is not just in their ages though. Mysskin is almost a child in a man's body while Ashwath is mature beyond his years because of the responsibilities he has to shoulder at home. Though they both embark on the trip to find their mothers, their reasons for doing so are diametrically opposite. And it is interesting how the way their attitudes change because of what they find at the end of the trip is also very different.

Road trip movies, even if as different as Anbe Sivam and Va Quarter Cutting, usually have one of the people as an involuntary participant who is constantly trying to get away. Nandhalala initially has both Mysskin and Ashwath try to give the other the slip but they soon realize that they need each other. This provides a good start to their relationship as they forge an unlikely friendship. They both get someone who doesn't look at them or treat them the way the rest of the world does and their friendship is dotted by some nice moments(like Ashwath giving up a ride for Mysskin and later, putting his shoes on the right away after a harsh moment).

Like any road trip movie, its the supporting characters who make the trip worthwhile here too. The people the duo meet on the way, like the schoolgirl who gives them a ride on a tractor, the handicapped man who takes them part of the way, the newly married couple, the college kids and the biker duo who end up saving them, are varied and interesting. Particularly memorable are the lorry driver who undergoes a change of heart towards them and the prostitute who has her own sad story to tell. While there are a few bad apples, most of these characters are inherently good and that keeps the movie upbeat inspite of the potentially depressing theme.

But the road trip is also different in that the characters are not people who Mysskin and Ashwat meet just once. Since many of these people are also on the move, they interact with the two of them at more than one point. The screenplay brings in these multiple meetings naturally but still manages to surprise us when certain characters reappear and end up playing a bigger part in the duo's trip.

If we take out Mysskin, Ashwath's journey is actually quite similar to the journey taken by Keerthana in Kannathil Muthamittaal. The similarity is underlined by the outcome of his trip and in particular, the way that outcome is expressed.

Mysskin showed us in Anjaathey that he had his own directorial style and he once again manages to put his stamp visually in Nandhalala. The film is filled with the kind of shots where we see the protagonists come upon something surprising before the camera pulls back to show us what it is(in most cases, the punchline is quite effective also). Mysskin also lingers on the final shot of each sequence a few seconds more than necessary. While this gives the impression that film is slow, it also allows the sequence to sink in.

Mysskin and Ashwath both do a good job considering its their first times in front of the camera. Mysskin overacts a few times but does manage to convey the innocence of his character. Ashwath is a little rough around the edges(this is more evident when he laughs) but delivers when it matters. Snigdha, promoted to playing a more substantial role after the item number in Anjaathey, is great and is responsible for one of the most affecting scenes in the film, the one where she talks about her past. The actors playing the other characters are also mostly new and do a uniformly good job. Ilaiyaraja, whose name is shown first in the opening credits, make an invaluable contribution to the film. Right from the opening credits, he brings the movie alive, alternating between stirring background music snippets and meaningful silences. Onnukkonnu... is a very moving number with the lyrics and the slow tune working together beautifully. Mella Oorndhu... is also a nice number.