Familiar yet fresh
“Hi”
– Review
Some romantic comedies succeed by surprising us with an original story. Others know exactly how predictable they are and choose to have fun with that predictability. ‘Hi’ belongs firmly to the second category.
Directed by Vishnu Edavan, the film takes a fairly conventional romantic-comedy setup and fills it with colourful characters, situational humour and an engaging lead pair. The story is hardly unpredictable, but the film’s breezy tone and performances ensure that the journey remains entertaining for the most part.
The story revolves around Mayilsamy, or Mayil (Kavin), a man whose history with romance is packed with rejection. His fortunes appear to change when he crosses paths with Devayani (Nayanthara), who is desperate to get out of an unwanted arranged marriage.
There is, however, a major obstacle. Devayani’s father Indhiran (Prabhu) has already accepted a substantial amount from the prospective groom’s family. With the wedding fast approaching, Mayil comes up with an outrageous solution when he realises that Devayani is in trouble. He claims that she is pregnant with his child.
What starts as an impulsive lie soon becomes much bigger than Mayil expected. He has to maintain the story, convince the people around him and, more importantly, deal with the consequences of his own deception. The fictional details he creates to support his claim provide several of the film’s comic situations.
The premise requires the audience to accept a fair amount of cinematic convenience. Fortunately, ‘Hi’ does not spend too much time pretending to be realistic. The film embraces its absurdity and moves ahead with the confidence of a light entertainer.
Kavin is the film’s biggest strength. Mayil could easily have become an irritating character because of his impulsive and immature behaviour, but Kavin gives him enough vulnerability to keep the audience on his side. His facial reactions and comic timing often make ordinary situations funnier than they are on paper.
More importantly, Kavin gradually allows Mayil to mature as the story progresses. The character begins with an almost boyish quality, but the performance becomes more grounded as his relationship with Devayani develops. That progression gives the protagonist more emotional weight than the basic plot initially suggests.
Nayanthara brings her usual screen presence to Devayani. The role is comparatively straightforward, but she provides the composure and warmth necessary for the romantic track. Her chemistry with Kavin is one of the reasons the central relationship remains watchable despite its familiar trajectory.
Prabhu gets some of the film’s more serious material as Indhiran, while Radhika Sarathkumar brings restraint to the role of Mayil’s mother Parimala. Instead of turning the character into an exaggerated comic mother, she keeps the performance relatively grounded.
Bhagyaraj is particularly enjoyable as Mayil’s father Vaathiyar. His humour largely comes from his controlled expressions and understated delivery rather than conventional punchlines. Even short exchanges become amusing because of the authority he brings to the character.
Aadhithya Kadhir also makes an impression as Ganapathi, Mayil’s friend and problem-solver. VTV Ganesh appears in a smaller but entertaining portion that fits comfortably into the film’s absurdist comic world.
The humour in ‘Hi’ is a mixed bag. Some situations are genuinely funny, particularly when the characters’ personalities drive the comedy. At other points, the film leans heavily on predictable wordplay and extended gags. Kavin’s reactions frequently help bridge the gap when the writing itself isn’t quite as sharp.
The film deserves credit for making its protagonist the target of much of the humour. Mayil is not presented as an effortlessly clever hero who always has the perfect response. His panic, confusion and desperate attempts to keep his lie alive become recurring sources of amusement.
The romantic side of the film is less convincing. The audience understands where the relationship is headed much earlier than the characters do, and the screenplay takes its time getting Devayani emotionally invested. This makes some portions feel slower than they should.
Interestingly, the film’s strongest emotional moments come from Indhiran’s personal story rather than the main romance. His unresolved relationship with his estranged wife introduces an unexpected layer of sentiment. When that thread finally reaches its emotional destination, the film manages to create a genuinely affecting moment.
That emotional stretch also reveals what ‘Hi’ could have achieved with a slightly more disciplined screenplay. The film has several characters with interesting emotional possibilities, but it sometimes settles for another joke or convenient plot turn instead of exploring them further.
Vishnu Edavan’s direction keeps the film accessible and energetic. He does not attempt to disguise the fact that this is a formula romantic comedy. Instead, he occasionally acknowledges the audience’s familiarity with such storytelling and uses that awareness for humour.
The writing works best when comedy emerges naturally from the characters. Vaathiyar’s deadpan responses, Ganapathi’s eccentric behaviour and Mayil’s constant anxiety are more effective than some of the standalone jokes.
The film could have benefited from a tighter runtime. Certain portions repeat the same basic comic idea, and trimming them would have given the emotional and romantic tracks more room to breathe. The central deception also depends on several convenient developments that may test the patience of viewers looking for realism.
Technically, ‘Hi’ stays within the requirements of a commercial romantic comedy. Jen Martin’s music supports the mood without becoming one of the film’s major talking points. The overall presentation is designed to keep the focus on the actors and situations rather than visual spectacle.
What ultimately makes ‘Hi’ work is its lack of pretension. It knows that the audience can predict most of what is coming, but it tries to make the familiar entertaining through its performers and comic situations.
Kavin carries much of that responsibility and delivers one of the film’s most engaging performances. Nayanthara provides the necessary balance, while Bhagyaraj, Prabhu, Radhika Sarathkumar and the supporting cast add enough variety to prevent the film from becoming monotonous.
‘Hi’ is therefore not a romantic comedy that reinvents the genre. It is a familiar story presented with enough charm, humour and emotional warmth to make it a reasonably enjoyable watch. ‘Hi’ sticks to a well-worn romantic-comedy formula, but Kavin’s lively performance, Nayanthara’s presence and a handful of genuinely amusing characters make the ride worthwhile. As a light-hearted entertainer, the film largely delivers.