Singapore Saloon
| Singapore Saloon | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Directed by | Gokul |
| Written by | Gokul |
| Produced by | Ishari K. Ganesh |
| Starring | |
| Cinematography | M. Sukumar |
| Edited by | Selva R. K. |
| Music by | Songs: Vivek–Mervin Score: Javed Riaz |
Production company | Vels Films International |
| Distributed by | Red Giant Movies |
Release date |
|
| Country | India |
| Language | Tamil |
Singapore Saloon is a 2024 Indian Tamil-language coming-of-age film written and directed by Gokul, and produced by Ishari K. Ganesh under Vels Films International. The film stars RJ Balaji and Meenakshi Chaudhary in the lead role, alongside Sathyaraj, Lal, Kishen Das, Ann Sheetal, Thalaivasal Vijay, John Vijay and Robo Shankar.
The film was officially announced in November 2022 under the official title Singapore Saloon. Principal photography commenced early that year. It was predominantly shot in Chennai and wrapped by mid-December 2022, while additional photography was done in May 2023. The film has music composed by Vivek–Mervin, background score composed by Javed Riaz, cinematography handled by M. Sukumar and editing by Selva RK.
Singapore Saloon was released on 25 January 2024 to mixed reviews from critics and audience but performed well at the box office.
Synopsis
In a village, friends Kathir and Basheer dream big. Inspired by a local salon owner named Chacha, Kathir sets his heart on becoming a hairstylist. The story unfolds as Kathir faces challenges, pursues his passion, and strives to open his own saloon, the 'Singapore Saloon.'
Cast
- RJ Balaji as Kathir
- Videsh Anand as young Kathir
- Meenakshi Chaudhary as Nila aka Nilavoliyal
- Sathyaraj as Chakrapani, Nila's father
- Lal as Chacha
- Kishen Das as Basheer, Kathir's close friend
- Ann Sheetal as Nilarathi
- Thalaivasal Vijay as Kathir's father
- John Vijay as Anoop Menon, Kathir's former employer
- Diksha Raagavendran as Nilavathy
- N. Balamurugan as Nilavathy's father
- Chinni Jayanth as barber in Anoop Menon's saloon
- Suresh Chandra Menon as Anoop Menon's customer
- Robo Shankar as Shami/Ragavan, Chakrapani's elder son-in-law
- Y. G. Mahendran a Vichu, Chakrapani's friend
- Imman Annachi as Asirvadham Ayya, tuition teacher
- Indumathy as Kathir's mother
- Akalya Venkatesan as Nilavoliyal’s sister
- Vinoth Munna as Financier[a]
- Kumar Natarajan as Anoop Menon's father
- Daniel Annie Pope as Heads Up Dance Challenge show anchor
- Gnana Prasad as Rap boy
- Kaaka Muttai Shanthi Mani as Slum dweller
- Mohamed Kuraishi as College student (uncredited)
- Arvind Swamy in a cameo appearance
- Lokesh Kanagaraj as himself in a cameo appearance
- Jiiva as himself in a cameo appearance
- M. K. Stalin as himself (archival footage)
Production
Development
In August 2022, it was reported that director Gokul, who was working on the sequel for Idharkuthane Aasaipattai Balakumara (2013), titled Corona Kumar and starring Silambarasan, would begin working on a new project starring RJ Balaji, as Corona Kumar reportedly got shelved.[1] On 10 November, the project, with the official title Singapore Saloon, was officially announced by Ishari K. Ganesh's production house Vels Films International LTD.[2] Balaji stated that he received the offer to star in the film while filming for Run Baby Run (2023). He further revealed that, for his role, he trained with hairdressers for a month-and-a-half.[3] In late March 2023, Lokesh Kanagaraj, who has been a close friend with Balaji, and Jiiva, who worked with Balaji in Kavalai Vendam (2016), were announced to play cameo appearances in the film.[4]
Filming
Principal photography commenced in early‐2022. It was predominantly shot in Chennai and wrapped by 18 December that year.[5] Additional photography was shot in May 2023, where Kanagaraj's sequences were filmed.[6]
Music
The music is composed by the composer duo Vivek–Mervin,[7] and background score by Javed Riaz. While marking both the duos' and Riaz's maiden collaboration with Balaji, it also marks the duo's maiden collaboration with Gokul while collaborating with composer Riaz for the second time after Anbirkiniyal.[8]
| No. | Title | Lyrics | Singer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Paal Veedhiyil" | Uma Devi | Mervin Solomon | 3:22 |
| Total length: | 7:48 | |||
Release
Singapore Saloon was released worldwide on 25 January 2024 in theatres.[8]
Reception
A critic from The Times of India rated the film 2+1⁄2 out of 5 and wrote that "Gokul's attempt at magical realism, involving a surprise cameo from a star, who appears at the protagonist's doorstep, and a flock of parrots, works to an extent. The director also gives a new spin to scenarios that we have seen before".[9] A critic from Cinema Express gave the film the same rating and wrote that "The problem isn’t that these ideas aren’t good. The film does mean well and stands for sensible causes, but after the hilarity of the first half, it just feels difficult and wholly unnecessary to settle for a passable second half that hurtles through familiar roads to get to expected destinations".[10] A critic from The Hindu wrote that "What’s more astonishing is how RJ Balaji, in the name of taking a back seat, gets very little to do. Apart from being the character we follow and the narrator, Kathir gets thrown around because of circumstances and when he finally wins, they don’t resonate with us".[11] A critic from the Hindustan Times wrote that "The storyline of making hairstyling a noble profession and hairstylists as people, who deserve respect is good. But director Gokul has tried to bring together too many elements in Singapore Saloon and this is, sadly, its downfall".[12] A critic from OTTplay rated the film 2+1⁄2 out of 5 and wrote that "Singapore Saloon would have made up for a great comedy, given how the director gave one of best comedies of modern Tamil cinema through Idharkuthane Aasaipattai Balakumara. But the genre shift negates the genuine laughs the first hour of the film soaked you with".[13]
Home media
The streaming platform, Amazon Prime Video, acquired the digital rights for the film while the satellite rights were sold to Kalaignar TV.[14]
Notes
- ^ Despite being unnamed in the film, he is listed in the credits as "Vasudev Menon".
References
- ^ "Gokul to direct RJ Balaji next as 'Corona Kumar' with Simbu dropped". The Times of India. 19 August 2022. Archived from the original on 7 November 2023. Retrieved 18 January 2024.
- ^ "Lokesh Kanagaraj launches the first look of RJ Balaji's 'Singapore Saloon'". The Times of India. 10 November 2022. Archived from the original on 13 March 2023. Retrieved 18 January 2024.
- ^ "RJ Balaji trained with hairstylists for his role in Gokul's Singapore Saloon". The Times of India. 12 November 2022. Archived from the original on 25 November 2022. Retrieved 18 January 2024.
- ^ "THESE stars play cameo roles in RJ Balaji's 'Singapore Saloon'". The Times of India. 28 March 2023. Archived from the original on 28 March 2023. Retrieved 18 January 2024.
- ^ "RJ Balaji's 'Singapore Saloon' shooting wrapped up". The Times of India. 18 December 2022. Archived from the original on 23 December 2022. Retrieved 18 January 2024.
- ^ "Lokesh Kanagaraj completes shooting for his cameo role in 'Singapore Saloon'". The Times of India. 10 May 2023. Archived from the original on 28 July 2023. Retrieved 18 January 2024.
- ^ "Singapore Saloon Songs: Singapore Saloon MP3 Tamil Songs by Vivek Mervin Online Free on Gaana.com". Gaana. Archived from the original on 26 February 2024. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
- ^ a b "RJ Balaji's 'Singapore Saloon' gets a release date!". The Times of India. 6 January 2024. Archived from the original on 19 January 2024. Retrieved 18 January 2024.
- ^ Suganth, M. (25 January 2024). "Singapore Saloon Movie Review : Singapore Saloon is an awkward mix of humour and melodrama". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 24 February 2024. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
- ^ Srinivasan, Sudhir (25 January 2024). "Singapore Saloon Movie Review: The laughs land great, the sentiment not so much". Cinema Express. Archived from the original on 2 February 2024. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
- ^ Rajendran, Gopinath (25 January 2024). "'Singapore Saloon' movie review: RJ Balaji's partly funny drama suffers from identity crisis". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 25 January 2024. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
- ^ Srinivasan, Latha (25 January 2024). "Singapore Saloon movie review: RJ Balaji is convincing as a hairstylist, but this underdog story has too much going on". Hindustan Times. Archived from the original on 25 February 2024. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
- ^ Sundar, Anusha (30 January 2024). "Singapore Saloon Movie Review: RJ Balaji-starrer gets hilariously mounted first half but suffers a bad hair day due to sappy choices". OTTplay. Archived from the original on 25 February 2024. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
- ^ "Singapore Saloon starring #RJBalaji Produced by #VelsFilmInternational #IshariKGanesh satellite rights is bagged by #KalaignarTV". Twitter. 7 January 2024. Archived from the original on 2 February 2024. Retrieved 2 February 2024.
External links
- Singapore Saloon at IMDb
