Funny stuff!

Lovely is a romantic comedy, pure and simple -- and very much in tune with the kind of movies its hero, Karthik, has done with elan in the past (Ullathai Alli Thaa, et al).

The storyline is, as you would expect, simple.

Karthik and Malavika play the two lovers. The latter's father, Mannivannan, thanks to an episode from the past is dead set against romantic entanglements and love marriages.

The issue is complicated by the fact that family friend Vinu Chakravarthy has spotted Karthik and Malavika in a romantic interlude, and passed on the news to papa Mannivanannan.

From there on, the film is about how the two set about outsmarting the father, via a series of comical interludes.

Karthik breezes through the role with the aplomb of someone who has been there, done that, bought the T-shirt and worn it too.

Malavika has little to do, and that little is done well. Mannivannan and Vinu Chakravarthy, leading the supporting cast, are highly competent actors -- and the script merely demands competence from them.

Comedian Vivek is a big draw.

Early on in the film, Mannivannan arranges to get a photograph of Karthik. The latter, realising what is happening, switches his photograph for his friend's -- Vivek.

Mannivannan uses the photo he receives to set a bunch of hitmen on the trail of his daughter's lover -- with the result that Vivek spends much of the film getting bashed up, put in hospital, recovering, and stumbling on the goons again, for another round of thrashing.

Monal, Simran's kid sister, plays a brief, 'pivotal' role in the film -- in other words, she doesn't have much to do.

Credits for the film, directed by Shakti, include Deva's music, and Kannan's cinematography.