While doomscrolling sometime last year, I came across the news: Vijay Sethupathi and Trisha Krishnan reuniting for 96 Part 2? The News18 report quoted filmmaker C Prem Kumar hinting at a sequel to this 2018 film.
Having already declared myself as a fan boy of ‘Makkal Selvan’, the title bestowed upon Sethupathi by his fans, I started watching 96. For the next 158 minutes, it was difficult for me to get up in between. It’s a nostalgia trip, ode to unconditional love, love goals…..whatever you might call it.
96 movie plot
The film begins with Ramachandran aka Ram (Vijay Sethupathi), a professional photographer. A sudden visit to his schools rekindles old memories and Ram decides to host a reunion. A brief chat with his friend Murali leads to a reunion of his batch ’96’, the title of his film.
The reunion sees Ram meet a lot of his schoolmates, but one person is yet to arrive. When his friends mention Janki alias Jaanu, Ram goes on a nostalgia trip 22 years ago. In 1994, he is a school boy who develops feelings for his classmate Janki.
The blossoming love story will make you think about your high school crush or whoever you want to. However, Ram disappears after the school closes for vacations. Cut to 2016, Ram meets Janki after 22 long years.
What happens next is the reunion of childhood sweethearts which is heartwarming. Janki has one night before she catches the next flight to Trichy and then to Singapore. The chance encounter reveals several secrets that will make you really sad.
The love between Ram and Janki is so pure and unconditional, and the duo ensure that the boundaries are respected. After all, true love does end up in separation and misunderstandings.
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96 movie: Watch or not?
After watching several spy thrillers, ,murder mysteries and science fiction flick, I found 96 as a soothing watch. Sethupathi’s on-screen avatar of a hopeless romantic does show how talented he is. A sequence shown in the trailer in which his character blushes while getting a haircut is indeed cute.
Trisha as Janki might have become a national crush when the film released in 2018. After hearing about the news of a possible sequel, even I am now waiting to know what would happen next? Will life give a second chance to Ram and Janki?