Lovely (2001 film)

The movie revolves around Chandru (Karthik) and his lover Niveditha (Malavika) in the backdrop of Ooty. Niveditha’s father Mahadevan (Manivannan) is against love marriages and he finds out that his daughter Niveditha is in love with someone. Mahadevan asks for the details of Niveditha’s lover. But Niveditha as per Chandru’s plan, hands over Azhagesh’s (Vivek) (who happens to be Chandru’s friend), photo to Mahadevan and informs him as her lover. Mahadevan sends some goons to attack Azhagesh and the proceedings happen comically.

Meanwhile, Chandru and Niveditha keeps planning on how to make Mahadevan nod for their wedding. One day, Mahadevan’s car gets repaired on the way. Chandru along with his family also comes on the same way. Seeing Mahadevan helpless on the road, Chandru picks him up and drops him at home thereby getting into good books of Mahadevan. Slowly, Mahadevan and Chandru become good family friends. But still, Chandru and Niveditha do not reveal their love to their parents and are happy that both families are in good terms now.

Chandru’s parents decide to get him married to Niveditha and they meet Mahadevan with a marriage proposal. Mahadevan also agrees for the wedding and informs Niveditha, who still pretends that she is in love with Azhagesh. Chandru and Niveditha feel happy that things are proceeding well as per plan and their wedding is going to be a smooth one. But to everyone’s surprise, a few days before the wedding, Chandru’s brother elopes with Niveditha’s sister. Both the families start searching them and in the meantime, the families start quarrelling over each other due to this issue and they separate. Finally Chandru finds the eloped couple in a police station. It is revealed that Niveditha’s sister wanted to cancel Niveditha’s wedding with Chandru (as she thought that Niveditha was in love in Azhagesh). Hence Chandru’s brother helps in the plan and they staged the drama so that both the families will fight and the wedding will be cancelled.

Chandru is shocked hearing this and reveals that Niveditha was in love only with him and Azhagesh was just meant to divert Mahadevan. But Mahadevan overhears this and gets furious that Chandru and Niveditha cheated him. Finally Chandru apologizes and Mahadevan forgives him as he really is impressed with Chandru’s character. Chandru and Niveditha are united.

The film was announced with Karthik and Devayani in the lead roles, but the actress's impending marriage meant that she was replaced by Malavika.[4] The film was directed by Sakthi who earlier directed Parthiban starrer Pudhumai Pithan (1998) under the name S. K. Jeeva.[5]

Soundtrack was composed by Deva.[6][7]

BBthots wrote "The director's sole intention here is to make the viewers laugh and that is clear from his scant disregard for the other tracks in the movie. [..] The movie is intended to be a light-hearted romp and since the comedy is successful in making us laugh, it works".[8] The Hindu wrote "Lovely has enticing visuals and guileless humour - Vivek, Vinu Chakravarthy style. If only the unwarranted convolutions in the end had been avoided, the film would have probably been as enjoyable [..]".[9]