Directors like Manirathnam and more recently, Vishnu Vardhan, debuted with ordinary or even subpar films but went on to give us much better films. But the list of directors affected by the 'second film jinx' - where they surprise us with a superb debut but fail to match it with their subsequent efforts - is definitely longer. Director Priya has made that second list a bit longer. Her first film Kanda Naal Mudhal was funny, sweet, smart and refined. Unfortunately, none of those adjectives can be applied to her follow-up feature Kannaamoochi Yenadaa. Silly and loud for the most part, it is a disappointing film considering its cast and director.

Harish(Prithviraj), a software engineer working in Malaysia, falls for Swathi(Sandhya), a student. When his uncle(Radharavi), who has raised him since his parents died, wants him to marry the daughter of a business associate, Harish goes to Chennai in search of Swathi. Swathi's dad Armugam(Satyaraj) is the Police Commissioner and he dislikes Harish right from the start though the rest of the family takes a liking to him. But just as he warms up to Harish, he learns of Harish's problems back in Singapore.

The first half of the film has shades of Meeting the Parents as an overprotective Satyaraj views Prithviraj's every move with suspicion. The English film worked mainly because though the film was a comedy, De Niro played it straight as the father. He was a strict, serious father who one could believe was an ex-CIA man (Satyaraj himself has had experience playing it straight in a comedy so well in Adithadi, where his scenes with Rathi were so funny only because he played the dada role seriously and not for laughs). But here, he brings his usual comic persona to the fore when he is with his family and that doesn't work. So we are subjected to silly episodes like the one where he shares the bed with Prithviraj and sleeps in this improbable pose with arms and legs spread wide out, pushing Prithviraj down in the process. The film almost turns into a slapstick comedy and not a particularly funny or inventive one either.

After all the racket about Satyaraj not liking Prithviraj, his feelings undergo an abrupt change. There is no gradual thawing of the ice or strong reason behind his change of heart. It is simply a plot point introduced to bring in some calm before the real storm. And that storm, where Satyaraj finally lashes out at Prithviraj, feels highly contrived too. Considering he is the Police Commissioner, it doesn't make sense that he chooses to go to a highly public place and then insults Prithviraj in such a public fashion. Its Radhika's emotional outburst that eventually saves the day.

From overt comedy, the movie shifts towards sentiments after Radhika moves away. But with Satyaraj trying to get back with Radhika, Prithviraj seeking forgiveness from Sandhya and Satyaraj and Sripriya trying to mend fences, there are too many relationships fighting for attention. So the movie keeps switching between them and as a result, we have little emotional investment in any of them. There aren't any particularly interesting or clever plans laid out by Satyaraj and Prithviraj to get back together with their women either. Surprisingly, the movie gets more laughs amidst these sentiments rather than in the more obvious first half with Satyaraj and Sripriya trading some nice, sharp barbs.

Seen independently, Satyaraj is in fine form, exhibiting his usual nakkal and sarcasm. But his usual comments about atheism and his progressive outlook stick out and seem unnecessary. In fact, it is he who comes off seeming casteist with some of his comments. Prithviraj once again plays the perfect loverboy, wooing Sandhya with enthusiasm. Sandhya has little to do while Radhika downplays her character and also gets a few brownie points from the feminists.