What would you do if you knew tomorrow would be your last day? How would you live the final moments of your life, and who would you spend them with?

These questions form the basis of the new Tamil film “Adai Mazhai Kaalam”, a refreshing lesson on the importance of love and living in the present.

This Malaysian-made romantic comedy – with a distinct fantastical element – is directed by Karthik Shamalan, who bagged the Best Film Gold Award for his slasher film “The Farm: En Veetu Thottathil” in Northern Ireland’s Yellow Fever India Film Festival in 2017.

More recently, “Adai Mazhai Kaalam” secured him the Emerging Star Director award at the 2022 Toronto Film Festival, and by all accounts is set to bring this 36-year-old more critical acclaim.

So, what’s it about? The movie starts, rather unexpectedly, with the scene of an accident, and a narrator relaying the importance of appreciating who and what you have.

Viewers are then introduced to Suriyan (Loga Varman), a university student who’s living it up with his friends, enjoying a life filled with last-minute assignments, parties, sleepovers, and romantic crushes.

When Suriyan tells his friends about Chandra (Thia Lakshana), a girl he is in love with, they urge him to tell her how he feels. And so he does, but – spoiler alert – things don’t go as planned.

You see, Chandra doesn’t quite feel the same way. It’s practically Shakespearean with some Dickens thrown in, as you will see below.

To keep him from spiralling into depression, his buddies persuade Suriyan to join them on a motorcycle road trip – which is when, of course, the tragedy occurs.

Here’s where that fantasy element comes in. The accident triggers a time-bending effect, where Suriyan is granted a chance to relive both the past and the future.

Alternating between what was and what is to come, from a lively student to a quieter older guy working and living in Johor, he has to wisely choose who he wishes to spend time with.

And all the while, the clock is ticking because of the aforementioned motorcycle accident.

The audience thus follows Suriyan on these journeys as he interacts with those around him, making decisions anew to navigate these versions of his life, ultimately in the hope of winding up with Chandra.

There are scenes where he breaks down, gutted, owing to the many tough decisions he has to make in the name of love. Will he be able to see Chandra again? How, and at what cost?

These are questions that will fill your mind even as you silently anticipate the duo uniting by the end of the film. (Ah, but do they? Alas, here’s where the spoilers end.)

As the central character, Loga displays commendable range emotionally as well as physically, as his role requires him to present two disparate versions of himself.

Shifting between a bubbly, excitable young ‘un with the world at his feet, and the subdued shadow of a man who seems to be living in the world just for the sake of living – it’s no easy feat, but Loga pulls this off adroitly.

Other highlights include the bond between Suriyan and his pals, scenes of which are reminiscent of the popular Hindi film “3 Idiots”, which centres on the theme of friendship.

And then there’s Suriyan’s mother (played by Evarani), a blind massage therapist who constantly jokes with her son, and whose effervescence allows her to make friends with all his neighbours while he lives a later life of seclusion.

More significantly, viewers will relish the instances of Malaysian-ness – for instance, festive get-togethers at Suriyan’s home during Deepavali, as well as the use of Bahasa Melayu and multiracial characters in a largely Indian-centric movie. Heartwarming Malaysian vibes all round.

There’s not much to gripe about here – if anything, perhaps a bit more effort could have been put into the aftermath of the accident, which tends to come across as half-baked.

But overall, “Adai Mazhai Kaalam” tells a memorable and entertaining love story in a unique way; a stirring reminder to make the most of life and to cherish the people around you, before it’s too late.

‘Adai Mazhai Kaalam’ is screening in cinemas nationwide.