Balloon trailer: Is this Jai-Anjali film a desi version of ‘It’?

Written by Ashameera Aiyappan | Chennai | Published: December 15, 2017 9:44 pm Pop-culture references in Balloon are extensive.

Two things are very prominent in the almost two minute long trailer of Jai’s next film Balloon. As the title indicates, the first is the key importance of balloons. The second is the presence of creepy clowns. Both play a significant role in Stephen King’s famous horror novel It which was recently adapted into a movie as well. Even the clown who appears in the trailer reminds us of Pennywise, the fanatic clown in It. But here, he curiously says “Therika Vidalama”, a famous Ajith movie-dialogue.

The pop culture references don’t stop there. There is a throwback to one of Jai’s own dialogues from Chennai 28. However, here it is in reverse. When Janani Iyer asks why Jai’s eyes are sweating, he admits that he is crying. How can it be complete when a film that has a tribute song to Oviya’s punchline ‘Neenga Shut Up Pannunga’ doesn’t have a dialogue for her? To no one’s surprise, Yogi Babu says, “Avanga enna Bigg Boss veetuku poi Oviya va pakaporanga, pei a paka poranga (They are not going inside the Bigg Boss house to see Oviya, they are going to visit the ghost.)” Cue claps in theateRs from the Oviya army.