Vaaranam Aayiram - Narrative masterpiece

Very late review in deed, but I waited and watched as many number of time. I can also take the honour of watching this movie the uncut version before the release. Vaaranam Aayiram is a biopic, where it makes a son to refresh the life when his father passed away.

Surya, plays the role of the son as well as the father. I should say, he has done his job fair enough except for the father role, where he did not make it 100%. But the transition from a student of +2 to an army Major was given or shown picture perfect. If you notice the school student Surya, you can probably get an attention to his moustache. Normally at our school, we are left with a thin moustache (poonai mudi). And the instances, where he fights back with the fellow class mate for the girl and getting beatings from him is just a refreshing memorable experience.
Transition from a school boy to a college guy is also shown in a realistic way. A special thanks to the cinematographer Rathnavelu, who has shown Surya with a cool look especially at US. Even in songs, he had made sure that he is a guitarist where he swings his hand often.

Now the depressed Surya, who gets addicted to drug. You should perhaps notice, he has not only portrayed with unshaven face and long hair, but also built some extra pounds and looks a bit bulk. And now the change in his life after saving a kid, where he won the bravery award, which motivated him to join the Army. Again, the transition from a drug addict to an army major.

The same transition starting from a married life to the old life is what portrayed by the father surya. But I would say, it's not as good as what the son had performed. Even the scope of acting and the depth in the character is very minimal. But it's certainly not a bad attempt though, should be appreciated for doing such roles at this age.

Talking about the female cast, Simran has given a performance to her capability. She is no longer fit to be shown as a heroine. I am not at all happy with the way she was shown in Mun Dhinam Paarthaena Song, she was looking very bad and aged woman [:(]. But her performance as an aged woman was appreciable though not a great one. Sameera was catchy and clean, whereas Ramya was as usual hot and humid[;)].
Harris has always been an important contributor to Gautham's movies. VA is no exception. Chartbuster songs. A great picturisation of Adiye Kolludhey, though I am not happy with Sruthi Haasan singing for Sameera, which makes me feel that she is lip singing. Another neat picturisation is the depressed gana number, Anjala song, which had a good choreography striking balance to the lyrics. Last, Anal Mela is actually speaking, a very good melody, but spoiled because of the time the movie ran and the time that the song came. But the BGM is not that great in this movie. Most often, the duet or fav numbers were been used for the BGM both tragedy and happy moments. BGM is something variation in the tempo of the songs used in the movie.
Rathnavelu, the man. Amazing piece of work. Be it the opening cloudy scene of Surya intro in the helipad or the US with just enough space to reveal the purpose or the POVs, he has just excelled. Notice the POVs in the movie. It's just the amazing part in the movie as the narration goes. And if you notice, POVs are meant only for the son Surya as he is the one who is narrating the story. Of course, not all narration part has POVs, only those sequential cuts from the present to the past has the POVs, which indicates the narration. And POVs in this movie is even more powerful as the camera shakes or responds. This can been seen in scenes where Simran pats Surya's head when he returns to India or when Simran keeps Viboothi and blows off the excess from his face.

Now comes the direction piece. Movie is dull, movie is slow, movie is boring in the second half???? I wonder how can one expect a biography to be fast and racy? It's quite obvious that the movie will be slow and dull since it's being a biopic. Why is the transition between each phase of life is so short that it happens swiftly? Again, when the director wants to show the complete life cycle of a man, he cannot focus on each and every phase with a thorough basement or more depth to a particular phase. Frequent usage of english throughtout the movie. I can agree this to an extent, but still, it happens everywhere and most of the family where family members were qualified with some degree. Often, we tend to communicate in english. But still, if it has been reduced to an extent, I believe that it would have reached a few people as well.

A few scenes where he excelled. If you notice the scene where Surya composes a song sitting in his house and his sister comes and asks him from which movie does it come. Surya replies its a brand new composition after 15 years, it's gonna rock the town. If you clearly notice, try to identify what song or rather what's that composition is?

The scene where Surya calls his dad from US to inform that his girl expired, this scene is very natural from both son and the father. When his father is unable to bare, he gives off the phone to his wife, but Surya without knowing that he is speaking to his mom, he still continues to say Daddy. Great piece of direction and performance.

Surya often praises Ilayaraja in this movie then and there, it's quite evident that he is a Raja fan, as he inserts the guitar button in to his jeans tic pocket, you can find Maestro label there. This happens very next to the scene where he sings En Iniya Pon Nilaa Ve song.

Two stages of olden days has been shown in a great contrast. Mundhinam Paarthaena song is in the late 70s and Raja na Raja song is somewhere in the mid 80s-90s, again the transistion to the Madras City is shown perfect.

Verdict : Don't miss it. A great narration makes you rewind your past.