Vinnai Thaandi Varuvaayaa - A Romantic Journey

In order to start a review for this romantic journey of Gautam Vasudev Menon's Vinnai Thaandi Varuvaayaa, I had to go back and refresh during the initial promotions of this movie. It did create a lot of expectations when Gautam interestingly cast his cast with popular romantic movies such as Kandukondain Kandukondain, Alaipaayudhey, Uyire and his own Kaakka Kakka. And the tag after these stills goes as 'A different Romantic Story' AGAIN. Now after watching the movie, if one can recollect these stills and promos made, the tag which said AGAIN was genuinely a ‘A Different Romantic Story’.
Vinnai Thaandi Varuvaayaa??????
So what's Vinnai Thaandi Varuvaayaa? It's romantic journey and the chemistry between Karthik and Jessy. It's so poetic that the feel has been given in the form of narration in the first half where Karthik (Simbhu) explains about the cyclone that hit him in his life and it moves on the same life cycle during the second half. Not often you see concentration on the screenplay in Tamil Cinema or at least in the recent Tamil Cinema. But Gautam disproves the fact that Tamil Cinema is not stereotype. Karthik, the lead character in the movie, is an aspiring movie maker and he makes uses of this lead throughout the movie without any point of discontinuity in the screen play. At the end, he eventually becomes a director, yet another time, when you have a love failure, you tend to be successful in your career.
Simbhu - Keep it up!!!
I was under a complete shock when I heard Simbhu is doing the lead character is Gautam's romantic movie. But he has done exceptionally well for the character. It will be even better if he continues to do the same in other movies as well. The main problem is the mass gimmick, over shadowing these stars thereby making them to do cheap stunts in the movie which will definitely be totally irrelevant. But wonder how many Gautams or Selvas would be needed for our mass heroes??? Even in the stunt scene, clear narration was given to showcase the talent he possesses as a boxer in his school days. More importantly, the stunt scene or rather a threatening scene was actually a real life threatening scene. Simbhu has deviated from his usual roles and has given something which I would say it as a neat and clean role.
Ganesh - Worth-a Worth-illaya??
I should definitely talk about casting and I cannot forget the man, Ganesh, who does the role of a Cinematographer in the movie. The man is known for his ultimate voice which initially was a bit irritating and but later it went hilarious and interesting. People would be able to identify him as the librarian with a peculiar voice informing Simran about Krishnan in the movie Vaaranam Aayiram. Yes, we have the same man here doing a lengthy role as a person who comes along with the lead character throughout the movie. He has even reduced the role for a separate comedian with his interesting sighs and discomfort ness. "Worth-a Worth-illaya" it's simply great to listen and see such dialogues rendered from his voice.
She is beautiful - She is Sexy too!!!
What about the doll 'Trisha' as Jessy? My goodness, I should thank Gautam Menon for making her come in saree 90% of the movie. As Karthik says in the movie, She is beautiful, She is Sexy and of course she is hot. Probably this should be her first film which I can think of where she has really ACTED. All that is needed for the role is a confused state of mind and more importantly a character which one would probably hate for the decision that she takes and the way she confuses and gives reason to Karthik. I think she has got full marks but again, the same principle holds good for Trisha too just like Simbhu. Rather than being a mere doll in all the movies.
Oscar Winner's decent show!
Now comes the Oscar winner ARR. Well, I could probably remember only one director who has effectively utilized ARR for a musical treat. None other than Mani is whom I was talking about. Here, Gautam Menon has used Rahman to at least good if not the best. The songs were clear chartbusters before the movie was released and still ruling the music office. Gautam was reasonably well in picturising the songs though not great. Here, we tend to notice that more or less all the three songs in the first half were picturized in a more similar manner. Poor Rahman failed to create magic in the background score. I agree the BGM was good, but not perfect in many places. Wonder what made Rahman to go for a rock music for the scenes that portrays Trisha's confused state of mind. That piece of note is seriously jarring and irritating to hear that it disturbs the entire scene.
Manoj was brilliant with the camera. Initial scenes, especially in the sets where Karthik tries to meet directors were shot on a hand motion camera is really catchy one. Also the songs were beautifully shot in many locations. Not to forget the close up and out of focus shots were shot really well. Of course, it was directors’ way of thinking and style of making.
Gautam Vasudev Menon
The man behind all the credits, Gautam Vasudev Menon. In the masala times of Tamil Cinema, it's quite a relief factor with people like Gautam Menon, who can give sensible audience respect and quality movies. Courage is needed to mock your own movies. Gautam Menon does that in VTV where Karthik when he says that he wanted to work as an assistant director to Gautam Menon, Ganesh mocks him by saying "Why do you want to make a Tamil movie in English?" Also when he goes to Kerala to search Trisha, he mocks Vaaranam Aayiram mentioning about the travel to the US. The director has done brilliantly well especially the screenplay needs a special mention. I enjoyed the first half narrative style and the current on play technique for the second half. Especially the climax twist is really good. More than that, he has molded the cast to perform what he wanted is stunning. I said stunning because of the lead pair here who doesn't own anything to their credit in the name of acting.

Review posted @ www.clapsandboos.com

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.