Vinnaithandi Varuvaya - Movie

‘Vinnaithandi Varuvaya’, (VTV) and you know what its like to cross the sky and get into another dimension called love. ‘Vinnaithandi Varuvaya’ is a popular lyric from the ‘Vennilave Vennilave’ song from ‘Minsara Kanavu’ directed by Rajeev Menon and all of you know that. So director Goutham Vasudev Menon has rightly acknowledged Rajeev Menon in the first card of the Titles. How humble!

Right from the time, the word ‘action’ was told, the film has been creating the ripples of expectation among director Goutham’s fans. He has surely tried his maximum to live up to the expectations. Captain Goutham and his team- comprising of editor Antony, art director Rajeevan, director of photography Manoj Paramahamsa and music by A R Rahman, just look at that combination, have always given us that feeling of modern cinema.

Well technically, the movie is made with high values- Exceptional music, background score, re-recording, classy camera work, foreign locations, etc. All the technicians involved must receive that imperative appreciation for they have done their work with much finesse.

The first in the list of technicians who have to be appreciated would be, undoubtedly, A R Rahman. Man! Isn’t he a creative genius! His 1st movie after the Oscar phenomenon. His music is one of the main reasons to the much acclaimed hype. The re-recording and the background score are really amazing. If you’ve listened to his songs in your personal stereo, then its only half of the magic you have experienced.

The picturisation of the songs is simply remarkable and they complete the magic. God knows how Goutham gets his ideas and the eye of Manoj Paramahamsa who’s done ‘Eeram’ before, not just his eye that thought of those exotic locations but his ‘lens eye’ as well that caught all those beautiful locales. Watch those videos even with half opened eyes and you’ll realize he hasn’t used a camera but a paint brush with the palette of colours from Mother Nature. The colour tones in the movie have been brought out quite amazingly. The songs especially, ‘Hosana’ and ‘Omanna Penne’ shot at Malta, are worth the watch at the cinemas. Songs get major attention in the movie and the other technician we are going to talk about is Rajeevan and his art-work in the sets of a few songs is fascinating. The D.O.P (director of photography) Manoj has used minimal artificial lighting in the movie, showing his signature style.

We’ll come back to the people behind the camera a little later. Now is the time for the people in front of the camera. Trisha and Silambarasan as the lead pair, and quite a few veterans in the movie like Kitty as Silambarasan’s father and Babu Antony as Trisha’s father. All artists have done well especially Ganesh, also one of the producers, who plays Silambarasan’s friend, has acted well, and his dialogue delivery must be appreciated. Lets talk about- Silambarasan! We’ve seen him as a college student, as a mass character and we’ve seen him dance in the middle of the road, typical Chennai style, but can you imagine Silambarasan in formals, as a simple, regular guy-next door, decent and at his best behaviour? Well, he has proved he is not just the normal run-off-the-mill commercial hero but an actor who will mould himself into any character that a story demands. He’s come out of that commercial image with VTV. All were apprehensive about the fact that Silambarasan working with a classy director like Goutham. But the director has been persistent about Silambarasan and he hasn’t let the director down. Silambarasan has been in front of the camera since he was a kid and such a role as ‘Karthik’ in this movie is really not demanding or impossible to him. He hasn’t acted in this movie, but has been himself. His dialogue delivery appeared to be simple, just like how he would talk to anyone in his real life. He is an ambitious and aspiring film maker in the movie and in real life, he really is.

Opposite Silambarasan is pretty lass Trisha. Trisha as Jessie has portrayed her character brilliantly, she hasn’t over acted or under acted, and she’s done it perfectly. Director of Photography, Manoj has prettified Trisha, and she looks prettier than her previous appearances. Saree clad in most of the movie, Trisha has pulled off a terrific performance. Nalini Sriram’s costumes might start a cult with the ladies from now on.

Now we’re moving in to the ‘story, screenplay and dialogues’, by Goutham. Don’t expect me to be spoilsport and reveal the storyline and the cute screenplay of the movie. The first half till the interval will grab your attention as it has been nicely written and well taken. Some cute scenes between Silambarasan and Trisha look really candid and the camera man has managed to capture that cheeky chemistry between the two. According to the film promos, theatrical trailers, etc ‘VTV’ is a love story ‘with a difference’. There wasn’t anything particularly different to talk about, except for Simbu being younger to Trisha by one year, and the screenplay that won’t tell you till the end if they’ve fall in love and live happily ever after?

Silambarasan wooing Trisha, their second pairing after ‘Alai’, is not at all impractical and you can relate their characters to real life. Their chemistry is enticing and they actually appear a cute pair. Silambarasan’s attitude in the movie is straight forward while Trisha is homely and conservative. The one thing you can’t relate to life or even agree is the hero meeting the heroine at her house, at his will without anyone noticing. Cinema has grown of age, or have people!?

The screenplay in the first half is slow and cute but the screenplay in the second half is even slower.

A faster screenplay might spoil the feel of a romantic movie. Back to technicians, Editor Antony has done a decent job but could have advised his Captain to chop off a few reels. Some of the audience thought the movie got over and they got off their seats when a song was being played! but the movie continued for 10 more minutes after that.

Silambarasan, we all know fights well and dances amazingly. There is just one stunt sequence in the movie and that’s designed by Shiva who’s handled the fight scenes very well and Silambarasan is the demi-god we know, sustains not a single scratch on him. Silambarasan’s dance is admirable. Keeping in mind that most of the songs are not dance numbers, you’ll still see him sway to those tunes convincingly.

Dialogues in the movie and especially Silambarasan’s dialogue delivery is worth mentioning. The dialogues make you giggle at times, and sometimes they make you feel- how one can be so romantic.

Director Goutham has tried something ‘different’ but the audience is perplexed at the end. You wouldn’t know how to react after the climax. Weird! If you’ve been following all his movies and know his style of film making, then you would appreciate his work.

Asal

The Ajith-Saran combination is at it again. The stakes are bigger this time with Asal being Ajith’s 49th film and it is also special because the titles of the film name Ajith as co-director of the movie. He is also credited for the story, screenplay and dialogues along with Saran and Yuhi Sethu. So, has the additional responsibility and control for Ajith worked well for Asal?

The first and most important thing about Asal is that it is an out and out Ajith movie. Not that anyone needs to be told this, it is an obvious fact. But, Asal is a full length celebration of Ajith’s persona, something his fans will absolutely adore. But, the film does have its weak points too. It is indeed sad that such a potential team ended up shooting a rather weak script. The main defect here is the characters sketch of the villains. They just don’t seem menacing or threatening enough to stand up to Ajith. It robs the excitement out of the confrontations making it look like cakewalks for Ajith. The only strong negative character (Kelly Dorji) is finished off prematurely which also stunts the growth of Ajith’s character. It is also pretty dampening that the much expected Ajith double act is only there for the first few minutes in the film. It should also be said that the opening sequences of the film do leave you a bit disappointed; the intros just don’t pack a punch. But, on the brighter side, the script does manage to throw a few surprises when you least expect them, like the one at the interval point. Saran has been successful in keeping the viewer guessing about certain things right until the end. The climax portions however should have been better. The finish looks literally forced into the script, with a fight inside a warehouse. There is not much room for romance. But, whatever little is there looks good. The silent tussle between Sameera and Bhavana over who gets Ajith is cute and Saran could have extended it a bit. One thing about the movie that could have been much better is the placement of songs; most of them look like appendages hanging loosely out of the main narrative.

As said above, this movie is all about Ajith and his persona. It would not be wrong to say that at many points it seems as if Ajith, the star, has been given more importance than the script itself. Trust Ajith to carry off a larger than life role with ease. He strides the screen with ease, having a presence that few others can boast of. He looks stylish in every frame; the hairstyle, the sideburns and the cigar sit well on him. In fact, Ajith’s presence is one of the main factors that stops one from getting bored. Sampath, Rajeev Krishna and Pradeep Rawat do their jobs as villains without too great an impact. As said above, their characters look like weak adversaries for Ajith. Sameera Reddy has a role of consequence in the movie and does pretty well, but there is no huge scope for performance. Bhavana looks cute in a role that demands only as much. She however impresses with her dance moves in the first part of the Dushyantha song. Yuhi Sethu tries hard to provide a few comic moments, succeeding partially on the rare occasion; his side kicks trying hard with a few gimmicks as well. Prabhu is a dignified presence.

The fact that this is a film made under Sivaji Productions can be sensed in the way the film has shaped up. The producer has left no stone unturned to make the film look rich, slick and sophisticated throughout. Be it the sets, the interiors, the locations or costumes, no expense has been spared. The story is set mainly in France, with a portion happening in Mumbai. The richness of the streets France has been transferred beautifully onto screen by Prashanth’s camera. The camerawork keeps the viewer visually pleased, partially compensating for flaws in the script. Action should have been better. Only the fight between Ajith and Kelly close to the interval stirs up excitement, it is plain on all other occasions. Music by Bharadwaj does not lend any strength to the movie, except Dushyantha and the BGM looks pretty unimaginative. Dialogues focus mostly on the word ‘Thala’ and the different ways in which it can be used. Imaginative for sure, but it could have been toned down a bit. Nevertheless, it does provide fans with an opportunity to cheer loudly.

Asal is a complete Ajith centric entertainer with lots of style and sophistication. Yes, the script is weak and there are other flaws too, but the movie does not leave you bored or exasperated. Ajith satisfies his fans, but Saran disappoints a bit with the way he has handled such a great team, better results were definitely on. Visually pleasing with about 2.5 hours of running time, Asal is will not have you yawning, nor will it have you asking for more.

Vinnaithandi Varuvaya

Expectations were sky-high, quite reflecting the title. The reason is simple- It's double Oscar winner A R Rahman's first Tamil album after bursting to fame in the international music stage thanks to the Oscars.

Also, filmmaker Goutham Vasudev Menon has joined hands for the fist time with Rahman, after presenting chartbusters by joining hands with Harris Jayaraj for more than a decade; Saying Rahman has fulfilled all expectations would be cliched. As the songs are not just stunning and scintillating, but are totally different from the usual stuff.

And he seems to have served a warning very much about the album at its launch itself. "It is an experimental attempt - Songs are not set in Charanam or Pallavi. They are quirky," he said at the function.

Listen to it and one would endorse his views instantly. The songs in 'VTV' are unconventional but trendy and chic. The Mozart of Madras seems to have combined international music with Tamil film music to appeal to music-lovers.

1. Omana Pennae

Amazing number for it creates a great feel among the listeners. The chorus rendering Omana Pennae is soothing. The song begins with a soft touch reminding one of Far East music, but settles down to a rhythm. Rahman's mastery in harmony is evident. Wonder how lyricist Thamarai comes up with such poetic lyrics within a commercial format.

2. Anbil Avan

Rahman, a man of few words, is always vibrant and enthusiastic when it comes to his music. It is reflected in the song. It is a refreshing number with synthesised sounds that mesmerise.

3. Vinaythandi Varuvaya

The title song of the track rendered by 'bubbly' Karthik. He is right there doing what his master (Rahman) has ordered. Though the tune is so unconventional, the string instruments gives the song the soul and life. Watch out for the way Karthik renders the key line Vinnaithandi Varuvaya. It is awesome.

4. Hosanna

The brilliant composer in A R Rahman has woven a lovable song around the word Hosanna (considered auspicious by Christians). With rap interludes in between by Blaaze, the song sticks to hearts instantly. Thamarai's lyrics describes the joy in the heart and soul of a guy who comes across his beloved. A soulful romantic number, the song with Suzanne chipping in with her best is the USP of the album.

5. Kannukul Kannai

Again a soft but sophisticated number. A love-lorn youth yearning for the love and affection of his beloved is what the song is all about. Thamarai once again impresses with her poetic lyrics. Rahman has not disturbed the lyrics with his music, which otherwise flows freely complimenting Thamarai's works. Naresh Iyer is just the right choice by Rahman for the song.

6. Mannipaya

The big man is at it. Rahman has crooned the song along with Shreya Ghoshal. It is about a woman in love seeking apology to her lover. Interestingly the music composer in Rahman has opted for couplets in Thirukkural which signifies the theme of the song. Apt couplets chosen by the music composer. A song that has no charanam or pallavi, Mannipaya has Shreya Ghoshal going gaga with her soft voice to the accompaniment of guitar and violin.

7. Aaromalae

A full-length Malayalam song in a Tamil movie sounds interesting. Since the female lead Jessi played by Trisha is Malayalam Christian, obviously the song finds a place in the album. Acclaimed Malayalam lyricist Kaithapram has penned the song with Malayalam music composer Alphonse singing it. High in instrumentation and quick changing rhythms, the song makes one brisk at the first listen itself. Mixed emotions flow as we listen to it.

On the whole, Vinnaithandi Varuvaya is a cute little album that has experimental score by Rahman. The man with Midas Touch, Rahman is at again. The album is a rich treasure not just for Rahman-fans but to genuine music-lovers too. The music composer seems to have set a trend which others would soon emulate.