Sunday, November 16, 2008

Varanam Aayiram Review

I am not a big fan of Goutham Menon. Even though I like all his movies, I always feel something is missing in his movies that doesn't make him a great director, but he is a good director certainly. Varanam Aayiram is a creation of a great director, and I wouldn't do honors to him if I do not write about the movie. The movie is like a poetry, every bit and piece of the movie is directed with immense commitment and importance. Locally speaking, rasichi rusichi ezhudina oru kavidhai madhiri irundhadhu.

If not for Surya, may be I wouldn't have been writing this blog with such great interest. His performance as Krishnan was outstanding, full credits the humbleness shown in his acting. The movie is a biography, a quick recap by a son about his father when he gets know he is no more. Simple one line story. But the emotions, love, passion and motivations in the movie make it a treat to cherish. This move just swept me off my feet.

Another important aspect are the songs. They are beautiful to listen, watch and admire. My favorite is "Nenjukul Peidhidum". One small concern was about Sameera Reddy, who gets all the hit numbers and leaves Divya with "Analmela Panithuzhi". Certainly, I did not expect this :) .
The best part in the movie for me was the train romance scene and the last scene where the father comes to his room and sends him off. He has a small droplet of tear in his eyes and he says, I will be thinking about you, man was so touching. Totally, in contrast to how he advised Surya that he was no more a kid but a grown up, and Surya would be totally in tears on his first day in college. May be its true that you become a kid again when you grow old.

This move would surely have mixed reviews. Some may feel its totally bad, many would feel it is a decent movie and some again like me, would love it. The reasons contributing to the mixed reviews being length(3 hours), English dialogs and deep emotions which may sound comical for some.

Some dialog's such as "Iva unnaye minjitta ma", by Surya when he sees Sameera for the first time could have been removed as they would invite unnecessary spoilers.

And for people who do not know why the movie was named Varanam Aayiram, it is a line by Andal when she describes what kind of guy she dreams about.
வாரணம் ஆயிரம் சூழ வலம் செய்து நாரணன் நம்பி நடக்கின்றான் என்றெதிர் பூரண பொற்குடம் வைத்துப் புறம் எங்கும் தோரணம் நாட்டக் கனா கண்டேன் தோழி நான் கனா கண்டேன் .

People may have a different view on this movie, but for me this is a masterpiece. A colorful ride into one's life which very seemingly resembles your own in some aspects. Overall, a beautifully told story of a man's dreams and a son's tribute to his father.

19 comments:

Srihari said...

Nice review and i guess you were so impressed by the movie that all that you saw on the screen were synonymous of your life..

Great Director , Great Acting , Great Narration but still i left the movie theater with something missing.

Unknown said...

It is indeed a masterpiece,so beautifully and emotionally narrated that every person can relate it with his own life.
when surya conveys to his parents that he is going to join the army and when malini(simran) expresses her disagreement, i saw a realistic mother there. Every person has a dream and some kind of desire within but which in due course of time gets overshadowed. the particular scene showed that.
Surya's proposal to meghna(sameera) was fresh.
It is a great movie and its a must watch for everyone and especially to those whose parents are in an old age home.
Its a movie that tells us that the future ahead is more important than what had passed away.
Love life and life will love you.
Hats off to Mr.Gautam Vasudheva Menon and my all time favo Suriya..!!
__Priyadhaarshan.P.N

Karthik.V said...

A good movie.. Fantastic Review.. From opening till the end of the movie everything is superb. BGM is too good. A few things which did not had any clue.. when he meets Sameera in US, he says that he did not even finish his college. then how he becomes a Major in Army. Ok he might have finished it after he comes back. He is a big time Drug addict, how can he pass the Medical Test to join the Army. These are just the starting.. Songs are toooo good. They make me to think about my X life.. Surya has done 200% for his Character. Sameera Reddy, mind blowing.. but looks little older for Surya. Ramya ok, Simran again she has proved as a great actress.

I would say watching once in the Theater is good. would rate 3.5 out of 5 and this is specially for surya, back ground music, lyrics.

Rums said...

It is a good movie indeed. But honestly, my husband and I both felt that Thavamai Thavam Irundu by Cheran was a far better tribute to the father son relationship. This was a biography alright, but mostly of the son's.

Balaji said...

Surya is his best of his form.... Movie is like a Novel ... Casual and beautiful.... Songs are too good especially Munthinam and Nenjukkul peithidum....

Abhimanyu said...

Nice review. Loved the last paragraph- well written!

Will certainly watch this one... soon. :)

Karthik said...

Good review.... This was my first tamil movie in dubai.. (rather my first movie of any language :)) The movie was good. Awesome acting, music and good narration. But somehow i feel that Gautham Menon lost in between and probably he was trying to bring in more emotions and kept it dragging... If he could have avoided that, then it would have been a great movie!!! Some of the scenes where really poetic... surya - sameera romance in the train... the advice by the dad surya to the son on his first day to college... as a whole it was a good movie... Enjoyed it!!!

syed said...

Great review and i am a surya fan after this movie. The amount of effort put in by gautham and surya has paid off.The first half was fascinating ,second was a bit slow and on the whole a good movie.I just loved sameera reddy in this movie.A must watch movie.

Vijesh said...

I enjoyed it.. As you said its a poetry.. Got out of the theater with the feel that it was worth for every penny.

Well written.

Radha Krishnan said...

Superb movie, nice songs & many can feel that something happened in their life has been shown in the movie.

Best movie of 2008-09

Electrofreak said...

a veryyyyyyyy nice movie i watch it here at 8.45PM-12.(something).next day i went to college but i worth the effort man.very diff movie.
YOU MUST WATCH IT!

Electrofreak said...

p.s i'm in Malaysia

Unknown said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Unknown said...

It is defenitely a great feat in Surya's acting performance and perfect tribute to every father by his son. Apart from movies with illogical action, heroism and all such stuff, this movie Vaaranam Aayiram, was a blend with everyone's day to day life. Wonderful job by the trio again(Gautham - Surya - Harris) Hats off.

A Classic movie... Will be remembered for ever.

Unknown said...

Hi all, This movie is a biography of a father who spent his whole life for his family. The narration is emotional. Sentimental.. All fathers should, especially whose son's are loving, must watch this movie. Be as 'Krishnan' when u become a father. i am sure i would. Worth of ur money to watch the movie.. trust me.

Unknown said...

Hi all, This movie is a biography of a father who spent his whole life for his family. The narration is emotional. Sentimental.. All fathers should, especially whose son's are loving, must watch this movie. Be as 'Krishnan' when u become a father. i am sure i would. Worth of ur money to watch the movie.. trust me.

RG said...

Hi, Can you translate the last poem (Andal's) into english ?

Prabhu Dorairaj said...

This was absolutely the worst movie I've ever seen. Who ever said that Surya's acting was good is not right. He didn't even act like a dad. As the son, I couldn't take it. Always , "Ennaku inno nabago irruku daddy... dadddy... daddy." Such a boring dialogue. His singing was horrible too in the movie. Espically Panivirum malaarvanam and Yen inniya pon... HORRIBLE! No offense to Surya fans, with out a moustache, he looks like a pottai. This is Gautham Menon's worst movies. The music is beautiful movie though, I admit. I love Mundhinam Parthane, Adiye Kolluthe and the best off all, Nenjukkal. There were so many unneccessary scenes. Espically his workout and saving Shankar Menon's 5 year old son. Simran acted good, but needs to put makeup. The movie has a very narrow story line running for 3 hours. The story should have been developed more. Surya's acting was horrible when Sammeera died. The way he shouted when he yelled...OMG! Picturization is good in the movie and Surya is jacked out of his mind, I admit, but it's so unneccessary.
To rate it, I would give it 2/5.

karthi's said...

i watched movie here in bangalore...its an excellent movie....it had its bad moments in the middle....i somewhere feel this gautham menon has gone overboard in some of the scenes but its worth a watch.....but even i feel that kidnapping and rescuing the kid episode was not needed....apart from that it was good