This is one film so close to life that I forgot I was watching a film! Even the so maligned second half (just when will Indian cinema stop having intervals, so our directors can straight away make 110min movies!) is such a delight. For someone who sees life as a travel, for someone who sees life as love, for anyone who have ever lost love, for all of us who revel in family bonding and memories - Vaaranam... gives you not just a thousand moments but much, much more!
Beginning from the titles - you get hooked on. Voices singing to minimal music, sweet flow of letters on screen - and you know this is not the usual action flick that Gautham Vasudev Menon is by now so famous for! Enter Surya as this regular, real life Daddy - and you are prepared that there is something thats gonna ensue - a lifetime thats gonna unveil - and how! The son Major Surya reminisces on the influence of his dying father in every moment of his life. And then on, we relax...as we get into the drawing room of this real time family, as Malini (a simply outstanding and graceful Simran) takes you through a journey of their lifetime!
Vaaranam...is not just a heartwarming tale. Its also a brilliantly made film. Rathnavel shines in every frame, as his camera works well with faces and locations. The grungy Delhi sequence is one of the well executed action points in Indian cinema. Harris, of course is at his best, with every song getting the necessary reactions from the audience. Rajeevan has so wonderfully recreated the interiors of the family's house - as much as aligning the real time locations to suit the scenes.
So much of talk has flown under the bridge called Vaaranam Aayiram... most of it just plain 'it's slow', 'it's not dynamic', 'second half is not logical'...! What is so slow, un-dynamic and illogical about a guy who is on the verge of life? He goes about experiencing one bit after another, living life as it comes to him and takes the journey head on, getting into a deep pit of self pity and, like any mainstream cinema has, emerges a Hero (a sexy six pack one at that!) The druggie portions are told in such a true manner that a trained mind may wish for a hospitalisation of the addict. But, Rehab is not the only solution to an addiction. So many subtle things - be it dialogues or simple gestures suggest the strong bond between the parents and son, and that brings him back to Life. I was so GLAD that we FINALLY have a film that didnt belittle my intelligence to comprehend whats going on up there!
Surya is phenomenal. A class apart performance. Such a finely tuned in (and toned in!) mainstream actor...he makes you smile, laugh, cry (loads of it! Watch him in the phone booth scene as he talks to his parents from USA-WOW) and shiver (in the bedroom scene with Sameera!!) along with him. Now, HE is someone WE must be proud to showcase. He is such a Splendor on screen.
Now, There are movies he has made which are box office superhits. And then there is Vaaranam Aayiram which he has crafted - yes, that's the word... (painted, sculpted could be other synonyms). Gautham Menon enters that coveted league of filmmakers whose creative best shines through in every frame! For someone who has given 'fast paced' cinema, this film must have been so different even to conceptualise and moreover execute - to near perfection. To get that exact emotion right, along with getting the whole gamut of Art, Camera, Costume, Dialogue, Acting, Music - and not to forget the way he has picturised the hospital corridor moment between a much anguished Surya and Meghna's (an in sync Sameera Reddy) father, and the superbly choreographed (from an emotional end too) 'Anjaley' song, and the last scene in the film - the camera moving from the family at a top angle, with the father - a surreal figure walking away from them yet still 'being there' -
Beginning from the titles - you get hooked on. Voices singing to minimal music, sweet flow of letters on screen - and you know this is not the usual action flick that Gautham Vasudev Menon is by now so famous for! Enter Surya as this regular, real life Daddy - and you are prepared that there is something thats gonna ensue - a lifetime thats gonna unveil - and how! The son Major Surya reminisces on the influence of his dying father in every moment of his life. And then on, we relax...as we get into the drawing room of this real time family, as Malini (a simply outstanding and graceful Simran) takes you through a journey of their lifetime!
Vaaranam...is not just a heartwarming tale. Its also a brilliantly made film. Rathnavel shines in every frame, as his camera works well with faces and locations. The grungy Delhi sequence is one of the well executed action points in Indian cinema. Harris, of course is at his best, with every song getting the necessary reactions from the audience. Rajeevan has so wonderfully recreated the interiors of the family's house - as much as aligning the real time locations to suit the scenes.
So much of talk has flown under the bridge called Vaaranam Aayiram... most of it just plain 'it's slow', 'it's not dynamic', 'second half is not logical'...! What is so slow, un-dynamic and illogical about a guy who is on the verge of life? He goes about experiencing one bit after another, living life as it comes to him and takes the journey head on, getting into a deep pit of self pity and, like any mainstream cinema has, emerges a Hero (a sexy six pack one at that!) The druggie portions are told in such a true manner that a trained mind may wish for a hospitalisation of the addict. But, Rehab is not the only solution to an addiction. So many subtle things - be it dialogues or simple gestures suggest the strong bond between the parents and son, and that brings him back to Life. I was so GLAD that we FINALLY have a film that didnt belittle my intelligence to comprehend whats going on up there!
Surya is phenomenal. A class apart performance. Such a finely tuned in (and toned in!) mainstream actor...he makes you smile, laugh, cry (loads of it! Watch him in the phone booth scene as he talks to his parents from USA-WOW) and shiver (in the bedroom scene with Sameera!!) along with him. Now, HE is someone WE must be proud to showcase. He is such a Splendor on screen.
Now, There are movies he has made which are box office superhits. And then there is Vaaranam Aayiram which he has crafted - yes, that's the word... (painted, sculpted could be other synonyms). Gautham Menon enters that coveted league of filmmakers whose creative best shines through in every frame! For someone who has given 'fast paced' cinema, this film must have been so different even to conceptualise and moreover execute - to near perfection. To get that exact emotion right, along with getting the whole gamut of Art, Camera, Costume, Dialogue, Acting, Music - and not to forget the way he has picturised the hospital corridor moment between a much anguished Surya and Meghna's (an in sync Sameera Reddy) father, and the superbly choreographed (from an emotional end too) 'Anjaley' song, and the last scene in the film - the camera moving from the family at a top angle, with the father - a surreal figure walking away from them yet still 'being there' -
Gautham Vasudev Menon, please take a bow!
The colors, the images, the tears, the smiles - the wonderful women, this one superb dad, whose son most women will want to take home to Mom (Surya as this guy who falls and stays in love - guitar and all - totally YUM!) - Vaaranam Aayiram stays with you for a long time...and even then will make you wanna go watch it again.
The colors, the images, the tears, the smiles - the wonderful women, this one superb dad, whose son most women will want to take home to Mom (Surya as this guy who falls and stays in love - guitar and all - totally YUM!) - Vaaranam Aayiram stays with you for a long time...and even then will make you wanna go watch it again.
Do we ever complain that Life is Long? Well, this film too is like life!
Watch it if you have a heart that's willing to hold more...love...!
Watch it if you have a heart that's willing to hold more...love...!
3 comments:
Damn! have been waiiting to see it. Hope to at least this week.
havent watched yet.. dis movie is gettin xtreme reviews!! anyways hope 2 watch it in a couple of days time! :)
Mr. King,
This not for a 4 fight 4 song heroism liking mass audience, plus most of the early reviews were from a biased media...
Do check mr. bharadwaj rangan's review in the sunday express yesterdays issue (23/11/08)...
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