Vaaranam Aayiram Tamil Movie Review

Vaaranam Aayiram Movie Review from bharatstudent,Indiaglitz,Idlebrain

Ratings at a glance
Bharatstudent - 3.25/5
behindwoods - 3.5/5
Indiaglitz -
Galatta -

Source:Bharatstudent

Movie Review:Vaaranam Aayiram Rating :3.25/5 Banner :Aascar Films Cast :Suriya, Simran, Sameera Reddy, Divya Spandana, Deepa Narendran, Prithvi and others Cinematography: D Ratnavelu Music: Harris Jayaraj Producer: Ravi Chandran Director: Gautam Menon Released Date: November 14, 2008

Story: A complete tale, the story is set on a flashback mode and it talks about how Surya (Suriya) who is now a Major in the Indian army reaches to his current stage. The life begins with his father Krishnan (Surya) who falls in love with Malini (Simran) and together their dream journey begins. Soon, Surya is born and then grows up to be the regular teenager with all passions. His life takes a turn when he sees Meghna (Sameera) and it is love at first sight. However, Meghna goes to America and Surya follows her upto the US and finally she falls in love with him. But then, as fate would have it, a gruesome incident takes place and Meghna dies, Surya comes home to India only to get into drugs and alcohol. His father and mother are there with him at all times and soon he sets off to Kashmir to discover himself. Soon, self confidence grows in him and an incident in Delhi gives him the urge to bounce back into life and do something productive. Surya decides to join the army, meanwhile Priya (Divya) his sister's friend has been seeing him since childhood and has a strong liking for Surya. This entire episode aside, Krishnan is diagnosed with throat cancer and Meghna's thoughts are still hovering in Surya's mind. Does he overcome that? Is Priya successful in her love? All this forms the rest of the story. Presentation: The director has come up with a rather mature subject and though he was adept at handling it sensibly in terms of presentation, the narrative went a bit too lengthy. The dialogues were simple, the script was written perfectly with an attention to detail, the screenplay was executed brilliantly. Songs were above average, cinematography was mind blowing. The editing could have been a lot better and should have got more stiff with their work. The locations were fantastic and the other departments did their job well. Surya is the complete show stealer and walks away with all the credit. His dual role as father and son was perfect and the innumerable phases of transformation that he depicts is really commendable. He has shown his mettle as a complete actor in all aspects. Simran looked just perfect for the role, Sameera was ravishing as ever, Divya looked domestic and suited the bill correctly. The others contributed well to the support cast. Conclusion: The film is more like a journey that begins with birth and ends with death, and the various experiences and phases that a human being goes through is depicted in a rather mature manner. While the first half is more on the lighter side of romance and the weirdest things one does in the heat of the age, the other half shows the pain, the anger and frustration. Last but not the least, it is the bounce back period that really touches the audience. The film would have been a marvelous piece if the length could have been shorter but then each scene had its own significance. Such films are really essential for the Indian audience and though this might be too slow for our thrills, it goes to show the complete cycle of life. Technically, the film has been wonderful and commercially it may not have a blockbuster but it will surely be a clean success. Bharatstudent Verdict: A complete journey, only for mature audience, worth watching for Suriya!!!

Source:behindwoods

Starring: Suriya, Simran, Sameera Reddy, Divya

Direction: Gautham Menon

Music: Harris Jayaraj

Production: Aascar Ravichandran

Gautam Vasudev Menon’s Vaaranam Ayiram is intended to be a biography of an ordinary man. What could have been a subtly told story turns into a sloppy fare with way too much of daddy-glorification and emotional I-love-you-and-I-see-you-in-everything-dialogues. However, this memoirs-of-my-dad would have been a wonderful watch if it did not adopt a schmaltzy narrative often, more often than you think actually, interrupted with songs.

Gautam has derived inspiration for Vaaranam Ayiram from his own life and hence the movie is by and large close to real life with only very few scenes seeming out of place. Like the middle-class Surya, whose dad struggles to keep up with his family’s expenses, flies down to the USA in search of his love-at-first-sight Sameera - now that is far fetched. However, as clichéd as his love might seem, his sufferings sound more genuine – a feeling that the ‘Anjale’ song only upsurges. The movie opens with an older version of Surya, suffering from throat cancer, succumbing to his disease. With the bare minimum background score and subdued acting, the scene helps to mound the expectations for a few minutes. The news then is conveyed to the son, played by Surya again, who is on a defense operation somewhere in Kashmir. The rest of the movie is the son’s reminiscences of his father – the son’s role overriding the father’s in the process, however. The first half of the movie drifts away with nothing significant in the offing. In less than half-hour, it breaks into two songs. Surya (dad/son) falls in love twice and loses the love of his life. The second half, however, spruces up with the kidnap episode and the journalist rescue operation.

Vaaranam Aayiram is an out and out Surya show. When the man disrobes his tee to flaunt his rippling muscles acquired after hard slog, the ladies scream their lungs out. His subtle expressions after losing out his dad to cancer score as good as his screams and emotional turbulence after losing his girl. Surya Senior’s makeup screams for attention, though.

Simran comes a close second with her puffed eyes and refined articulation of emotions announcing that she is ageing gracefully. Sameera has a constant grin, which is adorable. But all she could come up with after seeing her stalker at her doorsteps in the US is a surprised expression after getting a scoop of her favorite ice cream unexpectedly. Surya – Sameera’s first meet in the train is well conceived and executed. Divya, however, is in her quietest form oozing loads of sophisticated attitude.

There are touching and heart-warming moments in the movie; however, they are few and far between. Like the scene in which the cancer patient dad expresses his helplessness in telling stories to his grandson since his vocal chords no longer support him and Simran’s emotional silent outburst when she is being told that her husband is about to start his final procession to the burial ground.

Harris’ music complements Thamarai’s lyrics with almost all songs, albeit termed as interruptions, hummable. And as Sudha Raghunathan breaks into the Anal Mele song in her unconventionally mellifluous voice, the movie’s sluggish pace is curtailed. Adiye Kolluthe, partly rendered by Shruti Hassan, seems to mark the beginning of Tamil punk-rock.

The three hour long movie advocates non-smoking heavily and hits the smokers hard with the harsh reality of its consequences – cancer, for instance.

Verdict - Surya show!

Source:Indiaglitz

Cast: Suriya, Simran, Sameera Reddy, Divya Direction: Gautham Menon Music: Harris Jayaraj
Varanam Aayiram Movie Review

Varanam Aayiram - Memoirs of a heart with abounding memories

IndiaGlitz [Friday, November 14, 2008]

The film designed as a tribute to Gautham Vasudev Menon's father comes across as emotions spelt out in a reserved manner and thereby proves to be a tame affair. One can understand the director's angst at losing a parent, and trying to make a film about the loss, but then the man's (father) enigma never takes center stage throughout the film. Probably the biggest drawback of the film. The narration of the film has been designed to follow a 'classic approach'. Unfortunately, all the ingredients that go into the making of a classic are missing thereby making the screenplay stagnate at times to irritable proportions. All films that have been successful in being called classics portray enduring human emotions that can be related with instantaneously. Gautham has most definitely missed the plot with 'Varanam Aayiram' giving more emphasis to incidents rather than connecting them well. The story follows the lead characters (the protagonist and his father) through decades. Much effort has been taken to bring out authenticity to the 'period' effect which is praiseworthy. The story starts off with a senior citizen Krishna (Suriya) getting his hair trimmed in a saloon only to die after reaching home. The news is conveyed to his son, Major Suriya (Suriya) who is part of a rescue mission. With gritty determination, the young man declares he wants to go ahead with the mission. But the son in him overwhelms the Major that he is and events of his life unfold as flashes in his mind. What a fantastic dad he had had! The story is narrated through montage sequences – the time his father had met his mother in college (as told to him by his mother) and the innovative way he had made known his love for her – his birth and the way he had always looked up to his dad as a real hero – his sister's birth and the happy little family that they were – his peek at adolescence – his misadventures and the moment he was engulfed by the electric sensation of love etc. Suriya's adolescent days come across as a breath of fresh air. The antiques he indulges in once he sees Megna (Sameera Reddy) on a night train and his train of thought that goes on in his mind to woo her, gets across to the audience very well. After the interesting introduction, the determined Suriya goes to her house to see her. Megna is surprised but then is not convinced that his love for her is true. She reveals her plans to study in America and her preparations to leave in a week's time. The happy-go-lucky Suriya does some business and using the gift of being a good guitarist makes money. And then he is off to America, not for a career, not for studies but to win his girl's heart and marry her. They do meet in America and the interesting character that he is wins Megna's heart. An unfortunate incident happens and Megna dies. A reckless Suriya then starts smoking, drinking and becomes a horrible drug addict. His parents take care of him through these torrid times. His parents even want him to go away somewhere to find himself and come back as the person that he really is. Suriya walks the streets of Kashmir and Delhi and even indulges in daring endeavors like rescuing a kidnapped child. Then the military bug bites him and he joins the armed forces. It is about this time that the director has made maximum usage of his good looks and the famous six-pack ab. After six years in the armed forces, he becomes a major and also has loving thoughts of a girl (Priya played by Divya Spandana) he had known for a long time but had really not given any kind of attention to. Does time wither away the association they had had? The flashes of reminiscence stops and reality dawns….he is part of the rescue mission now, fighting terrorists…. The earthly presence of his father might have gone away forever….but will always have a home in his heart….probably thoughts that Gautham Vasudev Menon has…. Suriya the actor rocks throughout. The variety of emotions he has portrayed is very good and a strong mention has to be made about his good looks and charm. He looks unbelievably like a person in his early twenties in some sequences that require him to be so. Something very few actors can really do. Harris Jayaraj has rendered a beautiful set of songs with this film. The Background score is good in patches and compliments the brilliant cinematography by Rathnavelu. The cinematographer needs special mention for a refreshing tone which he has infused especially in the youthful sequences. Sameera Reddy has been casual and fits the role aptly. Simran has garnered all her experience and does justice. Divya Spandana with her girl-next-door looks performs a role that lightens up a depressed protagonist with good effect. One gets the feeling Gautham could have used all of Suriya's efforts with a better narration AND with all-round emotions to connect all the incidents in the script which would have made it more interesting.

Source:Galatta

Cast:	Suriya, Simran, Divya Spandana, Sameera Reddy
Banner:	Aascar Films, Photon Factory
Released by:	Cloud Nine Movies
Story, direction:	Gautham Vasudev Menon
Cinematography:	Rathnavelu
Editing:	Antony
Music:	Harris Jayaraj
Lyrics:	Thamarai, Na. Muthukumar
Art:	Rajeevan
Review
Just how do you describe the journey of life and learning of one man, in an immensely fascinating and intuitive manner? You do it the way Gautham Menon has done it - by drawing in all your senses and emotions on a canvas of poignancy that is called Vaaranam Aayiram. Life is a circle. You are what you are made of and you are what you make of yourself. Thus is the story of Surya, son of Krishnan, who grows up surrounded by the one emotion and bond that is, these days, sometimes forgotten and often underrated – love. His father Krishnan is his hero, his icon, the example he has to live up to. His mother Malini is calm, grounded, strong; a pillar of all that a woman and mother should be. And Surya’s inspiration for everything starts with their absolute love for each other. It’s a normal, happy family and the strength of the children comes from the inner strength of their parents. Surya and his sister enjoy growing up with parents whose only advice to them is: nothing is impossible, not if your heart is pure and your dedication complete. This advice goes beyond the usual schoolchild and teenager’s academic stress, beyond peer pressure and beyond the emotional confusion only growing up can bring. The movie carries you on the strength of its narration and Surya is a child, becomes a teenager, then a young man on the verge of all the wonderful things life can give him, then a tortured lover, then a man emerging strong and at peace with himself, then a partner for life, then a true patriot and through all of this, a good son to good parents. In this journey, he encounters many things, many people; good and bad. Meghna, the love of his life, the woman who made things bigger, brighter and more beautiful, even as she left him for a career and a future for herself. Life’s tragedies that can wreak havoc as suddenly as a crack of lightning. Immense pain that is a human being’s true test of strength – give in to the pain and perish or beget even more pain, only to emerge from it stronger? New beginnings that are like warm sunrises after torrential rains. Purpose and drive that keeps that spark in the soul alive and burning. Priya and the hope in love which proves that love can never be lost, it simply moves spirits. Cycle of life that calls for the loss of the physical self but shows one how immortal the self, thoughts and memories are. Seems rather simplistic, doesn’t it? Just what we thought to ourselves before we stepped into the movie hall and were engulfed by the music and visuals and words of each and every character Gautham managed to paint in fluid colour. What we thought would be a boring, long-drawn melodrama (“The extraordinary story of an ordinary man; and no macho twist to the tale? You have to be kidding!” this is what we thought) turned out to be, at least in bits and pieces, the stories of our lives, with characters all of us have met or lived with at some point in our lives. Beautifully told and intricately woven, Vaaranam Aayiram is a tale on the backbone of realism and beautiful music. Speaking of music, here is an orchestra of melodies that will at once make you laugh, become wistful of those oh-so-beautiful years and get into the verve and mood of the moment. From the background score to the situational numbers and of course, golden oldies sung in Gautham and Suriya’s own voices, this music forms the structure of the entire movie and the attention to detail even while painting blending melodies is superb. Gautham Menon and Harris Jayaraj have brought in influences from the 60s and 70s, the restless rock age of the 80s, the fusion sounds of the 90s and the quietly confident original pieces of today. Vaaranam Aayiram impresses visually, in terms of colour and environment, but perhaps this clarity is because of the clarity in each character and not so much in the actual v