If Karthik of 'Vinnai Thaandi Varuvaya' worked wonders thanks to Silambarasan's encore, his role as Cable Raja in 'Vaanam' goes a step further to portray his firm grip over the medium.
A combination of five stories meeting in the climax, 'Vaanam' is a novel attempt in Tamil cinema and Krish pulls it off well thanks to a beautifully conceived script and well-written characters. It is like reading a set of interesting short stories.
Let's check out what these five stories are: Cable Raja (Silambarasan) is a fun-loving middle class youth. As like anyoneelse, he aspires to make it big marrying a wealthy girl.
Comes to his help are his two friends (Santhanam and VTV Ganesh) to help him make some money and take his girlfriend Pooja (Jasmine) for a party in a star hotel.
Saroja (Anushka) does the world's oldest profession. She is in huge demand from rich people. A gold at heart, she cares for others too. Unable to put up with troubles in her profession, she decides to escape from the brothel racket. But fate intervenes and she falls into the hands of the local police and she is on the run.
Bharath (Bharath) wants to become a big rock star. When he misses the flight he plans to reach the place by road to perform a concert. But the travel brings in him a lot of change and his outlook towards life changes.
Then there is a story of Rahim (Prakash Raj) and wife Zara (Sonia Aggarwal), who are affected by communal clashes in Kovai. They lose their children and are in search of peace.
And there is a story about a poor weaver and his daughter-in-law (Saranya), who suffer at the hands of a money-lender. They come with a mission to Chennai to set their financial position right.
What happens when all these men and women meet at one point is a real twist. Krish deserves accolades for attaching human emotion and elements everywhere in all these stories.
Silambarasan easily steals the show. He is immaculate and impeccable. The actor's mastery in handling a complex role is well. He is complimented well by Ganesh and Santhanam thanks to their humouours one-liners.
Prakash Raj is as solid as rock. His subtle emotions are noteworthy. Anushka is impressive as a commercial sex worker. Bharath looks flashy and does his best as a rock star. He plays to his strength. Vega, Saranya and 'Kadhal' Dhandapani are also there.
Yuvan Shankar Raja's songs are good and the pick of the lot undoubtedly is Yevandi Unnai Peththan... which is already a chartbuster. He scores well in background score, while Anthoy's scissors does its best to ensure momentum. Thanks to Nirav Shan who has canned every story in different light tones.
All said, there are some minor hiccups especially in the pace and tempo in few stories. However 'Vaanam' is no mainstream masala movie. But an attempt worth to cherish.
Review: Vaanam is engaging
That's the general theme of Cloud Nine Movies' and R S Infotainment's Vaanam (Sky), the Tamil version of the Telugu hit Vedham. This version too has been directed by Krish, and manages to incorporate most of what made the Telugu version an acclaimed hit.
For starters, you have a wannabe rock star Bharath (Bharath), in Bengaluru [ Images ], who kicks off proceedings with his group (including girlfriend Vega) with the high-voltage Who Am I? Turns out his mother doesn't like the idea of her son wasting his life; she wants him to go into the army like his father did. Naturally, Bharath resists the idea, gains a live gig in Chennai and sets off.
Then there's Saroja (Anushka), in Sulurpet, the Tamil Nadu-Andhra border, working her way as a sex-worker in a brothel, seeking a way out desperately. She wears bright red lipstick, revealing sarees and makes her escape with a friend as quickly as she can.
Meantime, there's a withered mother (Saranya) and her father, trying desperately to save her son from the clutches of a moneylender in Thoothukkudi. Working in the unforgiving uppalams, she comes to Chennai to gather funds by selling her kidney.
In Coimbatore, you have Rahim (Prakashraj), a devout Muslim whose wife (Sonia Agarwal) has just been told that she's pregnant. Rahim learns that his long-lost brother has just been sighted in Chennai, and sets off hotfoot.
And last, but certainly not the least, you've got Cable Raja (Simbhu) in Chennai, a happy-go-lucky cable guy who makes a rollicking entrance worthy of his status and his character. Together with his friend Seenu (Santhanam), Raja roams the streets, connects cables and is also desperate to make money, so he can gain passes for a certain premier event. His girlfriend Priya (Jasmine) is stinking rich, and the only way to gain her family's consent is to play the rich boyfriend himself.
The journey of each of these protagonists is interesting enough in the beginning, largely because there's a sense of suspense about where they're going to end up. Until the interval, the pace keeps up, but later it begins to drag. Some sequences seem forced and convoluted. You're left wondering where exactly it's all going, and there are large doses of melodrama that rob the realistic effect. It all ties together in the last few minutes though. The end, set to the melodious Vaanam, does move you a little.
Fans of STR, as he's styled these days had better be warned, though. This is a film with an ensemble cast, so STR is not, technically the "hero"; he's part of a large set-up, each with his or her own part to play. STR's character, though, is possibly the most defined of the lot. He has understood both the comedic and dramatic possibilities, and played the role well.
Santhanam, though, with his timely one-liners, easily carries half the load and walks way with plenty of appluase, while VTV Ganesh too contributes his bit.
Considering all the hype, Anushka's role isn't all that scintillating, although she certainly adds to the oomph factor.
Bharath does his bit, while Prakashraj is largely his own self.
The production values are, naturally, excellent. Nirav Shah and Gnanasekaran's camera-work carries you through every frame with practiced ease; Anthony's editing works in certain phases, but the lagging parts don't seem to be his problem, but the script's.
Yuvan's music shines in the Vaanam song, a soothing, tear-jerking melody, more than Evandi Unnai Pethan, which is largely a showcase for STR's image.
Krish's story has a lot of plus, and some good performances going for it. If you ignore the minor lapses, you've got a reasonably engaging story, and a moving climax.
Rediff Rating: 
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