Vinnaith Thaandi Varuvaaya – My take…

165 minutes of my time and hundred rupees of my earning was really worth the movie? This is the thought lingered on my mind while I come out of the cinema hall last evening. “It is a feel good movie, I have not seen the heroine in the movie but my real self you have done well, Karthik” this is how Jessi ( Trisha ) comments to Karthik ( Silambarasan ) about his maiden directorial venture. Whether the same thing could be said on the real movie (VTV)? I caught in a dilemma as the feelings or mixed and I felt something or some link is missing in the whole episode and especially in climactic scheme of things. By the way I don’t know who told Gowtham vasudev menon, tamil cinema audience always looking and started accepting for an end with a twist and difference. Sorry Mr Menon, We still love happy endings.

The film opens with a wedding ceremony where Jessi is getting married to Abraham and Karthik her lover watching from the back drop as an unsolicited invitee that takes us to inevitable flash back sequence. Karthik a mechanical engineer with an ambition of making it big in tinsel town aspiring to become a film director. It is love at first sight for him when he met Jessi daughter of his house owner a system analyst. Things go real fast when he declares his love for her in their first meeting itself and meant it. Jessi who seems clearly disturbed by this overt proposal just seems, but took the bait and fall for it too. But as like all the movies takes her sweet time to concede to the fact and returning the favour of loving karthik who is strangely one year younger than her. Things took their natural course of change in action as Jessis’ father a staunch Christian disapprove the love and vowed to wed his girl only to a Christian not to an assistant director or director in making also happens to be a hindu.

Things are blooming lovingly between Karthik and jessy and it is strange they talk more about separation than union in all their romantic meetings. Clearly the boy is at ease in his approach by his overtures and girl is at ease in her approach of negation.

But nothing will change as the boy and girl meets, and fall in love, resolved to change their parents mind sets and convince them. As like so many movies Jessi got a rowdy brother who predictably notices first about the tryst between the lead pair involved in a brawl with no marks for guessing who won it when hero informed us he was a trained boxer before the fight scene starts. The usual feud between the families resulted in a hastily arranged wedding to Jessi, where the dejected looking Karthik lovingly look at Jessy still nursing hope of a miracle that will stop the wedding. Miracle did happen as Jessi informed the Priest of the church that she is not interested in marriage and needed time. While she leave the church she invited the invitees for the wedding to join lunch at her home and take it as a treat for her passing MCA. What would you describe that funny, insult or a gesture? - Interval

When the brother and family members found Karthik among the crowd they mobbed him and took necessary action to present him to police custody. The stubborn Jessi promised her parents she will not speak, see and continue the relationship with Karthik provided he was released immediately. Next thing she realized that she was madly in love with him and longed to see him one last time for the nth time. There he was waiting at the windows for his one last time to see her.

The things happened after were at hectic pace, fight, love, fight, more love, and finally a separation. When finally karthik was informed Jessi got married and went to US, he has became an assistant director decided to use his own life as a story for his maiden directorial venture titled JESSI (again no marks for guessing). When the shooting crew landed at US for their shoot you know what will happen. Yes. He meet jessi the first thing, sit for a chat and expressed his love for Jessi is still alive and harbour some hope of getting her back in his life. The one good clear scene scores above the rest where the lead pair got their priorities and acting skills intact.

All worlds turned colorful at least for Karthik ( not for us ) when Jessi declares she is not married and just tried to avoid becoming a hurdle for Karthik’s ambition, and not hurting the sentiments of her father she left India and settling in US. Without wasting a minute Karthik proposed to Jessi and she happily agrees. One good song in which the wedding took place in a temple at America and all began well ends well, then comes the twist in the climax which will surely leave the viewers in a state of confusion, disbelief, and so much of emotions.

Performance wise this is one of the good one for silambarasan who tried very hard not to raise the voice and anger in his eyes as the character demanded such softness. He somehow manages that. But it is strange his aspiration to become a film director took a back seat after he falls in love with jessy and his aspiration took a new dimension just seeking an opportune moment to hug and kiss Jessi. The determination, hard work, and perseverance required to fufil an ambition is totally missing. But watch silambarasan in a soft act and you may not get another chance to see him like this except the maniratnam’s next film for which he is being tipped to be a male lead.

Trisha played her role with effortless ease as the role demands nothing extra ordinary but to look beautiful in casual costumes, toned down make up. She is ravishing and adds color to the screen for sure. Performance wise she still has a long way to go as she got only few stock expressions to deliver.

Technically the film looks awesome with A.R. Rehmans’ numbers are picturised magnificently in lush locals of kerala, new york and Jerusalem or turkey? (Photography by Manoj Paramahamsa ). With a lovely lead pair Gowtham could have done better by chiseling out some songs, unwarranted and mismatched the situations. Scenes jumping from Chennai to kottayam to New york to Chennai with alarming frequency viewers gasp for their breath when the end credits rolls. Beware Mr Gowtham at least a chunk of audience would have left their seats when the final song begins predicting their own conclusions about the movie and will be surprised if they come to know about the climax. But the damage done is done.

It is a movie best suited for multiplex audience,minus two songs who will enjoy the THANGLISH ( Tamil + English ) and relate themselves to the characters. For others I still recommend to go and watch it for its technical finesse, mellowed performance of the lead pair and not to forget the character of Dinesh ( friend, philosopher and guide of Silambarasan) for his comic relief.

No expectations. No Disappointments. Mr. Gowtham we expect something better next time as you got another bankable star at your disposal who badly in need of a hit than anyone else - Ajith.