Varisu Tamil Movie

Feature Film | 2023 | Action, Drama, Thriller | 2h 49min
Critics:
The movie suffers from a lack of engaging narrative and a drama-like character portrayal. None of the aspects worked out!
Jan 13, 2023 By Baranidharan Sivasankaran

Where To Watch:
Streaming:
   Amazon Prime    Sun NXT    Simply South

Cinematic sensibilities vary with different factors coming into play. The mindset with which one goes into a Vijay film is different from the one with a Kamal film or any else's movie. However, it all boils down to the engagement aspect of a movie.


How does the movie manage to hold the audience? Were the audiences 'connected' with the film for the good part of it? 'Thalapathy' Vijay had a great run until 'Beast' as his movies fulfilled all the above-mentioned aspects.


His 'star' image is still intact, and he makes sure that he does not budge an inch from the formulaic films where he does everything, from being good at heart to making men fly through the air. The biggest underlying aspect is the storyline that he would choose and the narrative style. E.g. In 'Master', where he was portrayed as a flawed professor, who is an alcoholic. His transformation for the good was so convincing and helped the narrative sail along.


In his latest, Varisu, the story is centered around a business tycoon father, Rajendran (Sarathkumar) who is in dire straits to choose his next heir (Varisu) between his three sons. Vijay plays the youngest. Vijay would be the chosen one and he would go about knocking down the detractors. The issues however in Varisu are multifold.


To start with, Vijay does not play his age. At a time when people are gravitating towards movies that feel closer to life, it was painful to see a star like Vijay running around with a wig that threatens to fall from the crown every time he fights!


The corporate world was made a mockery. Imagine executives dancing to the 'Vaathi Coming' tune during a board director's meeting. The final nail in the coffin was the melodrama that could give any mega serial worth it's salt a run for its money!


Though one could have a sense of relief with Vijay's attempt to choose a film that could appeal to family audiences, the narrative, and the milieu looks alien. Director Vamshi has missed the pulse of the Tamil audience. Even for the audiences across Andhra, this should have come across like peeping into a rich kid's penthouse.


Time and again, we are treated with Rolls Royce and Benz, men with blazers, scene after scene drenched in affluence that only director Shankar and his fans could be proud.


The main characters in the movie, be it Sarathkumar or Srikanth or Shaam, sleepwalk with the caricaturish portrayal. Though the lines were decent, the context and the acting made it look artificial. There were so many notable artists like SJ Suriya and Prabhu who were merely used as gap fillers. Jayasudha's role as the doting mother was another rhetorical portrayal.


As soon as the movie's trailer was released, the story was clear. The story neither had any twist nor turn. It just seemed like a spin-off from 'Suryavamsam' - the 90s family rollercoaster. 'Chinrasu' in Suryavamsam has been replaced by 'Vijay Rajendran' here. So, this movie is about an 'elite Chinraasu' on steroids!


The youngest son is hated by his father and brothers, but that son saves the skin of the family after successfully taking over as the boss. For Prakash Raj, it was another day at the office. Of course, his plans go astray, thanks to Vijay who manages to use his brawn more than his brain. Yes, there was Rashmika, who made her appearance now and then for songs. Yogi Babu, who made way for some lighter moments, did not get that chance too often.


Thaman's songs were strictly average. 'Ranjithame' was catchy and colorful. Other songs did not stay in my head. Fight sequences were illogical and typical of any Vijay movie of the past. Vijay's antics were a mixed bag of hits and misses. A few evoked some excitement from his fans, but most of the others fell right into the 'cringe zone'.


To sum it all up - I was able to get tickets for a 'Thalapathy Vijay' movie on the second day without breaking a sweat. The theatre remained silent for most of the movie. There were hardly any claps or whistles throughout the movie's course. Need I say more about how I liked the movie? Director Vamshi has missed the trick of dishing out a family entertainer. 'Kudumbangal Kondaadu Vetri' is an elusive goal for this damp squib of a movie!

Baranidharan Sivasankaran

   

MOVIE REVIEWS