VETTAIYAN – MOVIE REVIEW

Vettaiyan is an action drama film directed by T. J. Gnanavel and produced by Subaskaran Allirajah’s Lyca Productions. This comes close on the heels of the monstrous hit Rajinikanth delivered in “JAILER”.

T.J. Gnanavel joins hands with Rajinikanth in this film that raised many eyebrows when announced, especially among the fans, bringing them back not-so-fond memories of Kabali and Kaala. However, the duo, in their repeated PR activities, maintained that this film would be a commercial one that would have a strong message, as you would expect from the coterie of directors that T.J. Gnanavel belongs to. So, no surprises when the film pays an ode to the fraud (Macaulay). That is quickly forgotten with the sensational hit “Manasillayo” song that rocks the screen. The narration meanders aimlessly for a while before it gets back on track and keeps the ante up until the interval. The first half passes muster. The second half is where the problems begin. Here, the film neither becomes a T.J. film nor a Rajini film. The screenplay is all over the place in this confusion as the film starts to get as predictable as it can be. The much-expected Amitabh-Rajini confrontation turns out to be a damp squib. There is not much humor in it, except when Faahad Fasil arrives. The climax is another regular that doesn’t impress.

Despite a star-studded cast, Gnanavel fails miserably with the screenplay. He could have taken a few lessons from Nelson’s Jailer. Rajinikanth delivers an inconsistent performance, while Faahad Fasil lights up the screen every time he appears, torn between portraying his natural self and adhering to the director’s vision. Amitabh exudes his signature dignity, but Manju Warrier has little to do. Dushara is solid, and Ritika Singh stands out with a meaty role. Rana, however, comes across as mechanical.

Kathir’s cinematography is excellent, but it’s Anirudh who truly steals the show with his scintillating background score, keeping the audience engaged throughout the film. If anyone in Tamil cinema deserves the much-hyped 100-crore mark and beyond, it’s this music director, who has consistently revived otherwise lackluster films. The songs also add to the film’s hype. Editing is passable, the dialogues are decent, and the direction remains average.

Gnanavel has used Rajinikanth as a vehicle to deliver his message, but ironically, it turns into a rickety journey.

VETTAIYAN ends up as an average entertainer !!

VETTAIYAN – VEDAM !!

2.5/5

B.U.Shreesha