After a long time, I had an strong urge to watch a movie in theatre. Biased after reading a positive review for Vaagai Sooda Vaa, I zeroed in for the film. A quick check into the Raaki Cinemas site surprisingly confirmed there are enough tickets available for the film. Since most of the crowd was drawn towards Engeyum Eppodhum and Vedi, MiniRaaki had only some 50-60 viewers in a seating capacity of around 300. One advantage in that was I could peacefully see the film, except bearing some nuisance from a Vellamal college gang.So, herez my review of the film in my standard review template...
Abstract - Backdrop set in 1966, the film is all about Vimal, a PUC passout and teacher training completed youth waiting for a "Sarkar" job to fulfil his fathers ambition goes to educate students in a remote village temporarily to gain an experience certificate, that could speed up getting his government teacher job. How he gains the village attention and his encounter with the village head who keeps the villagers illiterate forms the crux.
Plus -
1. Backdrop - Period movies are real tough to make, since each and every minute component have to reflect that old time. Any single instance or object from current period could make us realize we are seeing a movie. In that term, Vaagai Soodava is simply superb. Since the backdrop is a pottal area where bricks are made with some 20-30 houses, the movie didnt have much scope to showcase old time items. But whatever displayed - let it be either the Benz-Leyland lorry or the tea-shop or the costume of Vimal - director has taken immense care in shaping up the movie.
2. Camerawork - Excellent camera work. Opening scene where the complete village is shown and when the villagers gather during the death of that village mystic. Keeps the right ambience throughout the film.
3. Music - New music director it seems. But doesnt sound like that. A couple of songs were pleasant to hear and the bgm was nice. It keeps the movie steady running. Good thing is that the music was kept below the dialogue decible.
4. Comedy - Throughout the movie, comedy is kept at right sense. Vimal in the hands of innocent village children and their teasing, keeps the movie full. I can hear good laughing sound for many scenes in the movie. A classic comedy is when Vimal writes a letter to his father stating the "issues" he is facing in the village.
5. Village Kids - Most of the show is run by few kids. First half is full of their comedy and second half with centiment scenes. In few scenes, we feel the over-acting, but many go well within the story
6. Iniya [heroine] - This was actually my first plus point - but just thought will reserve for the last. A Bharathiraja movie type heroine. Good that Sargunam did not choose a Tapsi or Hansika type heroine for this movie. Iniya, like her name looks very sweet. Though not bearing a top-class look, she fits the movie aptly. Like a Radha for mudhal mariyadhai, she is for this movie. Throughout the movie, she steals the show. In few scenes, her expressions are very impressive. Especially when she hears the "Naan pesa nenaipadhellam" song for the first time and expects Vimal to understand her (or) the way she proposes to Vimal in an innocent way (or) her expressions after she sees Vimal returning back to Village.. shez an village angel... Worth watching the movie once for her alone.Minus -
1. Storyline - I was really in a dilemma whether to say the story as plus or minus, but I had to put this in minus only for very few points. Overall the screenplay was excellent and the crux of the movie was nice, but I felt it incomplete in certain way. Few things i observed.
a. No logic in Vimal seeing Ponvannan as villian right from the beginning. Why did Vimal not meet the village head after he comes to village?
b. Ponvannan's role is not completed. He goes out of the village with a revenge. Is that all? What will these villagers do futher? Will they join the opponent party?
c. Climax - As usual, climax just like that ends with Vimal taking a decision to stay back in the village, even after losing his current Grama Seva and sarkar job. How will these villagers take care of him? I felt it should have end with some strong justification, rather just ending abruptly.
2. Vimal Voice - After hearing Vimals "nakkal" and easy slang in Kalavani and Pasanga, his slang here doesnt fit the movie in certain scenes, especially where he speaks with Bhagyaraj when taking his final decision sounds more like drama dialogue delivery.
3. Vimals acting - Very nice, excepts he acts too "vellandhi" in certain scenes. Watch out for the scene, where he eats the vilangaai given by the village kids and later claiming as poisonous fruit. He overacts. Even Bhagyaraj overacted during the opening scene where he speaks a leeeghty dialogue justifying his ambition for making his son a Sarkar servant. Also heroine overacts in few scenes
4. Cinematic Scenes - Claiming this as "yedhartha" movie, few scenes could have been avoided that follow the tradition cinema template. a. Bhagyaraj speaking lengthy dialogue to Vimal in the opening scene - Is that for Vimal or audience? Should that be crisp and short like how a normal father speaks to his son?
b. Murungakka scene - Though Bhagyaraj is known for this murungakka, should that be impressed here as well? that too when setting the plot for 1966? Pure cinema stuff.
c. After being beaten to death by village head's baddies, he comes back clean-shaven in the next scene. Even during last scene, he was shown wearing a bandage on his leg before leaving the village. But once he comes back and steps in to the clay, his leg was fine. Sargunam can write a book on how to heal a wound in 24hrs.
d. Village kids centiment scenes when Vimal leaves the village. Its very cinematic thing stuffed to move the movie towards climax.
5. Music - Though i mentioned this in positive, there is a certain amount of negative as well. Songs are not village or 1966 type, and this is a very big drawback. Just costumes alone cannot drag the audience to its ambiance. Except Illayaraja, I cant think of anyone who can do such magic with music. Mudhal Mariyadhai songs are legendary lessons.
Overall - Vaagai Soodavaa is nice to watch once for Sargunam and once more for Iniya. Since it started a very natural movie and stepped into a village, my mind kind-of started comparing it to Mudhal Mariyadhai. After 2.3hrs, i felt that this movie is no match to the legend. But, keeping apart comparison, its good to watch a period movie after a long time. Especially Vimal and Iniya scenes are real cool to watch. Go for it, once.
My Rating - 3/5
