In spite of other big releases, producer Aascar Ravichandran managed to get bigger and more screens across Tamil Nadu and other areas for his Diwali release ‘Velayutham’. Released on October 25, the film has lived up to the expectations of not just Vijay fans, but has attracted the family audiences.
With a longer weekend still going on, the theatre owners and exhibitors have demanded for additional prints of the film. Across the states of Kerala and Karnataka, the fans circle for Vijay has increased than the usual limits. The repeat audiences in Kerala are rushing into the theatres to watch it again and again.
Well, it’s worth mentioning that Kerala audiences have welcomed even his films like ‘Sura’ and ‘Velayutham’ has become a huge hit over there.
Ilayathalapathy Vijay has thanked his fans for extending their support and making the film successful.
And Magic it was. Ra.One shows reflections of several movies but it is mainly inspired by Terminator 2- Judgement Day. It has also taken few pointers from Iron Man(The core design), Astro Boy(the blue core red core), Endhiran(few shots) etc. And still, the film stands on its own merits which is the biggest plus for the movie and the director Anubhav Sinha.
Sekar Subramanium, a genius game developer's desperate attempt to impress his son leads him to create a game where the villain Ra.One is more powerful than the hero. At the same time, his company is working on a program to remove the wall that separates the virtual world from the real. Ra.One utilizes this program to come to life and all hell breaks loose!
He wants to kill the only person who has beaten him in the game. Who is this one man? Is it Shahrukh? Can Shahrukh vanquish the super villain? To know the answer you will have to wait for at least a week to see it in the theatres, if you haven't booked your tickets already.
The director did not have an impressive track record even though he has given 2 hits. But even those have got mainly average to bad reviews. After his last debacle ’Cash’ no one expected him to come out with a project of such magnitude, especially with Shahrukh Khan. But this time around, he has completely impressed with his direction. The movie is aimed at children and young adults while ensuring that even the elders can enjoy. So you will have to expect some kiddish scenes too.
The movie has no problem with the pacing as it is consistently fast. The Climax however could have been more impressive. The characterization of Ra.One could have been made more evil and terrorizing to heighten the tension and make the film gripping. The mystery as to what he would do next could have kept the audience at the edge of their seats. Ra.one’s ability to control human brain seemed too far fetched and could have been avoided.
Shahrukh does struggle with his Tamil, but is exceptional as Sekar and brilliant as G-One. His performance as a human and a virtual superhuman proves his prowess as an actor. Kareena has evolved wonderfully as an actor. She sizzles on screen especially in the world famous ‘Chhamak Chhallo’ track. She looks beautiful and delivers her role with élan showing how competent an actor she is. Armaan Verma is a delight to watch as Sekar’s kid. Arjun Rampal enters the scene in the second half and plays a menacing Ra.One quite well. The special appearances by Sanjay dutt and Priyanka Chopra are ok. The much talked about Chitti's (Rajnikant in Endhiran) appearance could have been much much better. However, Rajni’s appearance on screen received screams and cheering which reached maddening levels. The rest of the cast have little to do and they do impress.
Technically, Ra.One is by far India’s biggest and most expensive by the look of it. Cinematography by V. Manigandan is a feast to the eyes and the action swquences alone are shot by the legendry - Nicolo Pecorrini which has come out brilliantly. The animation and graphics compare to the best of Hollywood. The film actually leaves you wondering as to what is graphics and what is real. While it is good in the first half, the graphics is taken to an all new level in the second half. This film has clearly set a very high bar for computer graphics in Indian film Industry. The action sequences are impeccable. Whether it is the car chase sequence, G-One's introduction, Train sequence or the climax, the execution is of international level. Sabu Cyril's art direction should be lauded as the ace art director makes every single set picture perfect. Which is real? Which is a set? Which is graphics? You never know. Did you think the train involved in the pre-climax action scene was a real train? Well, think again. Music has already received rave reviews especially with 'Dil dara', Akon’s 'criminal' and 'chamak chalo' have caught on like wild fire. The picturisation elevates the song experience.
Overall it is s a paisa vasool. Take your kids and family for this event film and become a kid and enjoy the fun. Technically the movie does touch international standards but doesnt boast of an exceptional or unique storyline to impress international junta but its a Indian film which every Indian should be proud off. Expect every record in the record book re-written.
Verdict: Blockbuster of epic proportion
Well, everyone knows the answer to that, at least partially. Yes, anyone who follows Tamil cinema would have searched up the name Bodhidharman at least once on the internet over the past month. The team of 7 Aum Arivu digs into history to introduce us to this iconic (in China) Pallava prince who is claimed to be the founder or one of the first masters of Shaolin Kung Fu. The film takes off from the 5th century Pallava kingdom as the prince Bodhidharma, acclaimed for his proficiency in all arts, crafts, armoury and medicine, leaves for China. We are told about how he became a legend in China, spreading his immense knowledge to help them out of many a crisis.
But, the main plot brings us to present day Chennai. A young scientist looking to do some ground breaking research realizes that her work might be getting in the way of someone else’s plan and an unsuspecting simpleton who is a circus artiste by profession also unwittingly becomes part of this. And then, there is a deadly agent who has motives that are much bigger than just science or research. Behind all this is a huge conspiracy. What is the conspiracy and why is a scientist being hounded and what does a simple circus artiste have to do with all of this? Watch 7 Aum Arivu to find out.
The first few minutes of 7 Aum Arivu are magnificent in every sense of word. Be it the majesty of the Pallava kingdom, the authenticity of a period that dates 1600 years back or the aristocracy of Suriya as the Pallava prince, every frame holds all your attention. So, does the brief but powerful sequence in China. The reason behind Bodhidharma becoming an iconic figure for all the Chinese is effectively shown. Of course, we can see that the director is burdened by a very large account of Bodhidharma’s life (almost something of epic proportions) which have to be summed up in a 20 minute capsule. Therefore, he resorts to generous doses of voice overs which give a kind of semi-documentary effect to that particular portion. That, however, does not prevent the initial 20 minutes of the film from arresting your attention.
Cut to the present and that is where 7 Aum Arivu starts to show the first signs of tiredness. For a film that began with so much power and majesty, the script wears down the effect and makes it another entertainer with a couple of poorly placed songs and a romance track that seems to have little substance in it. You could get restless as you search for the central plot which, you are told at the beginning, is about some international conspiracy. Just when you believe that the plot is taking centre stage, there comes another song, further letting down the tempo of the first half. It is only at the fag end of a laborious 100 minutes that you are convinced that the central plot has finally arrived. You would think that the second half had to be a full throttle journey. That’s what the director has wanted, yes. But, here, Murugadoss hasn’t been able to pull it off with the success he is usually known for. Things do get interesting as more details about the conspiracy are revealed. The initial portions promise a race to the climax. Shortening the fight sequences could have helped the cause. Though the machinations of the conspiracy and the moves to counter it are intelligent, some aspects rob the entire script from being completely credible. One of these is the amount of powers that the lead antagonist is shown to possess; it borders on the realm of the unbelievable and when he exercises them constantly, scene after scene, it becomes a test of the patience of the viewer. Also, the director has taken generous scientific liberties in constructing his script. Nothing wrong with that, science fiction is a welcome addition to Indian cinema. But, once a scientific track is adopted, it must be seen through to the end. Instead, the script abandons the scientific credibility towards the fag end to give way to a commercial climax action sequence.
But, the film is not all about these flaws. There are strong bright spots which tilts the balance. With an impeccable body language as the stately prince and the ascetic monk, Suriya has turned in a committed and spirited performance yet again. He sure has put in a lot of hard work to get those Kung Fu moves right. Shruthi Haasan may not impress phenomenally with her Tamil debut, but she sure has acting in here genes! And, coincidentally, the film also deals with how abilities are carried forth through generations by genes. Johnny Tri Nguyen looks every bit the terminator, cold and lethal. Murugadoss has raised some very relevant messages through his movie. Some are spelt out clearly at various points in the film and the others are implied. These messages are sure ‘take homes’ for everyone. Also, the research he has undertaken to bring to light a person called Bodhidharma is truly praiseworthy; he has resurrected a piece of history.
7 Aum Arivu has some very strong technical aspects. The cinematography remains top notch throughout, you can see that every frame was carefully constructed, especially in the initial 20 minutes or so. Same can be said about the art too. The visual effects also are a treat to watch, except for a few instances in a fight sequence right in the heart of the city. Also congrats to the team for capturing so many shots in different spots of the city with originality. Harris Jeyaraj’s tunes have already delighted you, but do not expect the same in the movie as the songs have been placed at very unfortunate points in the script. Finally, the editing of the film could and should have been crisper; at a duration of above 3 hours, 7 Aum Arivu is a long drawn affair.
7 Aum Arivu which starts of majestically with support of a superior technical crew would have reigned supremacy, only if had not dwelled too much on insignificant romance, not pushing in 2-3 songs too many and leaving the entire central plot for the second half.
Verdict: Technical finesse catering to commercial compulsions.
Velayudham is seen in many ways as a comeback to triumphant ways for Vijay. Yes, Kaavalan was a respite, but it is Velayudham that will more or less decide whether the tried and tested formula that have been followed for Vijay starrers for almost a decade can still hold the audience.
Lets make things clear first, Velayudham holds no surprises in the premise or the central conflict. It is not only something that is seen in a large percentage of commercial entertainers, it is also along lines that are very similar to quite a few earlier Vijay films. But, Vijay films have always been about his presence making things much more exciting than they appear to be in the script.
Velayudham deals with ‘one man saving the society from evil forces’ premise. Yes, we have seen it many times before. Here, the story is about how and why the man rises, how Velu becomes Velayudham. Once he has risen there is no looking back as he hunts down one bad man after the other, but that also earns him enemies who are nothing short of bloodsucking vampires. How does that affect his personal life and how he puts an end to what he began?
As you might guess, the seat of action is Chennai, cinema’s chosen city to portray all corrupt people in Tamil Nadu and the messiah is one who arrives from the village knowing nothing about the notoriety of the big bad city. Of course, he soon finds out and decides that it is better to react than be subdued. And, there is a generous dose of brother-sister sentiment thrown in.
Déjà vu anyone! Well, don’t mind that because Raja has woven a script that makes you forget all this and concentrate only on the screen. The first half is really a joyride, especially for Vijay fans as he is introduced as the fun loving, mischievous young man who will go to any lengths to make his sister (Saranya Mohan) happy. Vijay is an absolute livewire, be it in the electric dance sequences or the enjoyable comic exchanges, first involving Parotta Suri and M.S.Bhaskar and later with the extremely effective Santhanam. Of course, the director has not failed to keep pushing the central plot ahead steadily to leave the interval intriguingly poised. The second half arrives with more of action than anything else. Yes, there is place for a bit of romance and also some cleverly placed comedy sequences late into the half, but on the whole action does dominate. Again, as we have seen repeatedly with commercial films, it is the overdose of the action element, especially projecting the hero as an unassailable superhuman that makes viewing a bit difficult. Velayudham too falls prey to the same errors, though not to the irrecoverable extent that many other movies have fallen. Raja intersperses high octane action with a couple of well placed songs (Molachu Moonu and Rathathin Ratham) and a very sentimental pre-climax portion to keep the audience from feeling action weary. But, the dominant feeling as the end credits start to roll is that a racy and intelligent climax (not that the one now is non-inttelligent) instead of the hero’s mass appeal and a preachy message would have made the movie much better.
Raja has done a fine job of mixing all the elements that go towards making a mass hero film, though he has lost the balance a bit in the last hour. His adeptness at placing comedy, romance, sentiment and the mandatory 5 songs into a script that has an alter-ego(istic) superhero should be commended. Nothing looks out of place, as we enjoy Santhanam’s wisecracks, Vijay’s dances and the brother-sister sequences. It is a while since we have seen Vijay excel in an emotionally heavy scene, Raja gets it out of the actor, in Velayudham. Also, placing 5 songs in a movie with none of them sticking out like a sore thumb is quite an achievement; though we should say that Vijay’s presence is a major factor in ensuring this.
Everyone in front of the camera has done a fine job. Vijay is sprightly, energetic and every bit the way we love to see him. He has experimented a bit with his look in the songs and they have come out well. Hansika is there in many scenes, but for most parts is a silent spectator, being called upon once in a while, mostly for glamour. She does not look out of place as a village girl, but the makers’ claim that she would remind us of Khushboo is an overstatement. Genelia gets quite a significant part and looks convincing. A laugh is guaranteed every time Santhanam is on screen. Saranya Mohan too deserves a round of applause for being good enough to make the audience feel the depth of the siblings’ bond.
During most of the talkie portions, the camera strictly adheres to the requirements. Some well shot scenes within a train are worth mentioning. But, it is in the songs that the lens turns on the magic. At least a couple of them are visual treats. The capture of landscape for Molachu Moonu is delectable. Action too has been designed well. Though the movie is of the superhero type, the fights have not been taken to those levels; keeping them down to plausible levels (by commercial cinema standards). Dialogues too deliver the occasional punch and there is one particular reference to the rather benign ways of India.
Velayudham is a regular commercial entertainer which shows one man rising for the masses to right the wrongs in society. Yes, we have seen this kind of movie many times. But, a deftly written script keeps us engaged on screen for most parts until Raja gives into the temptations of adding extra mass appeal to a film that is already built around it. There are many scenes that instantly remind us of films seen earlier, but Viijay’s presence makes up for these glitches. There are also a few instances where the dialogues have political overtones (or are we imagining things, given the nature of the season). If the director had steered clear of these elements and concentrated on building a solid last hour which did not rely too heavily on the leading man’s charisma to carry it off, Velayudham would have been an even better end product.
Verdict: Regular mass entertainer spiced up by Vijay.
Gautham Menon is currently busy with the direction of his trilingual venture Nee Thanae En Ponvasantham with Jeeva and Samantha in the leads in the Tamil Version.
The film will have Nani and Aditya Roy Kapoor in the Telugu and Hindi versions respectively while Samantha is the heroine in all versions.
Next to this, Gautham is planning to begin the shoot of his next film with Ilayathalapathy Vijay in the lead. Titled as Yohan Athiyayam Ondru, Vijay will be seen as international agent in the film. The film will be produced under Gautham Menon’s Photon Kathaas Productions.
Speaking about the film, Gautham Menon said, “Vijay and I were planning to team up from long time and finally it worked now. It’s an international film with an international theme. Vijay dons the role of international agent.”
Rahman is scoring the tunes for the film.
