“The next three months were like an Ilayaraja song. No, they were like a guitar song” says Surya and he breaks into the number Adiye Kolluthey, probably south cinema’s first guitar punk number. It’s a treat to watch. Foot tapping music, extremely handsome Surya, Sameera Reddy with heart-misses-a-beat looks and San Francisco locales make it one of the best romantic songs in the recent times. And at the same time you might get into the opinion that Vaaranam Aayiram is a treat to watch. In a way, it is. But, you got to have a different mindset. Do not expect another Indian romantic entertainer. Biographical films like Forest Gump are quite popular in the west. Indian Cinema had a tryst with this genre in Guru, Nayakan and some other films dramatising them to some extent. Surya and Gautam Menon now tried this genre.
Gautam Menon has a clear idea as to what he wants to present on screen right from the plot to the visuals and he got a great actor in Surya to portray different shades. I have to say that Surya redefines acting with the portrayal of different characters as a teenager, student, guy in his twenties, lover, drug addict, doting father and a suffering patient. This movie makes it clear beyond doubt that he is one of the greatest actors in our country right now. The movie starts with the death of Krishnan. The news was informed to Surya who is on a mission to rescue an abducted journalist. He insists on continuing on the mission. On the way, the memories of his childhood and how his father influenced him to become a man he is now comes back to him one after the other.
One interesting aspect that really surprised me is the fantastic team the movie has got. The movie is shot to perfection. Harris Jayaraj goes back to his fundamentals and comes up with a brilliant score. All the songs are a treat to listen and watch on screen. The background score is also good. Harris uses guitar and other string instruments to portray the role played by music in the lives of both the father and son. The surprise pack of the movie is Sameera Reddy. You cannot stop falling love with the intelligent damsel portrayed by her. Unlike her other movies I watched, she is beautiful. We have to say that this is the first time she got a chance to show her acting abilities. Simran and Divya also impress.
I watched the Tamil version of the movie at Greater Union Cinemas in Sydney. Unlike Telugu audience, I observe Tamils have an interactive approach to watching a movie. As the movie progresses, audience would be airing their comments, reviews and responses loudly. Others would respond with laughs, shouts, claps and sometimes with counter arguments. When the drug addict Surya dances to a song with lot of drum beats, a young guy appeared from no where in front of the screen and displayed his dancing prowess to the audience for the same song. They audience encouraged him by clapping their hands rhythmically to his steps. He again disappeared after few moments.
Overall, I have to say that Varanam Aayiram is a technical master-piece and I am eager to see Tollywood producing its own Surya. The movie might not appeal to a large section of the audience as they normally come to a movie to have a few laughs and a jig.
Tail Piece: Gautam Menon’s next is with Mahesh Babu. Rumoured to be produced jointly by Indira Productions and Warner Bros (you heard it right) music is by A R Rehman. If every thing goes well it might see the light of the day only in 2010.
Gautam Menon has a clear idea as to what he wants to present on screen right from the plot to the visuals and he got a great actor in Surya to portray different shades. I have to say that Surya redefines acting with the portrayal of different characters as a teenager, student, guy in his twenties, lover, drug addict, doting father and a suffering patient. This movie makes it clear beyond doubt that he is one of the greatest actors in our country right now. The movie starts with the death of Krishnan. The news was informed to Surya who is on a mission to rescue an abducted journalist. He insists on continuing on the mission. On the way, the memories of his childhood and how his father influenced him to become a man he is now comes back to him one after the other.
One interesting aspect that really surprised me is the fantastic team the movie has got. The movie is shot to perfection. Harris Jayaraj goes back to his fundamentals and comes up with a brilliant score. All the songs are a treat to listen and watch on screen. The background score is also good. Harris uses guitar and other string instruments to portray the role played by music in the lives of both the father and son. The surprise pack of the movie is Sameera Reddy. You cannot stop falling love with the intelligent damsel portrayed by her. Unlike her other movies I watched, she is beautiful. We have to say that this is the first time she got a chance to show her acting abilities. Simran and Divya also impress.
I watched the Tamil version of the movie at Greater Union Cinemas in Sydney. Unlike Telugu audience, I observe Tamils have an interactive approach to watching a movie. As the movie progresses, audience would be airing their comments, reviews and responses loudly. Others would respond with laughs, shouts, claps and sometimes with counter arguments. When the drug addict Surya dances to a song with lot of drum beats, a young guy appeared from no where in front of the screen and displayed his dancing prowess to the audience for the same song. They audience encouraged him by clapping their hands rhythmically to his steps. He again disappeared after few moments.
Overall, I have to say that Varanam Aayiram is a technical master-piece and I am eager to see Tollywood producing its own Surya. The movie might not appeal to a large section of the audience as they normally come to a movie to have a few laughs and a jig.
Tail Piece: Gautam Menon’s next is with Mahesh Babu. Rumoured to be produced jointly by Indira Productions and Warner Bros (you heard it right) music is by A R Rehman. If every thing goes well it might see the light of the day only in 2010.
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