It’s been a really long time
since I reviewed a movie. This time, I’m back – with Vanakkam Chennai, starring
Mirchi Siva, Priya Anand and Santhanam.
The story at a glance...
Ajay (Siva) is an MSC gold
medallist (I know what you’re thinking, lol) from Theni. He gets a successful
job in Chennai and moves there after renting an apartment. Anjali (Priya Anand)
is an aspiring photographer from London who wants to come to India, Chennai
especially to capture the colourful shades of the country through her lens. She
reaches Chennai and hires a cab from the airport back home. It turns out Anjali
and Ajay got duped by the crook Narayana (Santhanam), the guy who acted as the
house owner and leased the place illegally to both of them. They go to the
police to try and find a way out of the situation but due to various factors,
they end up sharing the apartment posing as husband and wife to their
neighbours and friends. As fate would have it, the hero falls for the girl. But
there is one problem. Yes, you are right. The London maapillai, as always! How
Ajay captures Anjali’s heart with the help of Narayana is the rest of the
movie!
The screenplay is highly
predictable, as this formula has been shown on screen, a zillion times. This
time is no different except for the actors. But VC is not as boring as it is
predictable. There are enough good dialogs and songs to keep you hooked.
The love story is not overly
dramatic, or stupidly cinematic. It is believable. The leads don’t take one
look at each other and start singing duets in foreign location in the next shot.
Gradually, after spending enough time together, they realise their feelings for
each other. It also felt good to see some intelligent people on screen. But yeah,
it was almost funny that Siva was a gold medallist, it felt like a spoof in
itself! ;) And even though Anjali dangerously seemed to resemble the childish
and immature “Ha ha Hasini” at times, she seemed to know her business. They way
she took on the crude cab driver was not only commercially valid (there was
raucous applause as he switched songs), it also showed that the heroine is not
always a damsel in distress. She is quite capable of taking care of herself.
The songs were fresh and peppy and beautiful
to the eyes. Priya Anand looked stunning in whatever she wore. I, personally,
loved the choreography of “Oh pennae”. The illusion-based song was very new and
lovely to watch. “Osaka Osaka” was beautiful, with the plush green scenery all
around. But I was in splits watching Siva dance for the number. I mean
seriously, it was Udhayanidhi stalin’s “Venam machan venam” all over again! Siva’s
usual poker-faced dialog delivery was hilarious at places, like the injury
caused by an aeroplane wing (the way he so seriously tells it... haha!) and the
sequence at the pawn shop. Santhanam struts into the movie with his usual slapstick
one-liners. But I loved the scenes in which he shows the bridal prospects’
photos to Siva and the horror movie sequence – “Ellarum pei kaga dhan waiting”
I could understand that Siva has
done his best to put his comedian cap aside, but one look at his face and you
can’t help laughing out loud, especially in all the “serious” scenes. It felt
like a spoof of romantic movies! It was sure refreshing to see a traditional
mother from Theni, not questioning her son when he brings a half-clad girl home
without warning. I mean I welcome such kind of broad-mindedness but let’s get
real here! Also, why should there always be a London maapillai? We know he is
not gonna get the girl... that part was just too cliché. Veteran actors like
Nasser, Manobala and Oorvashi could have been given more screen space. It just
seemed unnecessary to cast an actor like Nasser in a role not lasting even 3
full minutes. The story seemed too
familiar at places, resembling especially “What happens in Vegas” and “Azhagiya
theeye”. Even some scenes were copied like the place where they both dump each
other’s clothes alternatively. (Remember Rachel moving out of Monica’s
apartment in “F.R.I.E.N.D.S”?).
Even though logic took a serious
hit at many places, VC was a fresh, pleasant and funny movie that’s surely
worth a watch. It’s been a long time since we saw a light-hearted romantic
comedy and I would recommend you all to take a chance with VC. You’ll probably
exit the theatre humming “Oh pennae”.
There are some movies that you
can sit and analyse and criticize and list all the things that went wrong. And there
are movies like Vanakkam Chennai. Don’t think, just watch!
