Film: Yaavum Vasappadum
Director: Pudhiyavan Rasaiah
Cast: Vijith, Bala, Dhilmika, Vaibhavi, Ramesh
In recent times, there has been a steady flow of Tamil films (like the handful of Malaysian-Tamil films released) made by groups of foreign-based Tamils. A passion for Tamil films and the language has brought them together. But unfortunately, most of these films seem like poor cousins of their Tamil counterparts, as the makers try to emulate Tamil films in vain. This time, the cast and many of the technicians hail from places like London, Canada and France. Yaavum Vasappadum, completely shot in London, centres on a kidnapping that goes awry. A wealthy man’s daughter is kidnapped and held hostage in a dingy room. The kidnappers, a team of two (Vijith, Bala) working for a crime lord, promise to return the girl once the ransom is paid. The movie is about the changing relationships among the characters as they wait for the money. The film is directed by London-based Puthiyavan Rasaiah, who had earlier directed the Tamil film Mann. The pace is slow for a thriller, the screenplay meanders and the thrill-factor is missing. There is lack of clarity in the screenplay, which has many loose ends. The twists and turns are hardly convincing. Nearly all the characters, at one point or the other, claim that the kidnapping idea was their brainchild — a confusing scenario. As the narration progresses, new information is let out by each character, which seems more like an after thought.
The final fight-out is a long drawn out affair. The performances are amateurish and the dialogue delivery is laboured. A couple of actors like Bala and Vijith try to be natural, but it’s a lost cause. With most of the action confined to a room, the ‘foreign location’ factor is not exploited. One can understand the enthusiasm of the team to make a film in Tamil and showcase it here. But enthusiasm and passion alone cannot guarantee a good film. The team should have done their homework before venturing into an unknown territory.