Film: Vennila Veedu
Director: Vetrimahalingam
Cast: Senthil Kumar, Vijayalakshmi, Sirundha
It’s about how a married couple’s blissful life turns topsy turvy after an unfortunate incident. Written and directed by Vetrimahalingam (aka Vetriveeran of ‘Arumbu Meesai Kurumbu Paarvai’), Vennila Veedu is watchable in parts. But as a whole it leaves much to be desired.
Thenmozhi leads a blissful life with husband Karthik and their little daughter Vennila. ‘This is Vennila Veedu, a budgeted house’ — is her cheerful refrain. The domestic scenes between the couple have a natural feel, with both Senthil and Vijayalakshmi striking the right chord. Thenmozhi develops friendship with a new neighbour Ilavarasi (Sirundha from the Malayalam screen fits the part). The latter, the pampered daughter of a loan shark, has everything one can desire. The life of the couple takes a turn when Thenmozhi borrows an expensive necklace from Ilavarasi to wear for a function. The director seems to have taken some inspiration from Guy de Maupassant’s short story The Necklace. However, the whole irony of the situation is missing here. The necklace is snatched away by a biker in a badly worked out scene. The father-daughter refuse to buy the story of the couple, insisting that they pay the price of the necklace.
Thenmozhi is characterised as this sober, mature and understanding woman. So, it seems against her grain when she suddenly expresses a desire to borrow an expensive jewellery from her new found friend. There are too many cuts to the past. Some of them are brief, irrelevant ones that only bar the smooth flow of the narration. The second half slackens.
The whole episode of misusing cyber-space for personal vendetta and money, seems out of sync and an unwanted addition. The ending too could have been crafted better.
A more realistic and a sensitive approach, could have helped to make Vennila Veedu an engaging watch.