Film: Vendru Varuvaan
Director: Vijendran
Cast: Veera Bharati, Sameera, Elizabeth, Rajarani Pandyan
When a debutant director is at the helm and freshers in the cast and in the technical crew, one is prepared for an amateurish insipid fare. But Vendru Varuvaan turns out to be better than what one had expected. Vijendran in his first effort has crafted a screenplay that is fairly neat and even refreshing at moments. He has moved his narration with assurance, the characters too fairly well fleshed out. It’s in the moments leading to the climax that the director seems to faulter, the narration turning melodramatic and lacking conviction.
The film opens on a thriller note. Where Varman a rustic accused of eight murders and a rape is awarded the death penalty. With his whole village testifying against him, Varman had nothing to tell in his defense. A journalist who wanted to interview him and is greeted with stoic silence, decides to go to Varman’s village and find out the truth. The opening scenes generate suspense and curiosity. The film goes to Varman’s back story and we get to know of how Varman came to be in the situation he was in. Varman’s deep bonding with his mother, a blind singer; his thawing towards Senbagam who refusing to believe the villager’s stories about him had openly expressed her love for him; his angst against the village landlord and his errant son; and his taking to alcoholism are scenes that have a natural flow.
Debutant Veera Bharati with his rugged unkempt look fits in well. The actor efficiently portrays the much abused and misunderstood Varman who holds a lot of angst in his heart. Necessary support is provided by Elizabeth as his mother and Pandyan as the landlord.
The landlord-cop nexus and of how Varman’s tormentors manipulate situations and turn the tables on him is brought out well. Interesting is the scenario where avariciousness goads a man to kill his own benefactor. The interlinking of the plot to some transgenders who had been staying in the village, is a smart touch.
The songs are melodious and integrated well with the plot. It’s towards the closing scenes where Varman expresses his last wish before the hanging, that the director resorts to emotional manipulation of the audience. The scenes are not just heavily melodramatic, but totally unconvincing.
Apart from the glitches, Vendru Varuvaan could have done with more polish and style in its treatment. A promising work of a debutant maker, the film delivers much more than what one would have expected from a team of freshers.