Vaagai Sooda Vaa Review, Rating (3/5)

Starring: Vimal, Iniya, K Bhagyaraj, Ponvannan
Direction: A Sarkunam
Music: M Ghibran
Production: S Muruganandham, N Puranna

Rating:

Review: Vaagai Sooda Vaais outdated

Vaagai Sooda Vaa 'looks' good but doesn't capatalise on its strengths.

One of the best things about Village Theatres' Vaagai Sooda Vaa, the second film from director Sargunam who earlier gave us the marvellous Kalavani, is its cinematography.

Om Prakash's camera wanders all over an arid, parched landscape, rendering it in sepia tones, capturing the sharp, stark reality of a land and people who literally scrape clay for a livelihood.

Debutant art director Seenu (Sabu Cyril's erstwhile assistant) has simply gone to town with the huts, the props and everything that brings a struggling land to life.

M Ghibran, a welcome addition to Tamil cinema, provides some neat tunes as well, adding some much-needed flavour to the proceedings.

Vaagai Sooda Vaa also comes with a message -- simple and inspiring -- but of the kind that was in vogue around 40 years ago.

The film is set in 1966. The protagonist of the story, Veluthambi (Vimal), has just completed a teacher training course and is looking for work. His father Annamalai (K Bhagyaraj) insists that he do something that furthers his career, so Veluthambi sets out for a remote village, the poetically named Kandeduthaan Kadu, to educate its children for a monthly salary of Rs 30.
Veluthambi's efforts to teach the kids don't work. And there are powerful enemies: the local bigwig JP (Ponvannan) treats the whole village almost like his bonded labourers, and the last thing he wants is for them to be educated.

The set-up is neat, the lead characters mildly engaging, the jokes and old songs featuring veteran actress Saroja Devi are alluring. The build-up is slow, but you wait patently, hoping that it will lead to something extraordinary, a climax worthy of all the effort. It doesn't.

Vimal appears a little uncomfortable in his role as a 1960s teacher. His natural ebullience works in his favour a little, but at times, he looks puzzled, as though he's not quite sure how he's supposed to deliver his lines.

Iniya, who has acted in Yuddham Sei as Cheran's sister, is a welcome find. Shorn of make-up, she's natural, appealing, and very expressive.

Thambi Ramaiyya is his usual hilarious self; Ponvannan is menacing but appears for scant minutes, and there's no time for his character to develop. Ditto for K Bhagyaraj.

Despite the interesting milieu, the movie loses out on the most basic requirement: the story. The plot is wafer-thin, has been seen in countless melodramatic works from pre-MGR days, and gives you absolutely nothing new.

The screenplay barely moves and the influence of movies like Paruthiveeran is obvious. Dialogues are dull at times, and situations are over-explained.

Vaagai Sooda Vaa may have a few advantages going for it, but it hasn't really capitalised on these strengths. This one is no Kalavani.

Vaagai Sooda Vaa - Review 2

Carries strong message 
The Kalavani team is back. If it was a rural tale of a callous youth in Kalavani, Vaagai Sooda Vaa is a different film. It is a period flick with Vimal playing the lead and directed by Sargunam. With more new faces, it has enough to enthrall serious movie-goers.

Story


The movie is set in 1965 in a remote village near Pudukottai. It revolves around Veluthambi (Vimal), whose father Annamalai (K Bhagiyaraj) wants him to take up a government job. Before that he wants him to go and work as a teacher in a bricklin where many children are employed. Veluthambi is entrusted the job of teaching these children formal education.


Initially the students resist and their parents too doesn't want to send their children to study and rather prefer to make them work in bricklin. In the village there is Madhi (Iniya), innocent tea vendor, who provides food daily for Veluthambi. The elders in the village work for a greedy proprietor JP (Ponvannan) inbricklins. A sequence of events results in Veluthambi winning the hearts of the people and he insists that only education would bring sea change in the lives of children, who otherwise will have to toil like their parents. In the event, he incurs the wrath of JP. When all goes well, fate comes in the form of a government job for him. Madhi falls in love with him.


Now did Veluthambi accept the job and left the place or chose to think unconventionally and educate the children or not forms the climax.

Performance


It is an excellent performance by Vimal. He has been hitherto seen as a youth who is callous and never-care attitude in life. However in Vaagai Sooda Vaa is a different film for him. As an innocent teacher, he is right there giving his best. His exchanges with the children and sweet interactions with Iniya are a treat to watch. Watch out for Iniya. This young girl playing a rural belle is impressive. She is right there emoting well. At places she reminds one of yesteryear actress Shoba. Thambi Ramiah does his job exceedingly well. As Iniya's father in the village, he is tailor-made for the role. Ponnvannan and Thennavan excel on their part.
But watch out for a group of young innocent children. They are simply outstanding and natural and spontaneous in their expressions.


Technicalities


Due credit should go to Sargunam for thinking out of the box. It is a docu-drama well documented by Sargunam. But he has laced some lighter moments in the script, that works out well. If Om Prakash captures the innocence of the people in this period flick, three cheers should go to debutant Seenu for his exemplary art work that brings before our eyes 1960s. Natraj, who has designed costumes, too deserves a special mention.  Music by debutant Gibran is another strength. The songs add pep to the script and are picturised in a realistic manner.

Analysis


A well-conceived and well-made film. But it deserves patience and liking for such serious themes. Sargunam is clear about his priorities. He has not gone preachy anywhere, rather leaving audience to decide. He deserves applause for driving home the point that only education can bring a sea change in the society and educating a generation would bring more awareness. Vaagai Sooda Vaa will go down as a classic in Tamil cinema.

Ishtam: About (Vimal) Software Professionals

The upcoming film Ishtam marks the debut as heroine in Tamil films for Nisha Aggarwal. Younger sister of Kajal Aggarwal, Nisha debuts in the film opposite Vimal of Pasanga and Kalavaani fame. The film is the Tamil remake of the Telugu super-hit film Ae Maindhi Ee Vela directed by Sampath Nandhi.

Prem Nishar, who assisted director Chakri Taloti during the making of the Kamal-starrer Unnaipol Oruvan, debuts as director with this film which is cinematographed by Sekar Joseph, who has worked in films like Chandramukhi. Music is taken care of by Thaman while dance sequences are choreographed by Kanlyan.
Balaji Real Media, which produced Dhanush-starrer Uthamaputhiran, is producing Ishtam which reportedly deals with how the software professionals' working culture changes their lifestyles altogether. For the first time, Vimal moves to a city-based subject and is paired opposite debutant Nisha. Santhanam is also there to provide comic relief.

The pretty-looking Nisha, who is as beautiful as her famous sister, has put in a very good performance, says Prem. "As Nisha played the heroine's role in the Telugu version, we have cast her in the Tamil version too. She has also performed some intimate scenes with Vimal in the film, which won't be bordering on obscenity," concludes Prem.

Anjali to romance Vimal or RJ Shiva in Sundar C's next

The film, which is yet to be titled, sees Vimal and RJ Shiva in the lead. Touted to be a laugh riot from Sundar C, who will be directing this film, more of the film's cast is being revealed. Sources in the know have revealed that Anjali has confirmed a role in this film.

The actress is receiving excellent reviews for her role in the recently released 'Engaeyum Eppothum' which is having a good run at the box office.

While it is not sure whose heroine Anjali will be playing, some sources in the know say she will be play Vimal's girl in the movie. The lead heroes Vimal and Shiva are known for their timing in comedy and this film will sure hit the bull's eye and be a rib tickling comic caper, what with Sundar C films giving a lot of prominence to comedy in all his films.

This film will be produced by Kushboo Sundar's home productions Avini Cine Max.

The hunt for the other heroine is still on. Sources close to the director reveal that they are trying to rope in Piaa Bajpai for the role. Piaa did an adorable role in KV Anand's 'Ko' and the actress has even fetched an offer in a Bollywood project. Will she be able to give her dates to this Sundar C film? We will just have to wait and watch.

An official announcement about this film is on the cards, when the top brass including the director and the lead stars involved in the film will be present. Meanwhile, Vimal is getting ready for his upcoming film 'Vaagai Sooda Vaa' a period drama set in the 1960s which is all set to hit theatres on September 30.

Vimal's shyness to lip lock with Nisha Agarwal

 Ishtam is a film which has Vimal and Nisha Agarwal in the lead roles. Nisha Agarwal is the sister of Kajal Agarwal. Prem Nisaar is directing this film. Balaji Real Media is producing this film.

Santhanam is donning the role of a comedian. Major portions of the shooting are over. Recently the shooting of the film took place in the hilly terrain of Tirusulam near Chennai. Intimate romantic sequences between Vimal and Nisha were being shot there.

The sequence was that Vimal was supposed to kiss Nisha in her lips sitting in a car. Vimal was reluctant initially to do this sequence but somehow the director convinced him. But still Vimal was a bit shy. So Nisha told him, "When I am ready, why are you feeling shy. Act without any inhibition." Because of this Vimal had agreed.

When this sequence was being shot the car started moving towards a five hundred deep valley. Seeing this, the crew got startled and managed to stop the car saving the actors from a great disaster.

RJ Shiva joins Vimal for Sundar C's next

 Vimal and RJ Shiva might get together to do a multi-starrer with director Sundar C! The film is said to be an out and out commercial entertainer and is expected to go on floors by the end of 2011.

Sundar C, a multi-faceted personality who juggles between acting and direction will be making his next as a commercial and laugh riot with Vimal and RJ Shiva playing the lead roles. Budding actresses such as Bindhu Madhavi of 'Veppam' fame and Piaa Bajpai of 'Ko' are being eyed on for the heroine slot.

The film will be produced by Khushboo Sundar's Avini Cine Max and an official announcement will be made once the cast and crew are zeroed upon by Sundar and his better half.

Commercial laugh riots and Shiva go hand in hand, with having roped him and Vimal, Sundar is sure to strike the chord!

Sundar C to direct Vimal & re-launch Vadivelu?

He was a popular director with some big hits behind his name before he started donning the greasepaint. He is Sundar C, who it is said would wield the megaphone again, as his passion is always to make movies.

"Sundar, who is keen at directing a film again and has started working on it. Vimal may play the lead role in the light-hearted entertainer which would go on floors soon," say sources.

Buzz is that Sundar would re-launch Vadivelu's career in this film, as he is responsible for taking the comedian to great heights by offering him some of the memorable roles. However, an official confirmation is yet to be made.

Remember the director is a specialist in humour and his films 'Ullathai Alli Tha', 'Mettukudi', 'Arunachalam', 'Unakkaga Ellam Unakaga' and 'Winner' stand testimony to it.