205. Vantha Rajavathaan Varuven; movie review

VANDHA RAJAVATHAAN VARUVEN
Cert 12A
154 mins

BBFC advice: Contains moderate violence, injury detail

And it went on and on and on....
It appears to me that the longer an Indian movie drags out, the poorer its quality is likely to be.
Certainly, that is the case with Vandha Rajavathaan Varuven, a movie which should embarrass its controversial star Silambarasan.
In my view, this is a mess of a picture. It is supposedly a comedy but its gags fall flat, there are song and dance interludes but they are woefully stiff and the action looks horribly fake.
What's more, the storyline is all over the place.
It begins straightforwardly enough with an elderly rich businessman (Nassar) who is based in Madrid and wishes to reconcile with his long-estranged daughter (Ramya Krishnan).

He regrets expelling her because she married against his wishes and his grandson (Silambarasan) promises that he will bring her back on his 80th birthday.
This is easier said than done but he hopes to get on her side after he gets a job as her family's driver.
Meanwhile, Krishnan's character has two daughters (Megha Akash and Catherine Tresa) whose beauty distract him from his task.
On the face of it, this could have been a fairly interesting vehicle for Silambarasan, giving his character a range of romance, action and pathos.
If only the film held its line. Instead, it wanders into slapstick comedy with well-known Tamil clown Yogi Babu entering the fray.
Babu becomes a punchbag for the rest of the cast while leering over young women who are embarrassingly far out of his league.
This strand isn't remotely funny and is horribly overplayed.
And don't get me on the movie's detail. Since when was Madrid next to the sea? And how does a man who only has two days to live suddenly chair a board meeting and then a family meal? etc etc etc...
Yes, Sundar C's movie is a chore rather than enjoyment.

Reasons to watch: If you are a dedicated Silambarasan fan
Reasons to avoid: It is lowest common denominator stuff

Laughs: None
Jumps: None
Vomit: None
Nudity: None
Overall rating: 3/10

Did you know? Silambarasan is a controversial figure in Tamil cinema. Indeed, he asked his fans not to waste their money on this film. In a sudden turn of events, he released a video in which he asked them to celebrate it like never before.

The final word. Silambarasan: "Since I have only a few fans I'm requesting my fans to do the following. Erect how many ever banners or cutouts you want to. You should celebrate the film like never before. This is what I expect from you all. Because I only have 2 to 3 fans right? So, if you do this, it won't be a big issue and nobody will question us.India Today

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