Vaaranam Aayiram

Once again Gautham Vasudev Menon has come up with a good movie. Varanam Ayiram was one of the most awaited movies in the tamil industry. I was expecting it sooo much because of the music. The music played a very important role in the movie. Though the movie was nothing out of the ordinary, it was made so because of the outstanding cast. Surya, Simran, Sameera Reddy, Divya Spandana have done a tremendous job. They have lived their characters. The surya and Sameera in the US is fabulous. She has exactly depicted an Indo American girl. The chemistry between Divya and Surya is very good. Overall, Surya is the show stealer, aided by all the other actors.

This is a different kind of film that has hit the theatres in the recent past. This film is almost a remake of the famous " FOREST GUMP ", released in early nineties which was a phenomenal hit. Surya after perazhagan has once again did a dual role which is worth praising. This film has beautifully expalined the great affection between a son and a father. He as a father acts casually and sticks to his role perfectly. The film starts with a high tempo with the father dying, but soon the the tempo changes and makes the time pass quickly. Love at the first sight is the concept of film. After the son falls in love with sameera, he goes to boston to persuade her to love him. After she falls in love there is a tragedy as she dies. From here on, the movie assumes reduced pace with Surya adapting all wrong habits including drugs. But the belief his parents had on him changes him back to normal. Meantime he does an adventure which is in no way connected to film. The film reverts to happy ending with Surya marrying his sister's friend and joins military.

Gautham Vasudev Menon is back with a film straight from the heart. The director, who believes in meaningful cinema, is trying to push the cinematic envelope with Vaaranam Aayiram. The film is clearly meant for niche audiences, and not for mass viewing. It is a tribute to the director’s dad, who passed away last year. The treatment and narration are purely autobiographical with most of it taken from real life incidents laced with cinematic liberties. In a nutshell, the film is personal and deals with the deep bonding between a loving and devoted father and his son who is trying to discover himself. Menon’s life story may be woefully long and meandering ( 2 hours 55 minutes) with a great first half, but post Interval, it lags. Still it works and grabs us where it matters and leaves a lump in your throat. The movie opens with an army officer Surya receiving the news of his dad’s death while on a mission. Flashback- Right from his birth, for Surya (Surya) his dad Krishnan (Surya), a middle-class central government employee is more of a friend and a role model than a disciplinarian father. He dotes on his dad more than his mom Malini (Simran) and sister Shriya, and they live a happy life. Surya is influenced by his dad’s stories of how he romanced his mother and won her. As Malini nostalgically tells him- “He just swept me off my feet”! Surya goes to an Engineering college in Tiruchi, after his father borrows money to pay his capitation fees, but ends up watching movies than attending classes. After his last semester exams, on the way back to Chennai he meets the beautiful Meghana (Sameera Reddy) on train and it is love at first sight. Being a guy who has never looked at a girl, he pulls out his guitar and sings En iniyia pon nilaave! Meghana and Surya are like chalk and cheese; she has graduated from the prestigious REC, Tiruchi a studious type and a topper who is going to do her MS at Berkley University in California! But somehow Surya who says he has been hit by a “thunderbolt” tells her-” I will come into your life and sweep you off your feet”. How his father sticks with him through thick and thin and helps him to attain his goal against all odds, forms rest of this bio pic. Gautham simply wrings you dry with his overplay of emotions in the father-son bonding. The climax is heart wrenching and heartwarming as Surya’s breakdown and tears roll down his cheek which looks real. The best part of the film is the first half, especially the wispy romance between Surya and Sameera Reddy, with the scene where Surya falls for her in the train is hilarious and romantic. And when Sameera says finally – “I’m in love”, with Surya playing around with a toy helicopter at Fort Point, which offers the best view of the Golden Bridge in San Francisco, the romance tugs at your heart. Only Gautham, a romantic can make such scenes work. Technically the film is state of art. Rajeevan’s art work captures the ethos and milieu of the 60’s feel in the beginning effectively. For a change Antony does not do any gimmicks, and you should understand that its not an easy job to edit an autobiographical. Ratnavel’s camera is eye-catching as it pans California, Dehradun, Delhi, Rameswaram and other locations and gives the film richness. Surya’s make-up, his six pack look and old man get-up is very good. The music of Harris Jayaraj is first rate and tangy, with meaningful lyrics of Thamarai. This is Harris- Gautham’s last film together

Now all the movies in Tamil is fully action oriented film and all of the actors are stuck with that one, this movie is for the persons who are tired watching those films. This is a visual treat for audience gave... Full review

Vaaranam Aayiram--itz Surya all the way...He roxx to the core....What a versatility he gave to the different phases of his character... As a teenager, lover, loser, commando, aged man his performance is top class...His body language and voice modulation all are... Full review

(This comment contains spoilers) Gautham is known to be a Distinctive director.we have seen his taut thrillers like khaka khaka and VV and now he is back with Vaaranam... The film is kind of like a tribute to the father and... Full review

'Vaaranam Aayiram' tells the story about the life journey of a son who is positively motivated by his father and how he goes through emotions like love,passion,success and failure and how he is driven to search for himself in this challenging... Full review

Vaaranam Aayiram is a movie with can relate with every audience. At least that was what promised by the marketing team. But I refuse to agree with that tag-line. It's not a very practical movie but it deals with some practical... Full review

may be many of your friends may say it is a good movie.....That is Even your good friend will lie ..... This movie is simply wasting the extraordinary potentials of Surya. He is crying so much for Sameera reddy death rather... Full review

I have never reviewed a film on IMDb before, but Varnam Ayiurm deserves some special recognition. I was absolute enthralled from beginning to end. Varanam Ayiurm is loosely based on Tom Hank's Forest Gump, as Surya travels the world and undertakes... Full review

Vaaranam Aayiram (DADY) Thank you for your Hard Work Guys Posted by Jaganathan on 25 Dec 2008 07:09 PM this film really very beautiful.....Comments A very lovely movie.The actor n actress has been chossed da best.n i love sameera reddy.....Posted by ganesh on 02 Jan 2009 11:03 AM it is very good movie.....the whole credit will goes to surya Posted by sara on 26 Jan 2009 06:24 PM Lovely lovely movie.......Never mind the length, the film is worth watching for all the efforts and dimensions portrayed..... ... Full Review

Supporting casts Simran as mother, Divya Spandana with the girl next-door looks, and Sameera Reddy with cool exuberance are equally effective and keep up the momentum. The film which takes off on a high note loses steam in the second half. ... Full Review

After a love affair in Chennai, the protagonist head to the US, where he sweeps the fashionable and chic Sameera Reddy off her feet. The over-sweet nature of the story and its lagging length in the second half are its minus points that pale into insignificance due to Surya's brilliant essay of the two roles and a moving climax. ... Full Review

Worst year for tamil movie industry. lets all thank director SORI MENON for making us to drink his shit.Sun tv style la sonna, VAARANAM AAYIRAM, orey VAANDHIEY VARUM Worst acting, worst direction. ... Full Review

It's a smart film which moves along logical lines. But what's really made the film buzz-worthy is the fact that the hit trio of Kaakha Kaakha is back - Gautham, Harris Jayaraj and Suriya. ... Full Review

Kamal Haasan and Suriya will share the Film Fans Association's Best Actor award for the year 2008. While Kamal will get the award for Dasavatharam, Suriya has been adjudged as the best actor for Vaaranam Aayiram. ... Full Article

His latest movie is releasing on Diwali, and there are promotional events to grace and interviews to give. He is also in the middle of a shoot for a new film-by the end of 2010, he will have completed two... ... Full Article

After the stupendous success of Vaaranam Aayiram, director Gautham Vasudev Menon has moved on to his next project Vinnai Thandi Varuvaya with Silambarasan and Trisha. ... Full Article

Finally, Udayanidhi Stalin of Red Giant Movies has confirmed the date of launching 'Aadhavan' audio. The film's audio was to be launched by eminent personalities from South Indian film industry on August 19 at Satyam Cinemas. ... Full Article

The music of Suriya starrer Aadhavan will be released on August 19. Directed by K.S. Ravikumar, the movie is produced by Udayanidhi Stalin's Red Giant Movies. ... Full Article

It was all termed to be a rumuor until Gowtham Menon himself confirmed about directing Vijay's film. Director Gowtham Menon laid his hand on 'resurgence of Tamil cinema' by making Hollywood-inclined led flicks. ... Full Article