Reviews : Movie Reviews : Vaadu Veedu

Film: Vaadu Veedu
Cast: Vishal, Arya, Madhu Shalini, Janani Iyer, Ambika, Prabha, Surya (in guest appearance), G M Kumar, Vignesh, and others
Dialogues: Shashank Vennelakanti
Music: Yuvan Shankar Raja
Lyrics: Chandrabose, Ananta Sriram, Vennelakanti
Cinematography: Arthur Wilson
Editing: Suresh Urs
Produced by: Vikram Krishna
Directed by: Bala
Release date: June 17, 2011
CBFC Rating: U/A

What's it about!
A petty thief Dhandaal Swamy (Arya) and his half-brother Walter (Vishal) don't gel well with each other, in fact, they are always at each other's throat. But both of them have high regard towards an erstwhile Jamindar Highness (G M Kumar). Squint-eyed Walter aspires to become an artiste and does stage plays and road shows to fulfill his artistic thirst. He develops soft corner towards a lady constable Baby (Janani Iyer) and while Dhandaal Swamy falls for the charms of a student (Madhu Shalini). One day, Highness stops a cattle smuggler (RK) and calls the police. That cattle smuggler takes revenge which leads into a bloody climax.

Analysis

Vaadu Veedu is supposedly comedy film from the director of Bala, the master behind the cult classic Shiva Putrudu (Pitamagan), who is known for making movies with dark subjects. Not leaving his penchant for focusing on disenfranchised characters, he has tried to make light entertainer but failed on that front. Major flaw of the movie is that it has no script, no conflict to sustain whatever the flimsy plot line the director chose. Till interval the movie virtually doesn't move anywhere except lead characters enjoying themselves, making fun of other characters, scolding each other, enjoying liquor, having soliloquy. The movie really begins to hold interest when the aspect of cattle smuggling is thrown in but it ends in just 20 minutes there after by not properly exploring the subject either.

Moreover, the film is completely rooted in a remote area in Tamilnadu with its unique culture of the marginalized people, so the jokes/dialogues are too hard to digest for Telugu audiences.

Vaadu Veedu completely banks on the performances of lead actors and they give their best. The title suggests that the movie is about two lead actors, but entire focus is on just one character - Vishal's and he gets big boost with this film as an actor.

Camerawork, director bringing out the cultural aspects of downtrodden people and extracting good performances are positive points but the movie, on the whole, is a big bore.

Performances

There is no logic behind why Vishal ought to behave in the way he acted in the film but the star has taken up the challenge to perform well. This is first ever film in his career where he actually did perform so well. With squint eyes, dressing up like a woman, talking filthy dialogues, and rustic languages, he has proved that he actually can act such a challenging character. So the movie is like a show reel for him.

Arya plays the second fiddle and has weak characterization. Among other actors, beedi-smoking Amibka, earthy Prabha have come up with best performances. The guy who played the role of Highness actually gets his time in the climax to emote and he does well. In a brief role, the villain RK is good.

Both the heroines have little role but of them Janani Iyer steals the show, our Telugu girl Madhu Shalini is wasted.

The film is filled with street language and liberal dose of filthy dialogues are used. Why does women need zip to their pants, asks one of the hero to the heroine. And Vishal's mother Ambika asks should they do dosa's with his sh**? It is surprising to see that Censor Board didn't object to such dialogues written by Shashank Vennelakanti.

Music has always been major strength to Bala's films but this movie has failed on that front too. Yuvan Shanka Raja fails to mach his father maestro Ilayaraja's work in Bala's earlier films. Arthur Wilson's camera work is excellent. Director Bala once again proves that he can extract good performances from any actor but as a storyteller, he fails to impress this time.

Bottom-line

Vaadu Veedu induces nothing but boredom as nothing really happens in the movie. Just banking on actor's antics, the director has tried to run the film but except the good performances, it offers nothing to appreciate.

Rating: 2/5

Reviewed by JP

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