Vedalam [2015 : Tamil : Drama (Action) : 2h30m]
Written & Directed by Siva
Ganesh, the Big Brother of Thamizh, gets into trouble when he volunteers to help the law. A chauffeur de taxi by profession, Ganesh becomes an informant to the police which does not go well with cartels involved in various illegal trafficking. Ganesh enters into a Vampire Phase to become the succubus shadow of the villainous brothers when they launch an attack to detach the only attachment of Ganesh, his sister Thamizh.
Siva-Ajith combo extends and they mark their stay with the film Vedalam. A perfectly reciped film presented by the sucessful combo, efficiently furnishing the movie with contrasts to their earlier film Veeram. Veeram is based on a rural community, while Vedalam goes urban. And the Director rules over the various quarters of city life, right from lavishing yachts to bourgeoisie to low orders, esp. pulling out an absolute command over commonalty. Somewhere in the middle of ACT 2, Vedalam jumps-in from nowhere singing an awesome Chandrababu classic. The beauty of the scene is the lip sync done around a modern enviornment, while the original version of the song is playing. The previous scene indicates a caputred Vampire in a dark cell room. Contradicting to Vedalam, Ganesh is sentimental. Vedalam, on the other hand, has no time for emotions. He takes life with what all his strides can provide him with, and Ganesh finds life within his sister Tamizh. Siva uses a bundle of tricks to enforce the attitude of Vedalam, which is the major highlight of the film. The way the differences are registered through an introduction of Ganesh - the common man, proceeding with Vedalam - the wanted man, ensures the continuance.
The characters are finely edged and are mingled with each other. Interesting suituations shed light over the characters. Vedalam simply does not care to care atall. He is put in a suituation where he expriences for the fist time something alien inside him - feelings. When he encounters Thamizh's Family, he takes advantage of their suituation, but the family uses him without his consent as their saviour. Such a turn in suituation sends worms inside Vedalam's head. These qualities of the character is well designed and creates an impact when Vedalam just scratches his head. Vedalam finally accepts the incompatibity, realising that Thamizh family are not disease but a cure called Love, and this affectional virus kills the Vedalam allowing the Godly Ganesh to enter into the world.
Another sensitive element is the name of the Character - Ganesh. Ofcoarse it easy to relate Ganesh to Big Brother, but what is hidden inside in the physical form of Ganesh - A human body with a Vedalam 'Thala' (read Brawny & Brainy). To add to all other fabulous indications in the film, the best part is the attitude of Ganesh and Vedalam, and when the variations merges, it produces a spark that alights the screen.
A still from the Film Vedalam, Ganesh - The Man within the Beast
Morover, Siva churns contrasting characters and allow them to roll side by side. Taking the sibling front , one faction has quarelling Swetha (Sruthi) and Arjun (Ashwin) while Tamizh (Lakshmi Menon) and Ganesh are nick-names to fondness and affection. The blocs form an allaience just like opposite poles reaction. Similar lines are drawn between the personalities of the parents/elders. And the crème de la crème - Ganesh & Vedalam - they both are who they are not. This split characteration has been a forte of Siva as his previous movies deal with similar categories - in Veram, Vinayagam is a Soft-Hard person, and same can be noted in Siruthai between Rocket Raja and Rathnavel.
In his earlier films, notably, Siruthai and Veeram, Siva had brought out situational humour - Racket Raja and Kaatu Poochi in the former, the Vinayagam Brothers with thier advocate Bail Peruma in the latter. In Vedalam, the laughter bomb is thrown by two distinct players, Swetha (Miss Hassan going comical for the first time in her carrier) & Laxmidas (Soori). Laxmidas, who is a hybrid of malapropism, is the boss of Ganesh. He does not get into suitutaions, but the suituations get him. Code Named Vengence, he teams up with Swetha, who seems to have the same nemesis - Ganesh. The Writer sets up such a platform to give a variety of comedy that occur at every needed part of the film, well assisted by other artist - Mayilswamy, Bala Saravanan & Swaminathan. Special mention to Rajendran as "Kolkata" Kaali, who is indeed a Beautiful Man. Also, you have characters with positive names like 'Papa' and 'Kuzhandai'.
The screenplay is taut. While addressing screenplay, the motive of the film should be accounted for. Vedalam is not about Cartel Brothers versus Vedalam. The film respects its concept of relationship and the love that blossoms out of it. The Cartel Brothers are just indicators that are used to mount the movie along the entertainment graph. Even so, Siva registers the search & destroy wonderfully during the 'Mike Sequence', where the hunter is the one who is being hunted. The events should be matched with the challenge Vedalam does on the yacht. The fluctuation between action and drama makes Vedalam succinct.
When several emotions are clearly mounted by the artists in various suituations that cannot be missed as its quite obvious that when they cry they have tears raining out of their eyes, its the action blocks which amplifies Vedalam. Silva (stunt coordinator) is absolutely brilliant in thematically churning the action sequences. The Panthom takes its energy from the dark, the Vampire runs over the wall above its kill, the Devil jumps on its prey and finally Vedalam kills by sucking the bullet from the henchman who were killed by its own hands a moment ago. During the gun blazing, Vetri (cinematograper) & his team go for an arc shot, and while Vedalam is running around the corridor, Vetri uses tilt-shift lenses which enhances the capture, that crisply comes out from the Ruben's (editor) cutting table. The sense of filming amoung the directorial team is excellent.
Moreover, (for those interested), during the same 'Mike Sequence', when Vedalam enters the terrace cabin, he hunts down the henchman with thier own weapons. This particular portion must have been shot with a high-speed digital video camera capturing a sequential series of images at very high frame rates. This chunk stands alone.
'Theri Theme' is a unique composition that gets visibly noticed. Its modern and makes a great impact along with the visuals. The aggressivity in the sound construction is carried forward to the images. The theme enters only about 4 times in the 150 minutes runtime of Vedalam and it turns harrowing to poignant before reaching the 'Dance of Death' climax (ref. Procession of the Goddess Kali, October 1841 original painting of L.H. de Rudder). During its first occurance, the Theri Theme blazes the screen giving a new dimension to the unfolding action series. While watching this particular block, it looks more like a 'Dance of Vedalam' and sports a strikingly different regard, esp. when Vedalam walks across the cruiser. Such an impression is due to the fact that the sequence was developed for the "Theri Theme". 'The Super Scene on the Superyatch' sees Vedalam shifting himself by awakening his muscles, and the next occurence of the Theme is while Vedalam charges in with a bleeding mouth that resembles a Vampire Tooth, later it punctuates the casual Vedalam walking roaring with his fingers and finally when Vedalam is lying on the floor all beaten up. Whatever be the suituation, the Theri Theme puts back the mood in, the main role of any Theme Music. Talking about role, the responsibility activates the luminaire on the artist who enacts the character Vedhalam, Ajith Kumar.
Watch Vedalam to gift yourself with an excellent movie watching experience.
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