And Simran, as Malini, fits her role to the hilt.
Sameera Reddy is buxom, full of life and creates a pang in your heart. Divya Spandana earns your respect with her sober demeanour. This one is clearly is magnum opus among the films he's done so far.
In every instance, he's subtly altered his body language, the expression in his eyes, the indefinable something that marks the difference between a father and son - and even in the various stages of a son's life, he's managed to alter himself. But when he appears on screen as six-pack moulded Major, the whistles hit the roof. For those who thought a thirty-something could never go back to being a 17-year old, here's a newsflash: with his paltry moustache and perky enthusiasm, Surya's perfect.Īs a love-struck young man who falls flat on his face for Sameera Reddy, he's adorable. As a drug addict faced with life's greatest trials, he's marvellous.
Years roll, and there appears Surya, their son - who moves through life, experiencing the same kind of love with Meghna (Sameera Reddy ) - and Priya (Divya Spandana). The moment they set eyes on each other, they know that their fate is bound sealed. Gautham Menon has crafted a moving story, calculated to describe in the minutest details the story of an ideal father: Krishnan is a merry, strong individual who sweeps Malini off her feet (the Mundhinam Parthene song sequence is a rollicking riot from the 70s, with even the old Spencer's Plaza painstakingly re-created digitally). 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.Exclusive! Suriya on Vaaranam Aayiram, Ghajnini Hit music in all the seven songs by Harris Jayaraj provides the icing to the cake.ĭirector Gautham Menon has exceeded himself in creativity, extracting great work from his cast. The cinematography by Rathnavel is excellent as he matches the digitally superimposed visuals with live images. The time difference between father and son is also shown with painstaking digital detail. Playing men of different ages and times, Surya makes subtle changes in his gait, body language and dialogue delivery, thereby creating different shades to his two roles. While it first describes the love between the father and his wife in the 1970s, it also beautifully portrays the son's love life many years later.Īfter a love affair in Chennai, the protagonist head to the US, where he sweeps the fashionable and chic Sameera Reddy off her feet. The story recalls the touching moments in a family that has only love for each of its members - comprising father, mother (played by Simran) son and his girlfriends (Sameera Reddy and Divya Spandana) spread between India and the US. The 33-year-old Surya even sends the audience into complete disbelief looking every inch a 17-year-old for a brief while in the film. Surya plays a wizened old man, Krishnan, in the autumn of his life and a strapping army major with aplomb.
The tale is about a goody-goody relationship between father and son. The actor strides through it with his double role, giving a scintillating performance. 'Vaaranam Aayiram', which means 'a thousand elephants' in Tamil, is a Surya film all the way. Film: 'Vaaranam Aayiram' Director: Gowtham Menon Cast: Surya, Simran, Divya Spandana, Sameera Reddy Music: Harris Jayaraj Rating: ***