This film is a massive, beautiful complexity!!!

deepakgnair

I'm really sleepy now but could not imagine going to sleep without writing a very brief review about "Vada Chennai" (North Chennai). The fourth film directed by Vetrimaaran. This year has been great for Tamil Cinema. Kolamaavu kokila, Chekka chivandha vaanam (okay type), '96, pariyerum perumaal, raatchasan and Vada Chennai.

When I watched Prem Kumar's debut film '96 two weeks ago, I felt that it would definitely play the role of a "reference film" for future directors planning on making a romantic film. For future/budding directors planning to make a gangster film this MUST be your reference. We've seen various gangster films in Tamil, but Vada Chennai is a class apart. This is a pure EPIC. Such a complex script and screenplay but at the same time understandable. If you're planning to watch this film (which I highly recommend), I suggest that you first watch the previous works of Vetrimaaran. This movie has the essence of "POLLADHAVAN" - an innocent lower-middle class young adult fighting gangsters who stole his bike, "AADUKALAM" - politics/war with a game as the base (carrom board in this one and cock-fight in the former), "VISAARANAI" - prison scenes. The film has such strong female characters who are not the typical female leads you see in a South Indian cinema. (Sorry feminists)

Songs were so apt and perfectly placed. Although Dhanush is an amazing dancer I was surprised that he did not dance in this film which he did in both the previous films of Vetrimaran. Dhanush really deserves appreciation for not wanting to add so much weight to the story (but of course that's what the script demanded). This movie's making has demanded a detailed research on the lives of people living in Northern Madras. Their culture, dialect ("Fowder" for powder, "flayer" for player, "ports" for sports, "tation" for station etc) etc captured on-screen so perfectly. Incidents such as the death of Rajiv Gandhi, death of MGR etc simply flows with the story. The last North Madras based film I enjoyed was "MADRAS" which was a great attempt as well. Don't think even a film maker with a North Madras Origin could make a movie as good as "Vada Chennai".

A particular scene reminded me of "Pudhupettai" as well which is one of my favorite Tamil gangster films. Some vintage scenes reminded me of "Kammattipaadam" with people in funny hairstyles and bell bottoms riding Yezdis. In this film Dhanush plays only ONE OF THE major parts. Samuthrakani, Ameer, Kishore, Andrea, Aishwarya Rajesh and Dhanush help Vetrimaaran hold this 2.45 hrs long film so brilliantly.

The reason I was looking forward to this one is the Vetrimaaran-Dhanush combo. I wouldn't be surprised if Dhanush or for that matter any of the actors win a National award once again for a Vetrimaaran's film (the previous one being Dhanush winning National award for the best actor for Aadukalam).

The film is rated "A" and of course I noticed that the families (husband, wife and teenage kids) dint enjoy as much as the bachelors. Who knows!!!

Eagerly waiting for the sequel which should be out in 2019. In the end I kept wondering "how daring Vetrimaaran is to even think of making a film as massive as Vada Chennai.
Another Vetrimaaran brilliance!!!! Dude only gets better and better every time.

score 9/10

deepakgnair 20 October 2018

Reprint: https://www.imdb.com/review/rw4408924/