Vaanam (2011)

Whats it about
This movie comprises 5 short stories with all of them getting connected at a particular point and then meeting their respective endings.
Story 1: Cable Raja is a happy go lucky low class guy who falls in love with a very rich girl, posing as a rich guy. How he is after 40000/- to take his girl to the richest new year party is this story's plot. He has his friend, mama and granny to help him.
Story 2: A Muslim brother is looking for his long lost younger brother in Chennai. He later comes to know that his younger brother is involved in terrorism.
Story 3: A prostitute escapes from her brothel along with her trans-gender makeup assistant and they are off to Chennai to start their own business. But they get caught up with the police for an earlier notoriety.
Story 4: A rock-star is off to Chennai along with his troupe and girl friend for their first rock show. How this selfish guy realizes the value of life and helps others in need is this story's focus point.
Story 5: A mother and her father in law are off to Chennai to trade the mother's kidney and get the money that they owe to a money lender and redeem their son's education and future.
       All the characters meet in the climax at the hospital and they are all trapped by a set of Muslim terrorists. What the 2 lead men do to save the big crowd at the hospital is the culmination of this movie.

                                                                   
Hits

• Yuvan is as usual brilliant. The Vaanam title track appears at so very apt points of the movie and it brings tears in the eyes in the climax. 'Evan di Unna Pethan', 'No Money No Honey', 'Who Am I' have all been picturized well. Sadly 'Cable Raja' just comes in the background during STR''s intro scenes. Yuvan's BGM varies between good and brilliant. 
• Silambarasan makes a huge impact. Initially he is his breezy self but later he realizes life's value and repents for his act of stealing money. Top class emoting from STR
• All the others actors are very much adequate. Bharath is uber cool in his looks. Anushka is absolutely sexy and has a lot of oomph factor, particularly her height and shape. New face Jasmine glows and resembles Katrina Kaif in certain angles and is absolutely chubby, cherubic and cute. She too has got the oomph factor, particularly her bust. Prakash Raj sparkles at places. Saranya and the old man really look and play the part. The trans-gender also impresses. 
• Santhanam and Ganesh take care of the laughs along with STR and there are many nice moments during STR's attempts to get the 40000/- 
• The dialogs are really meaningful at places and make an impression. 
• Great attempt by the director Krish to take a rarely tried out concept 

Misses

• The Muslim terrorist angle is getting too clichéd. Krish should have avoided this in an otherwise fresh movie
• The climax melodrama is needless and sticks out sorely
• The bomb farce in the climax could have been avoided too

VERDICT

A very good movie that could have become a rainbow in the Tamil cine sky, with a more toned down climax. Anyway KUDOS to the entire team for giving us Vaanam. 

Thoonga Nagaram (2011)

What’s it about

The tale of 4 friends, Kannan, Maari, Aiyyavu and Rajamani, who come from different backgrounds and meet and develop their friendship in Madurai, the Thoonganagaram. They have their fun and also the small misunderstandings and are thick friends. Kannan is in love with his childhood neighbor Radha and is ready to marry her after some opposition from his family due to an old conflict.

        The 4 friends get into trouble with one of Madurai’s bigwigs when they expose the bigwig’s son who is into voyeuristic pleasures at his clothing outlet. In a drunken state, Kannan and his friends come to know of this atrocity from one of the affected parties and they go and attack the bigwig’s son, ultimately blinding him. The bigwig is obviously pissed off and orders his men to nab the 4 and kill Kannan in particular.

        The 4 friends leave Madurai and go back to their home towns to save their lives. The bad men slowly come to know of these 4 through Maari, the mute guy. Kannan’s 3 friends are threatened and are forced to kill Kannan to save their families. Everyone assembles for Kannan’s marriage with Radha and there the 4 friends plan to clear the mess and execute it to perfection. All is well in the end.

                                                                     

Hits

• Very good songs by Sundar C Babu
• The initial half an hour or so is really lively.
• Fairly interesting though it could have been crisper
• All the lead actors have done a fair job of what is expected from them.

Misses

• The climax is quite implausible and the 4 friends have their way so easily.
• The main villain is very bland. A better choice was needed.

VERDICT

Fairly good show by the debut director cum actor Gaurav. An average movie that starts promisingly but could have been more crisp and taut.