VARISU (2023)

Critic No. 306

Director: Vamshi Paidipally

Written by: Vamshi Paidipally, Hari, Ashishor Solomon, Vivek

Produced by: Sri Venkateswara Creations, PVP Cinema

Casts: Vijay, R Sarathkumar, Prakash Raj, Shaam, Srikanth, Yogi Babu, Rashmika Mandanna, Jayasudha, Sangeetha Krish, Samyuktha

Music: Thaman S

Language: Tamil

Genre: Action, Drama

SYNOPSIS: 

The prodigal son (Vijay) of a business tycoon (R Sarathkumar) agrees to take over the reins of the business, but can he prove himself to be a worthy successor with danger and jealousy lurking around him?

REVIEW:

From the very first promotions of ‘Varisu’ many have guessed that the film will have familiar tropes of Telugu family dramas and even 90s Tamil films that audiences used to love for its portrayal of intricate family relationships. However, after the trailer was released, many were quite skeptical that the film might go into a heavy melodramatic region without a new treatment. However, for me, it was neither here nor there. And that is not a bad thing actually. 

The trailer in fact captured or summarized the plot quite well and the film exactly is what we see in the trailer. ‘Varisu’ has typical family sentiment scenes, heir race, punch dialogues, exotic hero intro shots and Vijay’s ever admirable dance sequences. This template might sound old on paper, but Vijay’s energy keeps us invested in the film together with or course the tons of veterans and star cast who are in the film. 

Vijay is super comfortable in comic scenes and I hope that he does a full fledged comedy film in future. Sarathkumar and Shaam shine among the star cast ensemble while Prakash Raj, surprisingly disappoints with a poorly written character. Raashmika literally comes in for 2 or 3 scenes that play as a lead to songs. Vamshi plays safe and moves each scene in a very predictable way till one can actually guess the next plot line before it moves to the next scene. The stakes and the emotions doesn’t really move you due to this heavy predictability. 

The mother-son relationship seems superficial, while the brothers’ tussle to take over a multi-crore business seems trivial. However, the comic relief from Yogi Babu does lift the film’s engagement graph well while the love story with Rashmika seems to be going nowhere. The second half does feel much better but the campaigning scene with many film references, though gains many whistles from fans, feels like a rehash of a similar scene in Ala Vaikunthapurramuloo (2020). I just wished Vivek’s dialogue could have been more inventive than being too preachy about family relationships.  

Thaman’s score sounds similar to his previous Telugu films while the songs though doesn’t move the narrative, excites due to colourful sets and Karthik Palani’s vibrant cinematography. The art direction of Sunil Babu ensure that the richness of the characters are well represented, especially the gorgeous looking classy house where most of the drama happens. 

Despite many flaws, the film is very much conscious of what kind of film it wants to be and who it is targeting. Vijay continues to shine in his comfort zone and he utters in one scene, “there’s fight, dance, romance. It’s a story that families will celebrate” - I hope it does!

VERDICT:

‘Varisu’ is another rehash of many tried and tested plotlines of the 90s Indian cinema that is heavily lifted by Vijay’s charisma that keeps us fairly engaged throughout.

CELLULOID METER- 3/5: