Varalaru

Cast: Ajit, Asin, Kanika, Ramesh Kanna, Suman Shetty
Language: Tamil
Banner: NIC arts
Director: K S. Ravikumar
Producer: Chakravarthy
Story: K S. Ravikumar
Screenplay: K S. Ravikumar
Dialogue: K S. Ravikumar
Music: A.R. Rahman
Year: 2006

Ajit has been off the radars for some time now. And perhaps to compensate it all, he hogs all the limelight in triple variations in Varalaru. Varalaru is all Ajit. He manfully tries to lift the movie on his shoulders. To a certain extent, his screen presence and charisma see it through. Alas, only just.

Varalaru is good because Ajit is good.

K S Ravikumar shows only a modicum of his undoubted masala skills. Ravikumar’s famed ability to whip up hilarity and humor also goes missing. A R Rehman’s music, not his best effort, is niche and good to those who understand the subtlety of orchestration and melody. To be fair to the director, the film has paid a price for having been made in jumps and starts. The jerks and stutters are real reflection of the production difficulties.

The story takes off with Shivashankar (Ajit), a millionaire with a debonair son Vishnu (Ajit). The former is confined to a wheel-chair, the latter is larky youngster enjoying the pleasures the world has to offer. While on a visit to a village, he falls for the charm of Divya (Asin).

But when he is about to get married to Divya, he acts crankily and shows lunatic tendencies (he even tries to bump off his father).

Why?  Well, it is all the handiwork of Jeeva (Ajit). He is also the son of Shivashankar.

Pray why is he after his dad’s blood? Well, that is the surprise (?) as it about an incident involving his mother (Kanika) and his father.

It is Ajit’s show all the way. He brings all the necessary tricks involved to make the trio look different. As Vishu, he is stylized and elegant. As Jeeva, he is cunning and committed. But it is as Shivashankar, he brings to fore all the special magic. As a man, with a passion for dance (which changes his body language), he is truly marvelous. Asin too is as ever very chirpy and vivacious. She also revels in comic situations. Kanika as Ajith’s wife and later as a nervous wreck is good.

The comedy team of Ramesh Kanna and others don’t get their act right. Rahman’s music, as we said, is good. But takes time to sink in.

Ravikumar has obviously worked under severe constraints. He has given his best but the production problems are too much and have an adverse say on the script. But Ajit has managed to stand above the problems. Varalaru may not make history. Yet, Ajit’s work will certainly uplift to it being at least a local legend.

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