Vaamanan

Vaamanan
Directed by	I. Ahmed
Produced by	R. Ravindran
Written by	Ahmed
Starring	Jai Rahman Priya Anand Lakshmi Rai Santhanam Sampath Raj Urvashi Delhi Ganesh
Music by	Yuvan Shankar Raja
Cinematography	Arvind Krishna
Edited by	S. Surajkavee
Production company	Dream Valley Corporation
Release dates	10 July 2009 (2009-07-10)
Country	India
Language	Tamil

Vaamanan is a 2009 Tamil action thriller film written and directed by debutant I. Ahmed, who worked as an erstwhile assistant to Kadhir, and starring Jai, Rahman, newcomer Priya Anand and Lakshmi Rai. Produced by P. Kabilan of Dream Valley Corporation, the film features Urvashi, Sampath Raj and 'Thalaivaasal' Vijay in supporting roles, with film score and soundtrack by Yuvan Shankar Raja, while the camera was handled by Arvind Krishna. The film was released on 10 July 2009. The story of the film resembles the English movie Following (1998), and the climax resembles a Hollywood movie Enemy of the State (1998).

Plot

Anand (Jai) is a young carefree boy from Salem who comes to Chennai to stay along with his friend Chandru (Santhanam) to pursue his dream to become an actor.

Anand uses the help from his friend Chandru, a television journalist, and his newly found girlfriend, Divya (Priya Anand). Meanwhile, minister Viduthalai, who was touted to become the next chief minister, is killed by minister Anbu Chezhiyan (Sampath Raj), which accidentally gets recorded on tape of an Ad film director Vinoth. He befriends a famous model Pooja (Lakshmi Rai).

They both see the video and inform the joint commissioner Kailasam, who is also a hand-in-glove in the murder. Kailasam sends some goons to get the tape and Vinoth evades. After a long chase, they get him killed in a train, where Anand and Divya were travelling.

Anand, having witnessed the murder places the tape into Divya's bag, which she misses in the train. Anand develops a friendship with her after this. In an urge to become an actor he always observes the character of people with the strange attitude and one such person is John Vijay (Rahman). Anand joins him and John promises to make him an actor. He would take Anand to a stranger's home, break the house and do some stuffs as if they were thief.

One such house was that of Pooja, where they go and get some information regarding her.

On that eve, Anand befriends Pooja, when he saves her when she was laid in the pool of blood, after being attacked by the goons. She helps him in becoming an actor and asks some photos of his to get him a chance.

When Anand goes to the Pooja's home, he finds her dead and Anand is put to blame (as he was the one present). Anand goes underground, finally mistaken by Divya and her mother. At last, it is known that John has merely used him and it was he (John) who committed this cold-blooded murder, as told by minister.

Joint Commissioner Kailasam is after Anand and the tape and finally, Anand reminds of the tape accidentally put in to the handbag of Divya. The tape goes to the right hands, to that of Gopi (Pooja's media friend) who gets it and publicizes.

In the end, all the baddies are killed and Anand has become a real life hero instead of acting hero.

Cast

• Jai as Anand
• Rahman as John Vijay
• Priya Anand as Divya
• Lakshmi Rai as Pooja
• Santhanam as Chandru
• Sampath Raj as Anbu Chezhiyan
• Urvashi as Divya's mother
• Thalaivasal Vijay as Kailasam
• Rohini as Rohini
• Delhi Ganesh as Viduthalai
• Shanmugarajan as Sivan
• R. Ravendran as Mukhil
• Gopinath as Gopi

Soundtrack

The soundtrack album of Vaamanan, composed by director Ahmed's friend Yuvan Shankar Raja, was released on 9 April 2009 at Sathyam Cinemas in Chennai.^[1] The album features 5 songs with lyrics written by lyricist Na. Muthukumar. The romance songs "Aedho Saigirai" and "Oru Devathai" were amongst the year's most popular songs.^[2][3]

Production

Development

In May 2008, it was reported, that a film titled Marainthirunthu Paarkum Marmam Enna, which is derived from a song from the 1968 Sivaji Ganesan-starrer Thillana Mohanambal, will be launched soon with actor Jeeva in the lead role. The film was to be directed by newcomer Ahmed with music scored by Yuvan Shankar Raja and cinematography by Arvind Krishna.^[4][5] However, no more news regarding the film came out until it was announced that the same director will direct the film, which was then renamed to Vaamanan with actor Jai in the lead and again with the support of Yuvan Shankar Raja and Arvind Krishna as the music composer and cinematographer respectively.

Filming

The film was launched on 10 September 2008 at Krishnaveni House, Chennai.^[6] The major parts of the film were shot in various places in India. The filming was first held in Chennai and later in Coimbatore, Saalakkudi and Hyderabad. Other important scenes and the songs were filmed in foreign countries also like in Thailand (Bangkok), United States (New Jersey), South Africa, Malaysia and Singapore.^[7][8]

As an interesting aspect, an RC Helicopter (Radio-controlled helicopter) is being used for filming, the first time ever in a South Indian Film. The film carries a special thanks in the title card to senior actor, Ajith Kumar, who assisted in helping fix a problem encountered with the helicopter.^[9]

Controversy

In March 2009, the lead actor Jai ran into trouble for making controversial comments about the potential box office fare of his future films. The actor, who was filming for Vaamanan, Aval Peyar Thamizharasi, Adhe Neram Adhe Idam and Arjunan Kadhali at the time, revealed that only Vaamanan would do well and the rest would become financial failures. The producer of this film also revealed he wanted to take action against Jai for “making such irresponsible and damaging statements about his own films.”^[10] Initially, the council had asked him to complete his pending assignments before he could start work on Venkat Prabhu's Goa, but, the producer of the film, Soundarya Rajinikanth, intervened and bailed Jai out of the ban.^[11]

Reviews

Oneindia: "The first 30 minutes of the film looks very peppy and interesting and grips you to your seat, before slipping out into a run of the mill usual Kollywood style thriller".^[12] Hindu wrote: "Despite its share of improbabilities, if Vaamanan (U/A) manages to impact the viewer to a certain extent it is mainly because of the raciness in the last lap".^[13] Rediff wrote: "the script lets off at the intermission, and made it tauter, racier, and with at least a sprinkling of logic".^[14] Sify wrote: "What could have been an edge-of-the-seat crime thriller falls flat in the second half due to lack of a proper script and far too many compromises made by the director".^[15]

References

External links

• Official website
• Vaamanan at the Internet Movie Database