Vaazhai

Vaazhai, a Tamil language film newly directed by Mari Selvaraj, is an eye-opening illustration of native Tamil village life. This movie has a formidable cast which comprises of Ponvel M, Raghul R, Kalaiyarasan, Nikhila Vimal, J. Sathish Kumar, Dhivya Duraisamy and Janaki.

It narrates the story of a young boy by the name of Sivanendhan, who is caught up in the crossroads of tradition, poverty and dreams.

The movie was released in the theatres on 23 August 2024 and received publicity and appreciation for addressing the challenges of realistic portrayal of rural life in cinema without compromising on emotional content.

Aiding this film are Theni Eswar on Cinematographer and Suriya Pradhaman with Edit whereas Santhosh Narayanan takes care of composing the music – Vaazhai is a movie which not only repeatedly entertains the viewers but also showcases technical brilliance as well.

Plot Summary

The narrative “Vaazhai” unfolds in a traditional South Indian village the life of which is largely dependent on farming, especially banana farming.

The village is portrayed as a dynamic place whereby its inhabitants embrace tradition and the modern world both at times with ease and at other times with strife.

Cinematography in Vaazhai

The village conditions stand out due to the camera work of Theni Eswar. Photography of the movie is done in a documentary approach; this particularly uses the surroundings to further the plot.

The banana farms, roads and school of the village are presented so realistically that the viewer feels Sivanendhan’s life.

The shading and lighting effects, especially in the plantation scenes give the story more meaning, for example, the dream world of Sivanendhan and the reality he knows are relegated by so much hope and desperation.

Music

The music composed by Santhosh Narayanan supports and increases the emotional quality of the film. The basic music in the film is a traditional Tamil and modern synthesis, which is very needed, as the film deals with the problems of being modern while holding on to traditional roots.

Music is lightly sprinkled throughout the film, but certain themes appear often in relation to powerful moments in this movie as experienced by Sivanendhan.

The songs which, come along with the drama serve the purpose of conveying the feelings of the subject matter and making the narrative more poetic.

Direction

While Mari Selvaraj has previously worked in sensitive films, he adds a different flavor to ‘Vaazhai.’ He is a humane director who appears to be devoted towards understanding his characters’ world and presenting it as it is – without any pretenses.

Review

“Vaazhai” is an emotionally soothing and engaging movie that narrates the lives of rural villagers of South India. Sivanendhan is but one sample narrative of this film as it depicts issues of poverty, the need for education, and aggressive modernism against conservativism.

The film “Vaazhai” is a poignant and touching film because of the direction of Mari Selvaraj and the exceptional performance of the actors, especially Ponvel M who played the role of Sivanendhan.

Other aspects such as the camera work by Theni Eswar and the sound track composed by Santhosh Narayanan enhanced the movie further, such that both visual and emotional dimensions were rich in the movie.

“Vaazhai” is not only a film on the trials and tribulations endured by a child. It is also one such Raymond Owen’s film as which gives and takes everything and high regard and claim of the troubles pertained to the poor society in rural areas of India and how the person survives trouble.

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