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'Varisu' movie review: An in-form Vijay elevates this family drama

Right from the posters and trailer to the pre-release interviews, everything about Varisu clearly indicated a formulaic family drama. This would have sounded like a foolproof plan a few years ago. But in 2023, an A-list actor sticking to this template isn’t the most exciting idea.

But director Vamshi Paidipally and Co have given this age-old recipe a refreshing twist by adding an ample dose of self-awareness and humour. Largely, the film knows when to take itself seriously and when not to. Take, for example, the scene where Meka Srikanth tries to throw a monologue on the divinity of family and love. Before we roll our eyes or take a dig at the cliche, we hear a burst of loud laughter... not from the fans but from the screen. It is Vijay who echoes the mind of the audience, and says, “Edhuku ipo avan kitta sentiment RR music ellam pottutu iruka nee?” Bingo! A potential ‘content’ for meme creators dodged thanks to the witty writing.

The writers of Varisu don’t stop there. They make Vijay mouth dialogues like, “Indha sondhakaranga naale toxic dhaan pa!” in a film that paradoxically talks about the importance of family. Of course, this translates to occasional tonal inconsistencies, but an in-form Vijay and the self-awareness of the film make up for the shortcomings. Throughout the narrative, we see Vijay (who plays... Vijay!) transforming from an ambitious Harvard graduate to a globe-trotter, and then from a start-up founder to a business tycoon. While this arc isn’t quite novel for a ‘commercial hero’, it is exciting to see Vijay slip into these roles with consummate ease.

The film is peppered with references from his previous blockbusters. There is the knuckle-busting action from Thuppakki, the thumb-rubbing from Ghilli, and the open-arm entrance from Sarkar. Aside from the obvious call back to Poove Unakkaga, the film also drops enjoyable, quick references to the goat sacrifice scene in Thirupachi, the western-classical dance face-off in Pudhiya Geethai and Oh Baby song from Kadhalukku Mariyadhai.

Interestingly, Varisu which was widely speculated to retain the soul of blockbuster Ala Vaikunthapurramuloo, has its very own riotous boardroom scene, where the hero goes all filmy. But Vamshi does it with a rather tasteful twist. The film provides ample space for Vijay to be at his comical best. Whenever Vijay goes a bit overboard with his antics, Yogi Babu pitches in with his sarcasm, once again turning the stretch into effective humour.

Known for his onscreen monologues, it is nice to see Vijay move away from sermoning despite playing a messiah again. Instead, Vijay embraces silence and allows his physical performance to do the talking. One particular instance where this facet is pronounced is his confrontation scene with Sarathkumar’s Rajendran. In a scene with the potential to become a long-winding exchange of dialogues, Vijay delivers it all with just a look in his eyes and walks away.  

However, Varisu isn’t completely devoid of the ‘Kudumbam na...’ messages, and the film does occasionally become preachy. But, thankfully these stretches aren’t painfully long and never come across as moral policing assignments. However, what becomes painful and preachy is the contradictions in the ideologies. At one point, the makers don’t judge or gaslight a woman who wants to move out of a marriage with an adulterer. At one other point, the resolution to this broken marriage is conventional, convenient, and contrived. It almost undoes the goodness of the initial pro-choice angle when it came to divorce and separation. Also, there is a fleeting but completely unnecessary body-shaming scene that is distasteful.

If the novelty of the story is your yardstick to gauge a film, Varisu might not rank high. It has plot points and ideas liberally borrowed from Chekka Chivantha Vaanam, Ala Vaikunthapurramuloo, Dharma Durai, and more. Despite the narrative being predictable,  it is the conviction of filmmaker Vamshi and the honest performances of the lead cast that elevates Varisu from being just another run-of-the-mill family drama.

The film in a way is the story of Rajendran, a self-absorbed man seeking redemption and peace; and Sarathkumar ably shoulders the gloominess that comes along with the character, almost making up for his animated performance in the raging sequences. Jayasudha probably can pull off a mother longing for love even in her sleep. But the actor goes on to show why she is still the best fit for such roles. Though the camaraderie between Rajendran and Anantha Padmanaban (Prabhu) helps in making the core want of the protagonist effective, Prabhu has very less to offer otherwise.

Similarly, I would have loved to see more of Rashmika Mandanna and definitely more layers to her character in the film. Seeing a female lead without a clear want or a profession is quite unsettling. The random appearance of “Indha paadalai paadi kondirupavar ungal Vijay” quote in 1995’s Vishnu, is probably one of the oddest yet most memorable fourth-wall-breaking moments of Tamil cinema. Fast-forwarding two decades, we have another V film having a couple of interesting fourth-wall-breaking moments. The best among them is Vijay casually taking a dig at family dramas while making a confident statement. “Starting nala iruku, ending nala iruku, nadula konjam emotions iruku, avlo dhaan podhum! Kudumbangal kondadum vettri!” Well, it is safe to say that he isn’t overconfident!

Director: Vamshi Paidipally Starring: Vijay, Sarathkumar, Jayasudha, Rashmika Mandanna, Prakashraj, Shaam, Meka Srikanth

Rating : 4.5/5

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Varisu movie review: Predictable family drama that works only due to Vijay's presence

Varisu movie review: it’s a quintessential family drama with all the familiar beats. along with vijay, the film also stars rashmika mandanna, sarath kumar, jayasudha, srikanth, shaam and prakash raj..

It is no surprise that mainstream filmmakers in the south still continue to milk the family drama genre to its last drop. In spite of the myriad iterations of the same story template over the years, it is one genre with a very high success rate. No wonder Vamshi Paidipally plays it extremely safe with Varisu, which marks his maiden collaboration with Vijay. It’s your quintessential family drama with all the familiar beats and it’s largely salvaged by the presence of one man, Vijay , who does all the heavy lifting and makes this a fairly engaging watch. Also read: Vijay’s film is old wine in the most decorative bottle. Watch Varisu trailer

The story is centered around a family that’s headlined by Rajendran (Sarath Kumar), who is one of the biggest businessmen in India. His two sons – Jai and Ajay (Srikanth and Shaam) - look after his business and one among them is hopeful of becoming the heir. One fine day when Rajendran learns that he is suffering from advanced-stage pancreatic cancer, he decides to fulfills his wife’s wish of celebrating his 65th birthday in a grand manner. Rajendran’s youngest son, Vijay Rajendran (Vijay), returns home after seven years for the birthday party at the behest of his mother. He had left home after a disagreement with his father over joining the family business. What happens in the family that forces Vijay to stay back and why does his father makes him the chairman of his group of companies?

Varisu is predictable from the word go but what still works in its favour is the mere presence of Vijay. Having predominantly worked in action films in recent years, it was refreshing to see Vijay have fun in an out-and-out family flick. Here’s a film that taps into Vijay’s comical side in a big way and it works like magic. It’s an effortless performance and one that appeals to even a non-Vijay fan. Every time predictability kicks in, Vijay walks in to distract and entertain with his pitch-perfect performance of a son who becomes the saviour of his family. Apart from Vijay, there isn’t a single factor that makes Varisu what it is. Nevertheless, it’s a film you won’t mind taking your family to this Pongal festival.

The familial moments, especially scenes between Vijay and Jayasudha (who plays the mother) work somewhat in an otherwise largely predictable film. For the family drama angle to have worked even more effectively, the conflict between the brothers should’ve been even more stronger. One thing that the film does manage to get right is deliver exactly what the trailer promised. As a viewer if you had walked in with your expectations in place after watching the trailer, you won’t be disappointed.

Film: Varisu

Director: Vamshi Paidipally

Cast: Vijay, Rashmika Mandanna, Sarath Kumar, Jayasudha, Srikanth, Shaam and Prakash Raj

• Rashmika Mandanna

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Varisu Movie Review: Thalapathy Vijay’s film is high on comedy and family sentiment

The movie is directed by vamshi padaipally and stars a whole host of actors including rashmika mandanna and prakash raj. though the film is reminiscent of some telugu films, vijay keeps us engaged with his comedy and action, says our review..

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• Vijay's Varisu releases worldwide on January 11.
• This is a family entertainer and a multi-starrer.
• Vijay plays the son of a rich businessman in the film.

Release Date: 11 Jan, 2023

This movie has been long awaited by Vijay fans given that it is Pongal treat and a film that is a family entertainer. The fact that Varisu was releasing alongside Ajith Kumar’s Thunivu created a lot more excitement and anticipation.

Vijay Rajendran (Vijay) is the youngest of three brothers in the family helmed by Rajendran (Sarathkumar), who is in the business of mining, among others. His other two sons are Srikanth and Shaam, who play Jai and Ajay. The joint family lives together but when Vijay has a disagreement with his father over joining the family business, his father asks him to leave their home. One day, Rajendran finds himself diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and his world is shattered. Vijay comes back home after seven years to celebrate his father’s 65th birthday and this is when things change. Why does Vijay decide to stay back home and why does his father make him the chairman of his group of companies?

The first half of the film has lighter moments, fun and frolic and it’s only in the second half that the movie really takes off. The film works for the most part and is what we would expect from a family entertainer. As a treat for Vijay fans, we find references to Thalapathy's earlier films by way of gestures or dialogues sprinkled generously through the film. There are scenes which could have been edited out (those with unnecessary characters) to make the movie crisper and increase the pace of the film. Some of the dialogues are not particularly outstanding - some are just plain cheesy and others cringe. Having said that, the comedy works really well, especially the scenes and dialogues between Vijay and Yogi Babu.

The story of Varisu is reminiscent of what we see in Telugu cinema (read: Srimanthudu and Maharshi) – rich families and the son returning home to take over the father’s empire and fight off the bad men, and reunite the broken divided family into a happy one once again. There’s a sense of déj vu as we watch the film. The way the film has been shot is also similar to what we find in Telugu cinema – large, lavish homes; luxurious offices; and the entire cast dressed to the nines.

Of course, a large joint family means a multi-starrer and many cast members and, in the case of Varisu, there are many other characters as well, who make fleeting appearances throughout the film. Shaam, Srikanth, Sarath Kumar, Prakash Raj, Rashmika Mandanna, Yogi Babu, Jayasudha, Sangeetha Krish, Samyuktha Shanmughanathan, Nandini Rai, Ganesh Venkatraman, Sriman, VTV Ganesh, Prabhu, Suman, Khushbu – the list seems to be endless. Whether all these characters were really warranted for the film is the big question, since many had no connection to the core of the story.

The songs by music director S Thaman are already hits and they have been beautifully picturised to add to the technical brilliance of the film. Jani master’s Ranjiathame is a standout thanks to its top-notch choreography and Thaman’s music.

Rating: 3 stars out of 5

Varisu Movie Review (2023)

• 11 Jan 2023

Vamshi Paidipally's 'Varisu' is old wine in an older bottle, relying solely on Vijay's "mass moments"

Varisu Movie Cast & Crew

If you look at the cast list in the Wikipedia page for Vamshi Paidipally's Varisu , you will find Rashmika Mandanna's name but next to that, you won't find the name of her character. Of course, this could be just a matter of someone not yet finding the time to do the update – but it becomes a sort of metaphor for the heroine. It doesn't matter what her name is. She is there for a few songs, and fewer lines. It is true that one goes to a Vijay movie ONLY for Vijay. But couldn't they have written a few actual scenes that show why Vijay (that's Vijay's name in the film, too) falls for this woman? Oh, there is a reason, but it is so silly that you wonder why writers were needed for it. To be frank, the whole film is so predictable that you wonder why writers were needed for it. All they needed was scenes from old "family entertainers", plus clips of Vijay's "mass moments".

I have probably said this before, but forgive me for the repetition: I treat these big-hero films like the James Bond or Mission: Impossible movies. I understand that you cannot change the formula. But you can certainly change the flavours you add to each iteration of the same formula. That never happens in Varisu , whose story is a bit like that of Chekka Chivantha Vaanam . Sarathkumar plays a patriarch with three sons, one of whom will inherit his business empire – in other words, become his " varisu ". It is to Sarathkumar's credit as an actor that, even with this screenplay and character definition, he manages to deliver a fairly moving performance. Prabhu plays his doctor and old friend, and the few lines they share (like " nee odanja naanum odanjiduven ") are the only times you get the sense of a real relationship on screen.

As for the rest of the film, it could be titled "Vijay solves all problems". Again, I get that this is how it has to be. This is the formula. But consider Bigil , which I continue to insist is one of the better Vijay films in the recent past. Each of the women had a genuine issue, something relatable in the real world. Here, the family's issues are treated so randomly that it's hard to care that these people even need a saviour. A woman agrees to go back to her cheating husband - not because he repents but because Vijay saves the day. Worse, we concentrate more on generic mining deals and other things outside the house when the film is supposed to deal with problems inside the house. A particularly excruciating stretch is about how Vijay overcomes a no-confidence motion. Poor Prakash Raj is reduced to being a dummy villain. And poor Jayasudha is reduced to a dummy mummy. 

Nothing goes beyond the surface. Had they spent more time inside, we would have had more time to understand the friction between Vijay and his father. But here, we accept this friction not because we feel it due to a series of events but because the screenplay says so. One minute, we are thrust into human trafficking. The next second, the leads are dancing to the super-catchy Ranjithame . Then we get a tragic scene involving cancer. In the old days, these drastic shifts in mood and tone would be called bad screenwriting. Today, because of the way we consume unrelated content at a stretch on our phones, that complaint appears to have become invalid. If one scene does not work, scroll to the next one and forget about the earlier scene that did not work. As long as something is giving you a bit of sensation…

And what about Vijay? Outside the theatre, someone came up to me and asked if I had seen the film. Just to gauge his reaction, I said "not yet". He said he really liked it, and said, "Vijay needs a break like this". What he meant was that Vijay has been making very intense action films, and it's nice to see a "family entertainer" like this, where he is light and casual. I guess I belong to the other camp, where I'd rather see Vijay in a focused film like Master or even a Thuppakki , where there is actually something at stake than giving the fans a bunch of whistle moments. He still looks young. He still dances like a dream. He still does the little comedy bits well. He still references his earlier catch-phrases ("I am waiting!"). So I figure the real question at the end of Varisu is not whether "is it good?" but "is this enough?"!

Thunivu Movie Review

Cirkus movie review.

• 23 Dec 2022
• About The Author
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Baradwaj Rangan

National Award-winning film critic Baradwaj Rangan, former deputy editor of The Hindu and senior editor of Film Companion, has carved a niche for himself over the years as a powerful voice in cinema, especially the Tamil film industry, with his reviews of films. While he was pursuing his chemical engineering degree, he was fascinated with the writing and analysis of world cinema by American critics. Baradwaj completed his Master’s degree in Advertising and Public Relations through scholarship. His first review was for the Hindi film Dum, published on January 30, 2003, in the Madras Plus supplement of The Economic Times. He then started critiquing Tamil films in 2014 and did a review on the film Subramaniapuram, while also debuting as a writer in the unreleased rom-com Kadhal 2 Kalyanam. Furthermore, Baradwaj has authored two books - Conversations with Mani Ratnam, 2012, and A Journey Through Indian Cinema, 2014. In 2017, he joined Film Companion South and continued to show his prowess in critiquing for the next five years garnering a wide viewership and a fan following of his own before announcing to be a part of Galatta Media in March 2022.

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Varisu Review - Vijay Shines in this Passable Entertainer!

PUBLISHED DATE : 11/Jan/2023

Varisu is a family entertainer starring Thalapathy Vijay, Rashmika Mandanna in the lead roles. Tollywood technicians assemble… directed by Vamshi Paidipally, produced by Dil Raju and the music is scored by Thaman S.

Wanting to be independent in his career, Vijay moves out leaving his family and the business empire behind. After a series of issues within the joint family and in the companies, the hero returns to make things right.

Writing/ Direction

The story is familiar, follows the usual template, yet is sufficient enough as the initial establishment is convincingly made. The arcs are also tried and tested, but it is sure to connect to the targeted audience. The opening portions are focused, though they are delivered in a dramatic way at an unhurried pace, the film doesn’t move out from its core conflicts until a point. Take any family story, how attached the people are, what situations they go through and the rift happens, then how they feel and get back as one… even here, the basic structure is the same, but there are no good scenes to elevate any sort of sentiment. Supposed to be an emotional flick, but it doesn't touch us even to a smallest of extent. Plot-points have the scope to create momentum, but the situations are brought on-screen with spineless sequences. Company side on the other hand, feels like they have been kept to bring in some sort of heroic moments into the flick, but there is no clarity in what deals they are planning to lock and what investments they are trying to make. Prakash Raj's character fails to be a threat of any sort, so there are no challenges to drive the script, his portions in the second half are very blunt and boring. Climax passes on a valuable message, but what we are actually in for is absent, just a namesake emotional entertainer.

Performances

Vijay is a show-stealer for life. He's capable of carrying anything on his shoulders, same way he has strengthened the film by his effortless screen presence in a lot of scenes. Sarathkumar has a good role and he has done it decently. Likewise, Jayasudha is good as an emotional mother. Her scenes with Vijay worked well. Rashmika Mandanna is just an extra addition here, no scope for her, appears to fill the romantic space and dance numbers. Prakash Raj, Prabhu, Shaam, Srikanth are all miscasts and have gotten weak characters to play, they lack the punch, such bad casting choices. Yogi Babu is a good relief here, his combination scenes with Vijay are enjoyable as their conversations are funny.

Technicalities

Thaman S has given a likeable album, He has scored well with respect to the background score, he has tried his best to present the family scenes with the intended essence and as always the musician has delivered the hero elevation moments powerfully. Camera work is terrible, feels so mainly because of excessive green mat shots as they look so evidently fake on-screen, and looks like DI has not been done properly. Old-school editing with split screen frames and too many lags. Poor VFX from start to finish, edges of the artists are evidently visible and the green mat shots are brought to screen in a nasty quality. Dance choreography is solid, and Vijay proves his mettle once again in gracefully presenting himself in the songs. Stunt choreography is decent, nothing exceptional and the star has been made to do some of his signature style body language that are fans-friendly.

A light-hearted film that could have been related if it had been executed well, Thanks to Vijay and Thaman, despite many issues, the film stays as a fairly watchable entertainer largely due to them.

Rating: 2.5/5

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Vijay Rajendran is a happy to-go lucky man. Things change when his father becomes terminally ill, and he is left to manage his business empire. Vijay Rajendran is a happy to-go lucky man. Things change when his father becomes terminally ill, and he is left to manage his business empire. Vijay Rajendran is a happy to-go lucky man. Things change when his father becomes terminally ill, and he is left to manage his business empire.

• Vamshi Paidipally
• Ahishor Solomon
• Joseph Vijay
• Rashmika Mandanna
• 209 User reviews
• 7 Critic reviews
• 1 nomination

• Vijay Rajendran

• Ajay Rajendran

• Rajendran Palanisamy

• Jayaprakash

• Jai Rajendran

• Sudha Rajendran

• Ajay's wife

• Thangadurai
• (as Vtv Ganesh)

• Vijay's friend
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• Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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Did you know

• Trivia The film contains many references to past Vijay movies, including Poove Unakkaga (1996), Ghilli (2004), Thuppakki (2012), Bigil (2019), Master (2021), and Beast (2022).

Vijay Rajendran : Every Family Have Flaws, But We Have Only One Family

• Connections Features Metti Oli (2002)
• Soundtracks Ranjithame (Tamil) Music by S. Thaman Lyrics by Vivek Performed by Joseph Vijay , Manasi

User reviews 209

• Jan 17, 2023
• How long is Varisu? Powered by Alexa
• January 11, 2023 (India)
• Chennai, India (First Schedule)
• Sri Venkateswara Creations
• See more company credits at IMDbPro
• ₹1,750,000,000 (estimated)

Technical specs

• Runtime 2 hours 49 minutes
• Dolby Atmos

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Varisu Movie Review

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When a billionaire tycoon (Sarath Kumar) finds both his elder sons (Srikanth and Shaam) aren’t going to save his sinking empire, he seeks refuge in his youngest son Vijay (Vijay). When he becomes the official heir to the business, then begins the actual conflict, where Vijay has to tackle the odds within and outside the family.

Every time it becomes a common factor with a Vijay movie. It’s all about his magnetizing screen presence. He nails it down perfectly yet again with this movie. His cuteness keeps gleaming in many places, especially during the comedy sequences, dance and the action will impress his fans. His comedy scenes with Yogi Babu are enjoyable. He steals our attention with dance in Chinna Ponnu and Ranjithame Ranjithame. Rashmika Mandanna does no favour to the film . Her characterization is so cliched that it doesnt add any value to the movie. Sarath Kumar remains a man of few words. Being silent itself adds good intensity to his character. Jayasudha as Vijay’s mother has good screen presence. Prakash Raj, Shaam, Samyuktha and many familiar faces are a part of the star-cast, but they have minimal prominence.

The first half takes off on a slow note. In fact, a lot of scenes look unwanted. In particular, the episodes involving Vijay and Rashmika look too boring and time-worn. The length also get little stretched out. The interval block assures that there could be some engrossing moments in the second half. In contrast, the second hour has too many distractions. The board room scene involving Vijay spoofing his punch dialogues from his hit movies and Vaathi coming song is a delight for his fans. Yes it partially reminds us off Allu Arjun’s Boardroom act in Ala Vaikunthapuramlo. The scene involving Vijay and SJ Suryah is good one.

The art work is ok. The musical by Thaman is good. The BGM is commendable.

On the whole, the first half needs some trimming, the second half has engaging moments that will be enjoyed by family audiences and Vijay fans.

VERDICT: THE FIRST HALF HAS LITTLE SLUGGISH MOMENTS, BUT SECOND HALF HAS SATISFYING ELEMENTS FOR BOTH FAMILY AUDIENCES AND FANS.

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Varisu Movie Review: An in-form Vijay and self-aware writing elevate this conventional family drama

Rating: ( 3.5 / 5).

Right from the posters and trailer to the pre-release interviews, everything about Varisu clearly indicated a formulaic family drama. This would have sounded like a foolproof plan a few years ago. But in 2023, an A-list actor sticking to this template isn't the most exciting idea. But director Vamshi Paidipally and Co have given this age-old recipe a refreshing twist by adding an ample dose of self-awareness and humour. Largely, the film knows when to take itself seriously and when not to. Take, for example, the scene where Meka Srikanth tries to throw a monologue on the divinity of family and love. Before we roll our eyes or take a dig at the cliche, we hear a burst of loud laughter... not from the fans but from the screen. It is Vijay who echoes the mind of the audience, and says, " Edhuku ipo avan kitta sentiment RR music ellam pottutu iruka nee? " Bingo! A potential 'content' for meme creators dodged thanks to the witty writing. 

Director: Vamshi Paidipally 

Starring: Vijay, Sarathkumar, Jayasudha, Rashmika Mandanna, Prakashraj, Shaam, Meka Srikanth

The writers of Varisu don't stop there. They make Vijay mouth dialogues like, " Indha sondhakaranga naale toxic dhaan pa! " in a film that paradoxically talks about the importance of family. Of course, this translates to occasional tonal inconsistencies, but an in-form Vijay and the self-awareness of the film make up for the shortcomings. Throughout the narrative, we see Vijay (who plays... Vijay!) transforming from an ambitious Harvard graduate to a globe-trotter, and then from a start-up founder to a business tycoon. While this arc isn't quite novel for a 'commercial hero', it is exciting to see Vijay slip into these roles with consummate ease. The film is peppered with references from his previous blockbusters. There is the knuckle-busting action from Thuppakki , the thumb-rubbing from Ghilli , and the open-arm entrance from Sarkar . Aside from the obvious call back to Poove Unakkaga , the film also drops enjoyable, quick references to the goat sacrifice scene in Thirupachi , the western-classical dance face-off in Pudhiya Geethai and Oh Baby song from Kadhalukku Mariyadhai .

Interestingly, Varisu which was widely speculated to retain the soul of blockbuster Ala Vaikunthapurramuloo , has its very own riotous boardroom scene, where the hero goes all filmy. But Vamshi does it with a rather tasteful twist. The film provides ample space for Vijay to be at his comical best. Whenever Vijay goes a bit overboard with his antics, Yogi Babu pitches in with his sarcasm, once again turning the stretch into effective humour. 

Known for his onscreen monologues, it is nice to see Vijay move away from sermoning despite playing a messiah again. Instead, Vijay embraces silence and allows his physical performance to do the talking. One particular instance where this facet is pronounced is his confrontation scene with Sarathkumar's Rajendran. In a scene with the potential to become a long-winding exchange of dialogues, Vijay delivers it all with just a look in his eyes and walks away.     However, Varisu isn't completely devoid of the ' Kudumbam na... ' messages, and the film does occasionally become preachy. But, thankfully these stretches aren't painfully long and never come across as moral policing assignments. However, what becomes painful and preachy is the contradictions in the ideologies. At one point, the makers don't judge or gaslight a woman who wants to move out of a marriage with an adulterer. At one other point, the resolution to this broken marriage is conventional, convenient, and contrived. It almost undoes the goodness of the initial pro-choice angle when it came to divorce and separation. Also, there is a fleeting but completely unnecessary body-shaming scene that is distasteful. 

If the novelty of the story is your yardstick to gauge a film, Varisu  might not rank high. It has plot points and ideas liberally borrowed from Chekka Chivantha Vaanam, Ala Vaikunthapurramuloo, Dharma Durai, and more. Despite the narrative being predictable,  it is the conviction of filmmaker Vamshi and the honest performances of the lead cast that elevates Varisu from being just another run-of-the-mill family drama. 

The film in a way is the story of Rajendran, a self-absorbed man seeking redemption and peace; and Sarathkumar ably shoulders the gloominess that comes along with the character, almost making up for his animated performance in the raging sequences. Jayasudha probably can pull off a mother longing for love even in her sleep. But the actor goes on to show why she is still the best fit for such roles. Though the camaraderie between Rajendran and Anantha Padmanaban (Prabhu) helps in making the core want of the protagonist effective, Prabhu has very less to offer otherwise. Similarly, I would have loved to see more of Rashmika Mandanna and definitely more layers to her character in the film. Seeing a female lead without a clear want or a profession is quite unsettling. 

The random appearance of " Indha paadalai paadi kondirupavar ungal Vijay " quote in 1995's Vishnu , is probably one of the oddest yet most memorable fourth-wall-breaking moments of Tamil cinema. Fast-forwarding two decades, we have another V film having a couple of interesting fourth-wall-breaking. The best among them is Vijay casually taking a dig at family dramas while making a confident statement. " Starting nala iruku, ending nala iruku, nadula konjam emotions iruku, avlo dhaan podhum! Kudumbangal kondadum vettri! " Well, it is safe to say that he isn't overconfident!

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Varisu Review: Packed With Vijay Magic!

This is a film written for an audience that thrives on Vijay's stardom and it satisfies them thoroughly, observes Divya Nair.

In the last few years, I have realised one thing: There are few actors, who have the ability to bring audiences of all ages to the theatres.

While most people prefer to watch a movie with their friends or dates, a select few walk in with their parents, sometimes even grandparents.

I've seen it in Rajinikanth's films.

Vijay, sorry Vijay Sir (that's how he is credited in the film) aka Thalapathy is among those rare actors I wouldn't mind watching in a theatre with my family.

In many ways, he's similar to Salman Khan.

He does masala films with signature dance numbers, spiced with humour, gravity and logic-defying action sequences as well as dialogues that people would love to imitate in real life.

Like Bhai, he may even pass borderline unpleasant remarks about his love interest, but he'd rarely kiss his girl on screen.

And this little detail spares some of our conservative Indian parents from an embarrassing moment.

If you sample any Thalapathy film, the lack of logic, story or predictability of events doesn't even seem to matter because Vijay Sir will always round it up with a social message, happily lapped up by innocent fans who can be charmed with lazy dialogues.

Question is, does all of this Vijay's magic work in Varisu (meaning 'heir' in Tamil)?

Varisu is Director Vamshi Paidipally's second Tamil film after the mildly successful Thozha (remake of the Telugu Oopiri ).

Vijay is the youngest son of a shrewd and successful mining entrepreneur Rajendran (played by Sarath Kumar), who has no interest in joining his arrogant father's firm.

He declines to ruthlessly compete with his brothers to claim the heir apparent to the business empire, and says he'd rather build something of his own.

He is thrown out of his home, but continues to stay in touch with his mother Jaya, brought to life beautifully by the talented Jayasudha.

Fast forward to seven years.

Vijay has built a unicorn company, but realises that his extended family and the business empire his father painstakingly put together, is in shambles.

Their competitor Jayaprakash (Prakash Raj) would do anything to topple the family and the business.

Naturally, Vijay is the only one who can mend things and bring his family together.

Much against his will and principles, Vijay chooses to come home to the rescue of his ailing father.

With a runtime of 170 minutes, the first half is largely spent on marking Vijay's importance in the film and reducing other skilled characters to mere pawns. Even Prakash Raj (whose memorable performance in Gilli is mocked at) gets a dummy role as the villain.

The second half amplifies Vijay's flawless, sole mass entertainer image, who cracks and laughs at his own jokes, is always two steps ahead of his adversary and rarely fails in his quest.

You don't even need to watch the film to know what happens next.

In fact, I was not surprised when audience members around me could predict the dialogues in the few seconds of deliberate pause, added for effect.

If the predictability of the film's events doesn't excite you enough, there are countless references to his previous films, thrown in with ample sauce of sarcasm and subtle digs at his competitors in the industry.

Whose idea was it to have the story based on the mining industry and then tweak in references like 'one blockbuster for three films' in the scene where Vijay's character takes over the role of the chairman of the company?

Was it a tribute or poor inspiration from last year's huge hit, KGF ?

But that's not what the problem is.

The fault lies in promoting a narrative that is both frivolous and toxic.

Like, what's so funny about the surname of an investor named Mittal (simply because he's a North Indian?)

Why is it so important to correct your girlfriend (played by Rashmika Mandanna) when she says, 'The boy likes the girl'?

We are in 2023, but Vijay Sir wants to be treated like the boy from the '90s whose kutti stories encourage towering values of friendship, bonding, humanity and equality but sometimes lack basic empathy and inclusivity.

All this may be orgasmic for his longstanding fans who have been fed on similar content in Vijay's previous films but will seem unnecessary and maybe even demeaning for the average viewer who will watch this template drama on a streaming platform in a few months.

Trust Vijay to justify having four songs (put together by Thaman S), so he can show off his dancing skills and gloat in the massy lyrics.

By his own admission, at the music launch, he described Varisu 's music as ' paatta poda sonna fulla beat ya pottu vachiirukaru la (there are more beats than actual music).'

While the media-shy Vijay Sir can easily charm his devoted fan base with Varisu featuring action, dance sequences and masterful punch dialogues customised to feed his star image, it isn't too hard to see the hypocrisy behind the humbling man who calls himself his own competitor even in real life.

It really doesn't matter how I view this movie because this is a film written for an audience that thrives on Vijay's stardom and it satisfies them thoroughly.

I could sense his confidence when Vijay confidently asked his producer Dil Raju at the film's music launch in front of a packed audience ' Varisu 2 eppo ? (When do we start work on Varisu 2? ).'

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Varisu Movie Review

Average Ratings: 2.96/5 Score: 86% Positive Reviews Counted:9 Positive:6 Neutral:2 Negative:1

Ratings: —  Review By: Komal Nahta Site:Zee ETC Bollywood Business

Vamshi Paidipally, Hari and Ahishor Solomon have written a story of the kind which used to be in vogue in the 1980s and 1990s. The incidents in the family drama are all of the kind one has seen in films of a bygone era. The trios screenplay is slow-paced as well as predictable. Nothing, therefore, comes as a shocker. The resolution also does not warm the cockles of the heart because it seems to be too hurried.On the whole, Varisu is an ordinary fare and will do very ordinary business at the turnstiles because it offers nothing new or fresh.

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Ratings: 3/5 Review By: Divya Site:Rediff

While the media-shy Vijay Sir can easily charm his devoted fan base with Varisu featuring action, dance sequences and masterful punch dialogues customised to feed his star image, it isn’t too hard to see the hypocrisy behind the humbling man who calls himself his own competitor even in real life. It really doesn’t matter how I view this movie because this is a film written for an audience that thrives on Vijay’s stardom and it satisfies them thoroughly.

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Ratings: 2.25/5 Review By: Mirchi9 Site:Mirchi9

Overall, Varisu is that utterly predictable and template-driven film that still manages to survive due to the hero and some commercial elements within the standard setup. If you dont mind the utter routineness and want to watch something with your family for the festival, Varisu is the option. Otherwise, stay away.

Ratings: 3.5/5 Review By: Priyanka Site:NewsMinute

From advocating sticking to family no matter how toxic they are (and we mean toxic in the level of an attempted murder), to sending goons flying as a manner of conflict resolution in business, actor Vijay’s latest outing Varisu is everything that its trailer promised it would be. And with it, the actor manages to deliver a tried and tested drama, which €” while highly predictable €” still manages to entertain the audience.

Ratings: 3.5/5  Review By: Suganth Site:Times Of India

If there are slip-ups in the form of a rather slight romantic track, and less-than-formidable villains, the film makes up for all of it through its leading star. Vijay is in terrific form, cracking one-liners that have us break out into a smile, make self-referential punches and show earnestness in the sentimental moments.

Ratings: 3/5  Review By: Latha Site:India Today

Vijay choosing to do this family entertainer is not surprising given that he likes to change gears ever so often and, in this film, he has acted, danced and fought his heart out throughout the film. And director Vamshi Padaipally has ensured that the movie is packed with plenty of family sentiment, action, romance and comedy to cater to Vijay fans and the audience. Vijays cute guy meets tough businessman characterisation takes some getting used to as weve not seen him in such a role play in a long time.

Ratings: 2.75/5  Review By: Behindwoods Review Board Site:Behindwoods

Overall the film has all elements to end up as a pucca family entertainer and a Pongal feast. Vijay’s comic sense stands out and is the backbone of the film. It does have a few flaws but at the end of the day, when you look at the film as a theatrical experience, it is worth your money and time. The boss returns. In style.

Ratings: 3.25/5  Review By: Siddarth Site:OnlyKollywood

Varisu is far from being a perfect entertainer that gets everything right. But yes, the film treats itself scene by scene, and perfects out what the fans want and also what the families want. A Vijay film coming in such a package is definitely worth a visit to the theatre, say what.

Ratings: 2.5/5  Review By: MovieCrow Site:Movie Crow

A light-hearted film that could have been related if it had been executed well, Thanks to Vijay and Thaman, despite many issues, the film stays as a fairly watchable entertainer largely due to them.

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Varisu Story:

Vijay Rajendran is a happy-go-lucky man, but everything changes after the unexpected death of his foster father.

Varisu Release Date:

Jan 11, 2023 ( India) straight to Theaters

Varisu Cast:

Vijay as Vijay Rajendran Rashmika Mandanna R. Sarathkumar as Rajendran, Vijay’s father Prabhu Prakash Raj as Jayaprakash

Varisu Director: 

Vamshi Paidipally

Varisu Producer: 

Dil Raju Sirish

Varisu Production Companies:

Sri Venkateswara Creations PVP Cinema

Varisu Distribution Companies:

Seven Screen Studio Red Giant Movies

Varisu Run Time: 

2 Hours 47 Minutes (167 minutes)

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DADA MOVIE REVIEW CLICK TO RATE THE MOVIE

Dada is a film written by Ganesh K Babu and produced by Ambeth Kumar under the banner Olympia Movies. It stars Kavin and Aparna Das in the lead roles while Bhagyaraj, VTV Ganesh, Pradeep Antony, Harish Kumar, and others play supporting roles. The music is composed by Jen Martin, and the camera is handled by Ezhil Arasu K.

Manikandan (Kavin) is a careless young college student with no foresight about the future. He is in love with Sindhu (Aparna Das), and one day she reveals that she's pregnant. He wants to abort the child but Sindhu wants to keep it. They end up going with her choice, but Mani's irresponsible nature results in Sindhu leaving their baby with Manikandan, and running away from him. He is forced to raise the child - Adithya, all alone. The film deals with the struggles he has to go through in raising Adithya, and how his life changes for the better.

With Dada, one can see how well Kavin has matured as an actor. Not just with his performances but also with his choice of scripts. In a way, one can call this the answer to what would happen if Preethi from Arjun Reddy handed over the baby to Arjun Reddy, asking him to raise it all alone. The only difference is that Manikandan is not as abusive as Arjun.

It is indeed a responsible choice to not make Sindhu look like the villain and give proper justification for her decisions. Despite not having a villain as such, the film is breezy and engaging to an extent. The initial portions of the first half are what negatively affect the film. There are plenty of songs, and they end up becoming speed breakers to an already slow screenplay.

There are plenty of supporting characters who make their entry at various stages of the film and each one makes their mark in their own way. In particular, Harish Kumar is delightful as Manikandan's friend Amit. In the second half, Manikandan's teammates in the office also shoulder the film really well and offer proper support to Kavin through their performances. Aparna Das also comes up with a measured performance as Sindhu.

The film has first-timers as its technical crew, but the quality of their work doesn't show that. Jen Martin's background score is top-notch, and the songs are pleasant to hear. It is just the placement that doesn't sit well. Ezhil Arasu's cinematography does justice to Ganesh K Babu's story and elevates the film in a lot of places. He also works in tandem with editor Kathiresh Alagesan.

Overall, Dada is a sweet feel-good romantic comedy with engagement issues in the first half. The film has its heart in the right place and that powers the film throughout. Technically too the film has a certain quality and that is maintained till the last frame. The humour works out wonderfully in many places and that also helps the film a lot. A harmless watch for the weekend.

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பிரேக்கிங் சினிமா செய்திகள், திரை விமர்சனம், பாடல் விமர்சனம், ஃபோட்டோ கேலரி, பாக்ஸ் ஆபிஸ் செய்திகள், ஸ்லைடு ஷோ, போன்ற பல்வேறு சுவாரஸியமான தகவல்களை தமிழில் படிக்க இங்கு கிளிக் செய்யவும்      

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