I mentioned in one of my previous reviews that when we post on social media saying we miss a certain kind of film we used to see in our childhood, a segment of the filmmaking community mistakes that as us requesting they bring back that style of filmmaking. The reason for the success of many rerelease movies is not entirely the filmmaking. We are revisiting the time when a certain style was fresh. Shaji Kailas’ new directorial venture, Varavu, which reunites him with his Chinathamani Kola Case writer AK Saajan after almost 16 years, feels like a movie that should have been made right after Dhrona, the duo’s last film together. I am not saying the movie is horribly bad. But it has a structure that makes the movie look like a showreel of the director and writer’s old films.
Paulson, a man who lived in the high range with his two brothers and a sister who was a nun, ended up in jail. After many years, he has come back to his hometown on parole. His return has caused tension among many who have played with his feelings. What was the case that took Paulson to jail, and why is he after so many people in power, is what we discover in this movie.
The idea of Varavu is the same old revenge story, which anyone can guess from the movie’s trailer. The bad guys messed with the hero’s family, and he is giving it back to them. But there is a commercial element that could make the script interesting, as the identity of a character who is absconding creates a certain intrigue. Unfortunately, this hook remained only in the story idea. While fleshing out the script, AK Saajan fails to narrate the typical story around this idea. Hence, we are just sitting through scenes whose climax is predictable for us, the moment that sequence begins.
I must say that the movie’s trailer is cut in a very pulsating way, where you would feel that even though it is a cliché story, it is going to provide you with that theatrical high, mainly because of the execution of the stunts. However, when it comes to the movie, the fight sequences lack charisma. The bus fight sequence we saw in the trailer is literally the very first scene in the movie that introduces the hero, and it had zero impact. It felt like the cuts should have been sharper. One can see the classic Shaji Kailas style shot division in some action blocks. But the lack of purpose or the predictable placement of those action blocks really makes things underwhelming. In the first 10 odd minutes of the movie, there is one whole fight sequence and a pointless song, and the first dialogue is spoken by some random goon, after all that.
After finishing the movie, when I looked at the purpose of Paulson’s arrival to the scene, rather than feeling justice delivered, I felt bad for his friends who had to risk a lot for him. I mean, if he knew how powerful the opposition was, why was he concerned about the swagger of the revenge over the safety of his best friends and family? Well, AK Saajan may have thought that Shaji Kailas would floor the audience with heroism. The exposition through dialogue is really bad and outdated. The cinematography is all about style, and we can see the tight frames signature to Mr Shaji Kailas in this movie as well. Sam CS has created a very interesting theme score, which the movie couldn’t live up to.
We have seen Joju George in this space in movies like Porinju Mariyam Jose, Antony, Pani, etc., and in terms of performance, it is one of those characters that is physically demanding. The default Joju George mode is enough for this movie, and Shaji Kailas even gives him a space to flex his off-roading skills. Murali Gopy as Medayil Kochettan has that intimidating presence of a feudal orthodox figure. Sound designer MR Rajakrishnan sort of gives an amplification to his voice in certain parts of the movie. Arjun Ashokan’s character is integral to the plot, while the screentime is minimal. Saniya Iyyappan also has very minimal scenes. Sukanya plays the role of Paulson’s sister, and it was a typical dramatic performance. Through casting, Shaji Kailas takes actors like Baburaj and Vani Vishwanath back to their vintage stereotypes. Baiju and Azees Nedumangadu play the roles of Paulson’s best friends. Deepak Parambol is that typical selfish bad guy. Bobby Kurian is struggling with the dialogue in many places. Abhimanyu S Thilakan’s role felt like deleted scenes from Marco as we see him roaming around in a black dress and black SUVs killing people.
If you are someone who misses that tea shop in Malayalam movies, which was designed to get demolished by the end of a fight sequence, well then, Varavu is that dose of nostalgia you were looking for. If you are looking for a good blend of old-school commercial flavor and a new visual treatment, taking into consideration the reinvention we have achieved over the course of years, then this movie will be a disappointing one that offers hardly anything new. Being a Shaji Kailas hero would have definitely been one thing on Joju George’s bucket list, and I think he is the only winner here.
