vaathi movie review malayalam

'Vaathi' movie review: A wonderful Dhanush anchors a promising tale bogged down by cliches and deja vu

Even if everything goes downhill in a Dhanush film, one can rest assured his films will always have a poignant father-son scene. Right from the times of  Thiruda Thirudi  and  Sullan  to  Polladhavan  and  VIP  to even  Thanga Magan  and Asuran, a Dhanush film is elevated by the scenes featuring a father and a son. In Venky Atluri’s  Vaathi  ( Sir  in Telugu), Balamurugan (Dhanush) asks his father (Aadukalam Naren), why he is making a big fuss out of not having the money to make his son an engineer. The father says,  “Pasanga kaekkara vishayam kedaikkalena avangalukku oru naal dhaan varutham, aana kaettadhu vaangi thara mudiyalena, pethavangalukku adhu eppavume varutham  (Children are sad for a day if they don’t get what they ask for, but the parents are sad for days together for not being able to fulfill their children’s wishes).”

What follows and precedes this poignant moment in  Vaathi  is a bunch of cliche-ridden scenes that have a tremendous sense of deja vu. In fact, sandwiching a sentimental moment between template scenes is a trademark of this film. However, there is a reason why cliches exist in the first place… they work, and in  Vaathi , they almost do. 

The film begins in 2022, and soon enough, through the wondrous world of VHS tapes, we are transported back to the late 90s and jump right into the crux of  Vaathi  — privatisation of education. On one end, there is dwindling attendance at government schools, and on the other end, there are burgeoning admissions in private schools. Of course, even if the system is a villain, you need a face for it, and that’s where Thirupathi (Samuthirakani) comes into the picture. He is the corporate villain archetype who treats education as a commodity.

Of course, his materialistic world is challenged by the idealistic and rather simplistic world of Balamurugan, or as he is fondly called Bala sir. In fact, it is fun to see Samuthirakani ham like there’s no tomorrow, especially when one realises that  he  is the Bala sir in  Saattai , and his Dhayalan has shifted to the dark side in  Vaathi . Nevertheless, Bala’s utopian worldview can be labelled as impractical, but it is nice to see a protagonist having a want and a lot of heart.  It is this heart that is seen in  Vaathi , even in the most mundane of scenes.

But where  Vaathi  really surprises us is in the sudden burst of ingenuity. Take, for instance, the first time we see Rajendran in the film. He is Bhoopathy, a videographer who moonlights as a theatre owner who runs soft porn films. When his place gains respect among his own people, there is a nice wrap to that arc. The way Venky decided to sketch this character speaks a lot about his intent. 

This heart and intent hold him in good stead as Venky blows hot and cold with the writing, which is burdened by a  Super 30  hangover, in addition to a cocktail mix of films, including  Saattai, 3 Idiots, Nammavar , and a bunch of other films. If coaching centres were the bane of quality education in  Super 30 , it is private schools in  Vaathi . There are a lot of similar beats in both films, especially the camaraderie between the students and the teacher. Honestly, these portions in  Vaathi  were quite enjoyable, and the lengthy sequence where the students defy the odds and rally for their teacher is a mass masala moment that finds its way to the top in a film that managed to stay rooted till then. It is a nice touch that when being exalted as a god, Bala is not really in his senses. This is the perfect amount of masala in a film that wants to be rooted.

However, sensationalism soon finds its way to the fore pushing realism behind, which leads to some uncharacteristic narratives, and unintended humour. Also, the ‘love at first sight’ and the ‘fighting for the girl’ tropes have no place in Vaathi, even if the film is set in the glorious 90s that always had a soft corner for such scenes. The forced humour does more good than harm and has a very bitter aftertaste too.

Also, can’t help but detect points from the makers for naming the film,  Vaathi , and not having the students use it as a term of endearment and respect. Having a superstar like Dhanush at the centre of things also pushes Venky and Co to give us more than the required number of stunt sequences. They work because of the actor’s charisma, but they poke large holes in the narrative.  

Undoubtedly,  Vaathi  is all about Dhanush and his students, and it is impressive to see an unwavering focus on this equation. The biggest strength of Dhanush's performance is his understanding of when to take the back seat, and in more than a few scenes, he doesn’t shy away from letting the children take the wheel. The kids rise up to the occasion too, and most of them get their moment under the limelight, and they use it to the fullest. 

Another smart idea in  Vaathi  is the setting of the film, which allows the inhabitants of the town of Sholavaram to speak a smattering of Telugu. However, the idea isn’t fully developed, and it is also the case with the film being set in the 90s era. Apart from a PCO booth, and a beautiful scene involving hall tickets and a newspaper,  Vaathi  doesn’t really explore the time period, and we are left with the feeling of watching a rather trendy story unfold in a period setting.

Also, Samyuktha is wasted in a role that starts off quite well but doesn’t offer her anything, There is a nice aside where they refer to each other as 'sir' and 'madam' even when they are romantically inclined towards each other, but this arc is largely disappointing, especially since the writer even finds a way to conveniently pack her away during the second act where things don’t always go in favour of  Vaathi . The same holds good for the supporting cast, who are spectacularly one-note and offer nothing new. 

Bolstered by a mostly loud and moderately effective background score by GV Prakash, whose songs are used smartly by Venky,  Vaathi  is a triumphant tale of an underdog who fights against a system that is heavily stacked against him. With the power of retrospection, Venky and the team talk in detail about the education system in the country.

As the credits roll, and we move past the induced mass moments and the warm relationship Bala shared with his Super 46,  Vaathi  becomes the latest film to strike warring bells against the increasingly expensive field of education. Impressively,  Vaathi  presents the problems without offering any solutions. Despite using a 140-minute runtime to teach us a bunch of subjects, including the importance of education, respect in society, caste discrimination, women empowerment, and financial independence, the biggest two lessons that  Vaathi  teaches us are...

1) Films don't have to be preachy to drive home a point

2) Dhanush can make anything look easy

Director: Venky Atluri Cast: Dhanush, Samyuktha, Samuthirakani, Sai Kumar Ratings: 2.5/5 stars

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The Dhanush-Starrer Vaathi, Streaming on Netflix, is an Elementary Message Movie About The Most Primary Issues in The Education System

Director: Venky Atluri

Cast: Dhanush, Samyuktha Menon, Samuthirakani, Aadukalam Naren, Tanikella Bharani, Sai Kumar

The idea of the teacher as a saviour has been a part of our movies for so long that it has become easy to predict the ebbs and flows of the subgenre. Be it a film like Saattai (2012) , the more recent Master (2021) , or Nammavar (1994) which inspired the Lokesh film, it’s as though it is only a matter of time before we get another montage of a campus cleanup featuring annoyingly gleeful students. Like how a screenwriter needs to work extra hard to avoid the trap of predictability in a sports drama, the “back to school” film too deserves a similar amount of innovation to create freshness. 

In this regard, you find Venky Atluri’s script to be partly rewarding and a whole lot frustrating. To begin with, the film is closer in spirit to Saattai (the decision to cast Samuthirakani as the villain here is a nice touch) or a Malayalam film like Manikyakkallu (2011). This isn’t only because all three films begin with an idealist having to take charge of a dying government school. These films also use individual characters, who are usually students, to address wider issues such as consumerism, caste and bad parenting, besides underscoring the obvious within the education system. 

While Vaathi makes an effort to address all of these with varying degrees of success, it is the way it goes deeper into the business of education that gives it a bit of an edge. The main antagonist here (played by Samuthirakani) is a man who is not just the pioneer of private education in Tamil Nadu but he is also Balamurugan’s ( Dhanush ) employer. Even the conflict that sets the ball rolling is the fear of a new law that would create a ceiling on how much private schools can charge as fees.  

Instead of fighting the new law, the antagonist chooses to fight the perception that good education should be free and accessible. The decision to assign Balamurugan to a government school too does not arise from the hope that he would improve it. It’s quite the opposite with his qualification being a junior teacher with no teaching experience. So when he leaves his hometown to take up his new duty as the mathematics teacher in a remote school located on the TN-Andra Pradesh border, we’re expecting the setting to add new flavours to tired tropes. We are also hoping for this change in the scenario to throw up issues that haven’t yet been covered in similar films. 

Primarily, this new location only contributes to making the film’s bi-lingual credential a little more believable. Unlike the recently released Michael , in Vaathi we’re willing to overlook lips sync issues and the strange landscape because the place itself is both in Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh. It doesn’t really explore either culture but at least it gives its conflict a universality because education is the same everywhere. 

But it is the manner in which we arrive at foreseeable plot points that makes it hard to keep engaging with Vaathi . The school’s biology teacher (Samyuktha) falls for Balamurugan exactly at the moment in which he sorts out the school’s caste issue. The montages, including the part where weak students suddenly become experts, borrow images from films we’ve seen before. The lack of stronger characters that help Bala in his mission makes the film feel utterly generic, even when major events are taking place. 

Of these, a particularly tiring stretch involves Bala walking back after he’s been attacked by local goons. It is a highly melodramatic sequence that is meant to show the pain Bala goes through in his efforts to keep teaching. But when the scene doubles up to show the impact he’s having on his students, we get a lofty stretch in which his weakest student comes to his aid to ensure his path becomes a little easier. It’s a scene written with sympathy as the only motive, yet it only repeats the same point we’ve already come to understand by then. 

It is when the film goes a little easier on itself that we get portions where it is most inventive. Instead of heavy drama, there’s a lightness when it almost transforms into a meta-film about the power of cinema to bring change. In this, not only does it speak about the cinema hall becoming a temple of learning, but it also creates the space for Bala to keep appearing in different costumes (including that of Subramania Bharathi) without the effect feeling too contrived. 

This stretch where education itself needs to be smuggled in, like contraband, hits you harder about the point the film is trying to make. But these remain short passages of brilliance in a film that’s almost exactly what you had predicted from the trailer. A major reveal featuring an IAS officer was hardly the surprise it was meant to be and even the climax, with Bala requesting his students to use an unfair advantage, goes against everything the film was speaking about. Without a lot to say that’s new and without a new way of saying it, Vaathi is just another well-intentioned message movie that’s meant to make its hero look good.

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Vaathi movie review: Dhanush-starrer about right to education is effective and brave, but needed better characters

Vaathi movie review: the film allows dhanush to play to the gallery, but the story never glorifies his character. it also stars samuthirakani, samyuktha and sai kumar..

Venky Atluri’s Vaathi, which is set in the late 1990s, is a straightforward film about one man’s fight against the privatisation of the education system. It doesn’t do anything pathbreaking in terms of storytelling, but it definitely manages to strike a chord or two in the fashion it chooses to narrate this story of one man’s dream to make good education accessible to all. Unlike most films that have dealt with the education system in the past, Vaathi never goes overboard in its messaging and at the same time is quite engaging. Also read: Dhanush’s film is about privatisation of education. Watch Vaathi trailer

Dhanush plays Bala Murugan, who works as an assistant teacher in a popular educational institute run by Thirupathi (Samuthirakani), who treats education as business. After the state government introduces a new bill, which forces private schools to take over government-funded schools, Thirupathi assigns three third-grade assistant teachers from his institute and sends them to teach in a government school in a remote village.

Bala happens to be one of the teachers and he takes it up as a challenge to bring about a change through his teaching methods and produce results. However, he’s faced with the challenge of dealing with students from the lowest economic background as most of them support their parents in running the family. After a lot of struggles, when Bala finally manages to convince the parents as well as the students to return to school, he’s faced with a different set of challenges. Does Bala succeed in his endeavor in reforming the students and producing the desired results?

Vaathi works to a large extent because of its relatability factor. From the story to characters and to its presentation, there’s so much to relate and agree with. If you’re someone from a middle-class family and have parents, who struggled to arrange funds to pay school as well as tuition fees, Vaathi will resonate strongly and leave a lasting impact. The film does commercialise quite a lot of things in a way to appeal to the masses, but the point it tries to drive home, which is about making good education accessible to everyone, connects on an emotional level. In the second half, the film does suffer from a Super 30 hangover, but the similarity doesn’t make Vaathi less effective. The film’s finale is smart writing as the story takes a very familiar trope and turns it on its head to send audiences home on a high.

Dhanush continues to shine in roles that highlight the sufferings of the middle class and people below them. It’s a brave film to pick and foray into an entirely new market as Dhanush makes his Telugu debut with the project which is titled SIR. He’s earnest as a dutiful teacher who desperately wants to bring about a change. The film does allow Dhanush to play to the gallery in a few instances but the story never glorifies his character. Samyuktha plays her part well and manages to score in the limited screen time she gets. The movie definitely needed a better written antagonist character as someone even as versatile as Samuthirakani couldn’t make the role interesting.

Film: Vaathi

Director: Venky Atluri

Cast: Dhanush, Samuthirakani, Samyuktha and Sai Kumar

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When a private school teacher is assigned to a neglected public school, he must overcome personal and political strife in his fight for education. When a private school teacher is assigned to a neglected public school, he must overcome personal and political strife in his fight for education. When a private school teacher is assigned to a neglected public school, he must overcome personal and political strife in his fight for education.

• Venky Atluri
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• 71 User reviews
• 16 Critic reviews
• 1 win & 4 nominations

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• Trivia Dhanush's voice in the Hindi version is dubbed by TV actor Avinash Sachdev .
• Soundtracks Vaa Vaathi (Tamil) Music by G.V. Prakash Kumar Lyrics by Dhanush Performed by Shweta Mohan

User reviews 71

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Vaathi Review: Elementary Message Film Addressing The Most Pressing Issues In The Educational System

Vaathi Movie Poster

One of the main factors that make Bollywood movies a huge hit is the depiction of social issues. The industry has always done this, and Vaathi is another example. Vaathi is the first Tamil movie by the director Venky Alturi. He made his directorial debut with the Telugu movie ‘Tholi Prema,’ was proved to be a great hit. This movie was written by Venky only and was produced by Suryadevara Naga Vamsi.

It was shot simultaneously in both  Tamil and Telugu films produced by Sithara Entertainment and Fortune Four Cinemas. Initially, It was scheduled to be released on 2nd December 2022, but later it was postponed. In November, it was again scheduled to be theatrically released on 17th February 2023. Therefore, It started its shows in the cinema halls on 17th February and got a large audience at the start only.  

The main protagonists of the movie are Dhanush and Samyuktha. The other cast includes Sai Kumar, Tanikella Bharani, Rajendran, Shrutika, and many others in supporting roles. The whole cast includes:

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Top 5 South movies you should definitely watch this Teacher’s Day: Dhanush’s Vaathi to Chiranjeevi starrer Master

As yet another Teacher’s Day makes its way this year, here is a special list of movies celebrating the mentors of our lives.

Teacher’s Day comes once again this year, celebrating the lives and works of many people who shaped the future. Celebrating mentors who helped in shaping various people’s futures is definitely no short deal.

So, here are some of the best South movies everyone should watch on this teacher’s day.

Top 5 South movies to watch on Teacher’s Day

1. vaathi (tamil).

• Cast: Dhanush, Samyuktha, Samuthirakani, Tanikella Bharani, P. Sai Kumar, Rajendran, Narra Srinivas, Pammi Sai, Aadukalam Naren
• Director: Venky Atluri
• IMDb rating: 7.3/10
• Where to watch: Netflix

Vaathi, starring Dhanush in the lead role, is an action drama flick directed by Venky Atluri. The film focuses on a young professor called Balamurugan, aka Bala, who is hired as a teacher in a neglected government school.

As he continues his life there, trying to reform the system, he is met with several obstacles that are turning the pillar of education into a mere business opportunity. The rest of the movie focuses on how he manages to stop them, overcoming personal and political strife.

2. Udaharnam Sujatha (Malayalam)

• Cast: Manju Warrier, Anaswara Rajan, Mamta Mohandas, Nedumudi Venu, Joju George, Abhija Sivakala, Sudhi Koppa
• Director: "Phantom" Praveen
• Where to watch: Disney+ Hotstar

Udaharnam Sujatha is a Malayalam language drama movie starring Manju Warrier in the lead role. The film focuses on the tale of a single mother who lives with her only daughter in an impoverished colony inside Thiruvananthapuram.

The mother tries to support her daughter’s education by doing menial jobs, but the latter is not being much interested in the same, even getting to the verge of dropping out. However, things take a humorous turn when the mother decides to take drastic steps to help her daughter.

The movie is an official remake of the Hindi movie Nil Battey Sannata, directed by Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari. The stellar performances by both main leads undoubtedly make this a worthy watch.

3. Master (Telugu)

• Cast: Chiranjeevi, Roshini, Vijayakumar, Sakshi Sivanand, Puneet Issar, Satya Prakash, Venu Madhav
• Director: Suresh Krissna
• IMDb rating: 6.8/10
• Where to watch: YouTube

Megastar Chiranjeevi starrer Master is an action drama flick directed by Suresh Krissna. The movie follows the life of Rajkumar, a new teacher who joins a college after being asked by his mentor.

Soon, the professor becomes a popular figure in the college but is reluctant and unable to find happiness in his life due to a grim past. The film is touted to be one of the most stylish characters played by Chiranjeevi in his filmography.

4. Raatchasi (Tamil)

• Cast: Jyothika, Hareesh Peradi, Poornima Bhagyaraj, Thambi Ramaiah, Sathyan, Nagineedu, Aruldoss
• Director: Syed Gowthamraj
• IMDb rating: 7.4/10
• Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video

Raatchasi, starring Jyothika in the lead role, is a social drama movie featuring the actress as a school headmaster. Set in a rural landscape, a tough headmistress sets out to reform her run-down school through her persevering actions while battling against bureaucracy and corrupt officials.

The rest of the film focuses on how she reforms the school and guides it toward its rightful glory, making it a top watch for Teacher’s Day.

5. Manikyakkallu (Malayalam)

• Cast: Prithviraj Sukumaran, Samvrutha Sunil, Nedumudi Venu, Jagathy Sreekumar, Salim Kumar, Devan, Indrans, Sai Kumar, Kottayam Nazeer, Jagadish
• Director: M Mohanan
• IMDb rating: 6.6/10

A Malayalam movie based on actual incidents from a high school in Thalassery is the Prithviraj Sukumaran starrer Manikyakallu. Set in a village school that once had the reputation of being one of the greatest institutions, it is on the verge of shutting down as students no longer study there.

However, things take a change of pace when a young teacher joins the school who tries to change the attitude of children towards studying with his love and affection. If you want to watch Prithviraj play a soft-spoken character unlike any of his roles, surely watch this feel-good movie on Teacher’s Day.

The above-mentioned movies are only some of the picks that could be explored in cinema. Explore more of them and enjoy this Teacher’s Day with heartfelt and entertaining content.

ALSO READ:   Mahesh Babu's latest click with wife Namrata Shirodkar is all about 'living and dreaming' in the New York City

Goutham S is a native of Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. A writer for a few years now, particularly following Indian

Goutham S is a native of Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. A writer for a few years now, particularly following Indian films and Entertainment. A cinephile at heart, a writer by passion finds company in mostly poems, stories, music and mindless scrolling through the Internet, along with some very close people. 

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Vaathi Movie Review: Dhanush is the only saving grace of this Venky Atluri film

Dhanush, who plays bala, tries to change the education system by making education accessible to all. while vaathi has a noble mission, venky atluri's story and narration are a big let-down, says our review..

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• Dhanush tries to reform a government school in this film.
• Vaathi is like some earlier Tamil films that have been made.
• The storyline and writing needed to be far superior.

Release Date: 17 Feb, 2023

Vaathi (Sir in Telugu) is Dhanush’s first foray into the Telugu film world. Directed by Venky Atluri, Vaathi (Master) tells the story of the education system and the flaws in the privatization of education. It’s about the journey of a simple middle-class man who becomes a teacher.

At the outset, we meet three boys who find a box of video tapes and when they play one, we see Bala AKA Balamurugan (Dhanush) teaching Maths. Off they go with the tapes to the District Collector’s office and we are taken back to the late 90s when Bala was an assistant Maths teacher at Thirupathi Coaching Centre. He is sent packing to teach underprivileged kids in a government school because the government formed a deal with private coaching centres to run the government schools. Thirupathi Coaching Centre is run by Srinivasa Thirupathi (Samuthirakani) and he posts all the teachers whom he thinks are ‘third grade assistant teachers’ to these government schools.

READ I After striking gold in Kollywood, Bollywood and Hollywood, can Dhanush conquer Telugu market too?

Bala arrives in Sozhavaram and he finds no students actually attend school, so he decides to change this. When all the government school students in Sozhavaram pass with first class marks thanks to Bala, Thirupathi warns him not to mess with the existing system. ‘Zero fees, zero education. More fees, more education,’ he tells Bala. And this is when Bala takes this up as a challenge. Does he change the education system? Is he able to make government school students shine?

Dhanush has carried this film on his shoulders and it works to some extent only because of him. Unfortunately, his talent goes to waste as the story writing and narration are quite weak. The theme that education is important, especially for the middle class, and the need to make good education accessible to all is laudable, but it hasn’t been translated convincingly on screen. The point of conflict is pretty flimsy and so is Thirupathi’s role. Bala wants to change the system but he eventually doesn’t and Thirupathi continues to do what he does - sell education at a steep price. While Bala does something for children in need, there is no dramatic change that we see.

Vaathi is more about the journey of a middle-class teacher and director Venky Atluri has tried his best to tug at the audience’s heartstrings to make them emotionally connect with this flat film. Some scenes are touching and others simply have no logic. Take the scene where Bala tries to convince parents to send their kids to school in the village. He narrates the story of APJ Abdul Kalam, which supposedly opens everyone’s eyes as to why education is important and they decide to send their kids to school.

ALSO READ I Vijay, Ajith and Dhanush: Actors and their 'no interview' policy

G V Prakash's BGM is OK and, with his song Vaathi, already a big hit, the audience enjoys it on screen too. J. Yuvaraj's cinematography is good but the editing by Naveen Nooli could have been tighter. There are a lot of lags in the film, especially in the second half.

As always, Dhanush delivered a good performance, but Samuthirakani doesn’t have too much to do in the film and neither does Samyuktha, the pretty Meenakshi whom Bala falls in love with. There are other actors who make brief appearances without too much impact on screen.

Venky Atluri’s Vaathi may strike a chord with middle-class parents who want to see a change in the education system, but like in the film, it’s all just up in the air.

Rating: 2.5 stars on 5 Published By: Latha Srinivasan Published On: Feb 17, 2023 --- ENDS --- ALSO READ | After playing professor in Vaathi, Dhanush asks fans to take education seriously. Here's why

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Vaathi review: Dhanush impresses as ‘Vaathi’ in this entertainer on education

The film Vaathi revolves around the significance of free and accessible education to all children, irrespective of their financial status.

Published:Feb 18, 2023

A still image from Vaathi starring Dhanush and Samyuktha. (Supplied)

Vaathi (Tamil/Telugu)

• Cast: Salman Khan, Katrina Kaif, Emraan Hashmi, and Revathy
• Director: Maneesh Sharma
• Producer: Aditya Chopra
• Music: Pritam Chakraborty
• Runtime: 2 hours 35 minutes

Director Venky Atluri’s Tamil-Telugu bilingual Vaathi , featuring Dhanush in the lead, is a story that revolves around the issue of education and the significance of keeping it free and thereby accessible to all children, irrespective of their financial status.

The film, which is set in the 1990s, tells the tale of an ordinary assistant schoolteacher who helps 46 students in a government school graduate with flying colours not just in their school exams but also in competitive exams.

The film Vaathi set in the 1990s talks about free education. (Supplied)

In turn, he advises the successful students to help other students from the deprived sections for free and thereby starts a revolution in the field of education.

Director Venky Atluri tries to drive home several points that are significant through this film.

First, he points out that education in India can only be a service and cannot be a profitable business.

Yet, many institutions have turned it into a lucrative business, thereby putting it out of the reach of the poor and the middle class.

Smartly written bilingual film

As his film is bilingual, he has smartly chosen to set the tale in a village that happens to be on the Tamil Nadu-Andhra Pradesh border, making it appealing to both the Tamil and Telugu audiences.

The film gets a thumbs up just for the noble message it looks to communicate to audiences. That apart, it also has some good performances to offer.

In particular, it has noteworthy performances coming in from its lead actors Dhanush, Samyuktha, and Samuthirakani.

Also read: Bakasuran is a hard-hitting film that keeps you engaged

Dhanush steals the show.

Actor Dhanush plays a school teacher in Vaathi. (Supplied)

Dhanush, as assistant teacher Bala Murugan, comes up with a good performance and literally carries the film on his shoulders.

He looks convincing in the teaching sequences and manages to keep the film engaging with his impressive acting.

Samyuktha, who plays the female lead, plays the role of Biology teacher Meenakshi in the film.

Samyuktha does not have much to do in the film but she impresses in the portions in which she does appear.

The romantic portions between Samyuktha and Dhanush, though short, come across as being sweet and adorable and add to the charm of the film.

Samuthirakani, known for having portrayed strong roles advocating free education in earlier Tamil films, appears as the antagonist Thirupathi in this film.

He plays the part of a self-centred, money-minded, and ruthless businessman looking to protect his business interests at any cost to perfection.

The film has a host of Telugu actors including Tanikella Bharani, Thotapalli Madhu, and Sai Kumar in it. All of them deliver neat performances.

#VaathiTrailer – https://t.co/452xXyfPoQ — Dhanush (@dhanushkraja) February 8, 2023

Also Read:  Dada is an adorable tale of a single dad

Music is a big plus.

On the technical front, music director GV Prakash Kumar’s music is a big plus for the film.

The songs in the film in particular have high retention value and therefore are likely to play a role in drawing audiences to theatres.

Cinematographer Yuvraj does a reasonably good job of capturing the story that is set both in the present day and also in the nineties.

The film, by and large, works. However, it is not without its share of flaws. An explanation the film attempts to give for government schools losing out to private schools in the early nineties is flawed.

The film claims that private schools began to do better than government schools because government school teachers were not paid properly.

While that may have been the case in Telugu-speaking states, that claim is highly contestable in Tamil Nadu, as government school teachers in this state have always been paid well and on time.

However, if one chooses to disregard this minor aspect and watch it as a film, Vaathi  has a noble message to offer!

Tags:  

• Tamil film industry
• tamil movie

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Published :

Last Updated : 17 Feb, 2023 12:41 PM

Published : 17 Feb 2023 12:41 PM Last Updated : 17 Feb 2023 12:41 PM

வாத்தி Review: கல்வி குறித்து பாடம்... கிட்டியதா பாஸ் மார்க்?

5 ஸ்டார் உணவகங்களில் விற்கப்படும் உணவைப் போல் அல்லாமல் கோயில்களில் கொடுக்கப்படும் பிரசாதமாக கல்வியை வழங்க பாடமெடுக்கிறது இந்த ‘வாத்தி’.

90களின் இறுதியில் ஆசிரியர்கள் இல்லாததால் அரசுப் பள்ளிகள் மூடப்படுகின்றன. இந்த அவல நிலையை மாற்றியமைக்க தனியார் பள்ளிகள் சார்பில் ஆசிரியர்கள் அரசுப் பள்ளிகளுக்கு அனுப்பிவைக்கப்படுகின்றனர். அதன்படி திருப்பதி எஜுகேஷனல் இன்ஸ்டியூட்டிலிருந்து பாலமுருகன் (தனுஷ்) என்ற ஆசிரியர் தமிழக - ஆந்திர எல்லையில் உள்ள சோழபுரம் என்ற கிராமத்தில் இயங்கும் அரசுப் பள்ளிக்கு அனுப்பி வைக்கப்படுகிறார். மாணவர்களின் கல்வித்தரத்தை மேம்படுத்த வேண்டும் என்ற நோக்கில் செல்லும் பாலமுருகனுக்கு பல்வேறு அதிர்ச்சிகளும், சவால்களும் அங்கே காத்திருக்கின்றன. அதையெல்லாம் கடந்து பாலமுருகன் அங்கிருக்கும் மாணவர்களின் கல்வித் தரத்தை எப்படி மேம்படுத்துகிறார் என்பதுதான் படத்தின் திரைக்கதை.

தமிழ், தெலுங்கில் ஒரே நேரத்தில் வெளியாகியுள்ள இப்படத்தை வெங்கி அட்லூரி இயக்கியிருக்கிறார். தனியார்மயத்துடன் வியாபாராகும் கல்வி, அரசுப் பள்ளிகள் மூடப்படுவதற்கான காரணங்கள், அரசுப் பள்ளி ஆசிரியர்களின் கோரிக்கைகள் மீதான அரசின் அலட்சியப்போக்கு, இதனை தங்களுக்கு சாதகமாக பயன்படுத்திக்கொள்ளும் தனியார் பள்ளிகள், அரசுப் பள்ளிகள் மூடப்படுவதால் எளிய மக்களுக்கு எட்டாக்கனியாகும் படிப்பு என கல்வியின் பல்வேறு பக்கங்களை புரட்டுகிறது படம். பெண்கல்வியின் அவசியம், சாதிப் பாகுபாடு தொடர்பான உரையாடல் காட்சியும் அழுத்தம் கூட்டுகிறது.

‘பணம் எப்டி வேணாலும் சம்பாதிக்கலாம்; ஆனா படிப்பு தான் மரியாதையை சம்பாதித்து தரும்’, சாதி குறித்து பேசுகையில், ‘நமக்கு தேவைப்படும்போது அவங்க என்ன ஆளுங்கன்னு தெரியறதில்லை. எந்த ஆளும் தேவையில்லாத ஆளுமில்ல’, ‘படிப்பை பிரசாதம் மாதிரி கொடுங்க... 5 ஸ்டார் ஹோட்டல் சாப்பாடு மாதிரி விக்காதீங்க’ போன்ற வசனங்கள் கவனம் பெறுகின்றன.

வெகுஜன சினிமாவுக்கான அம்சங்களுடன் தொடங்கும் படம் தெலுங்கு சினிமாவை பார்க்கும் உணர்வை கொடுக்காமலில்லை. பொருந்தாத டப்பிங் அதற்கு உதாரணம். கதையுடன் ஒட்டாத காதல் காட்சிகள், ‘வா வாத்தி’ பாடல் கம்போஸுக்காக வேறு வழியில்லாமல் இணைக்கப்பட்ட உணர்வை கொடுக்கிறது.

படம் முழுக்க இழையோடும் தனுஷின் மிகை நாயகத்தன்மை துருத்தல். ஒற்றை ஆளாக தனுஷ் சொல்வதை ஊரே கேட்பது, மொத்த பேரையும் படிக்க வைப்பது, எந்தப் பிரச்சினை வந்தாலும் முந்திக்கொண்டு வந்து நிற்பது என படத்தில் தனுஷ் இல்லை. மொத்தப் படமுமே தனுஷாக இருக்கிறது. ‘வாத்தி’ என சொல்லப்பட்டாலும் மாணவனுக்கான லுக்கில், ஆக்‌ஷன், எமோஷன் என அழுத்தமான நடிப்பில் திரையை ஆக்கிரமித்திருக்கிறார் தனுஷ்.

அழகில் அசரடிக்கும் சம்யுக்தா பாதியில் காணாமல் போக, வழிதவறி வந்த குழந்தையாய் இரண்டாம் பாதியில் திடீரென மீண்டும் வந்து சேர்கிறார். ஆனாலும் நடிப்பில் குறைவைக்கவில்லை. கார்ப்பரேட் வில்லன்களை காட்டிய தமிழ் சினிமாவுக்கு கல்வி வில்லனாக சமுத்திரக்கனியை காட்டியிருக்கிறார் வெங்கி அட்லூரி. அழுத்தமில்லாத அவரது கதாபாத்திர வார்ப்பு, நாயகனுக்கு பெரிய அளவில் நெருக்கடி கொடுக்காமல் விலகியிருப்பதால் நாமும் திரையில் அவரிடமிருந்து விலகியிருக்க வேண்டியிருக்கிறது. கென் கருணாஸ் சாய்குமார், தணிகெல்லா பரணி, சாரா, இளவரசு கதைக்கு தேவையான பங்களிப்பை கொடுக்க, வாட்ஸ்அப் ஸ்டேடஸ் போல 30 செகண்ட் வந்து செல்கிறார் பாரதிராஜா.

கடவுளாகவும், தியாகியாகவும் சித்தரிக்கப்படும் தனுஷுக்கான சோகப் பாடல் காய்ந்து போன பசைப்போல ஒட்டவில்லை. அதேபோல சோகமாக சென்றுகொண்டிருக்கும் கதையில் திடீரென காமெடி என்ற பெயரில் சில ட்ராக்குகள் சோதிப்பு. இறுதியில் தனுஷுக்கான பாரதியார் வேஷம் சர்காஸ்டிக் முயற்சியோ என தோன்ற வைக்குள் அளவுக்குத்தான் இருக்கிறது அந்த கெட்டப். ‘வா வாத்தி’, ‘நாடோடி மன்னன்’ பாடல்களில் ஜி.வி.பிரகாஷின் இசை தனி முத்திரை பதிக்க, பின்னணி இசையிலும் கவனிக்க வைக்கிறார். ஒளிப்பதிவும், படத்தொகுப்பும் காட்சிகளுக்கு கச்சிதம்.

தனியார் மயமாக்கப்படும் கல்வியையும், அதன் முக்கியவத்துவத்தை உணர்த்தும் படத்தின் நோக்கம் பாராட்டத்தக்கது. ஆனால், அதை உணர்த்த திரையரங்கை வகுப்பறையாக்கி, பார்வையாளர்களை அமர்த்தி பாடமெடுக்கும் ‘வாத்தி’ தனுஷும், சமுத்திரகனியை வில்லனாக்கியபோதிலும் அவரின் ‘சாட்டை’ பட சாயலை நினைவூட்டியிருக்கும் திரைக்கதையிலும் ‘பாஸ் மார்க்’ வாங்கவே போராடியிருக்கிறார் இந்த ‘வாத்தி’.

அன்பு வாசகர்களே....

இந்த ஊரடங்கு காலத்தில் வீட்டை விட்டு வெளியே வராமல் நமக்கு நாமே சமூக விலகல் ( Social Distancing) செய்து கொள்வோம். செய்தி ஊடகங்களின் வழியே உலகுடன் தொடர்பில் இருப்போம். பொதுவெளியில் இருந்து தனிமைப்படுத்திக் கொண்டு கரோனா பரவலைத் தடுப்பதில் நம் பங்கை முழுமையாக இந்த சமூகத்துக்கு அளிப்போம்.

CoVid-19 கரோனா தடுப்பு / விழிப்புணர்வு கையேடு - இலவசமாக டவுன்லோடு செய்து பயன்பெறுங்கள்!

- வாசகர்கள் நலனில் அக்கறையுடன் இந்து தமிழ் திசை

தவறவிடாதீர்!

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•   தமிழ்த் திரைப்பட தயாரிப்பாளர் சங்க தேர்தல்: 2-வது அதிகாரியை நியமித்து ஐகோர்ட் உத்தரவு
•   “டாடா படத்தைப் பார்த்து நெகிழ்ந்தேன்” - ராகவா லாரன்ஸ்
•   நடிகர் யோகிபாபுவுக்கு கிரிக்கெட் பேட்டை பரிசளித்த எம்.எஸ்.தோனி 

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உங்கள் பகுதி முகவரோடு இணைந்து உங்களுக்கு நாங்கள் சேவை செய்ய….

Agency Name : G SURESH,

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Vaathi (Sir): Release Date, OTT, Cast, Plot, and Everything We Know

Vaathi (Sir): Dhanush has been on a roll this year, from working on an International Project alongside Ryan Gosling and Chris Evans in the Russo brothers’ spy thriller ‘ The Gray Man ‘ to working with Nithya Menen and Prakash Raj in sleeper-hit, romantic comedy-drama Thiruchitrambalam. In between, he worked on two failed films, Maaran and Naane Varuvean as well.

Dhanush has often successfully starred in coming-of-age dramas throughout his career, and his lean physique, coupled with his charming personality, let him slip easily into any character. He can play a strong-willed, jobless bachelor in V.I.P. quite effortlessly. With the same zeal and energy, he can slip into a character of a ferocious father protecting his family in Asuran .

What is the Plot of Vaathi (Sir)?

From the trailer, he is playing a character of an ideal teacher who stands against the institutes, that provide education to children, in exchange for business profits. Made at a modest budget of 40 Cr., Vaathi is a commercial potboiler that plays to the strength of Dhanush.

The Cast & Crew of Vaathi (Sir)

Sithara Entertainments and Fortune Four Cinemas produce the film that stars  Dhanush and Samyuktha Menon in lead roles. Dhanush was last seen in Selvaraghavan’s Naane Varuvean, playing a double role. Samyuktha Menon is a Malayalam actor who was last seen in a Kannada film – Gaalipata 2.

Veteran actor Tanikella Bharani along with National Film Award winner Samuthirakani will star in the film.

Music is composed by GV Prakash Kumar & Cinematography is handled by J Yuvraj.

Release Date of Vaathi (Sir)

The Venky Atluri directorial was scheduled for release on the 2nd of December 2022 but as per the latest report from the production house, it has been postponed to early 2023. Vaathi/SIR is set to have a grand theatrical release in 2023 worldwide.

It is speculated that Vaathi might release on ‘ Prime Video ‘ OTT after its run in the theaters.

Vaathi (Sir) 2022 Official Trailer

We don’t have an official trailer for Vaathi yet. However, Vaathi’s teaser was released on Dhanush’s birthday – the 28th of July. The teaser begins with a violent, action scene without any specifics but post title, it sets up characters of a playful character and the other teachers. It gives insight into the drama around the school premise and Dhanush’s character challenging the corruption in the education system.

Here is the teaser of my first bilingual film #Vaathi #sir .. https://t.co/K2ZCleX4cr ( Tamil ) https://t.co/fVdRdlAqFB ( Telugu ) — Dhanush (@dhanushkraja) July 28, 2022

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UQk1Orj6iWs

Either overly obsessed or deeply disinterested. A high functioning procrastinator who passionately writes on films. Juggling with passion, dreams, heartaches, career, survival and pissing on life.

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Vaathi Review - Appreciable for its Intent!

Published date : 17/feb/2023.

Vaathi Review - Appreciable for its Intent!

Vaathi is Dhanush’s first bilingual project, Samyuktha is his pair here. The movie is directed by Venky Atluri of Tholi Prema fame. Music is composed by GV Prakash.

Set in the 1990s, Samuthirakani is a money-minded private school owner, while Dhanush is a Mathematics teacher in a village Government school. They challenge each other with contrasting ideologies which forms the crux of the film.

Writing/ Direction

Venky Atluri has finally let go of his romantic comedy spree and has stepped into a new genre. The setup is indeed refreshing, mainly due to the period timeline. The film has a bunch of interesting situations, but the writing is inconsistent and so is the screenplay which is just partially appealing. The narrative kicks off in a hopeless manner with an unapologetically lame idea that opens up the flashback. Thankfully the story and the characters have a purpose and eventually the film finds its safe spot. There is quite a bit of substance, there are a few solid scenes in both the halves. The basic emotions click to an extent, but only at select places, things sum up in a touching note though. As much as the talkie portions’ dialogues are strong, there are plenty of weak links too, particularly the punch lines. Yes it is preachy, yet forgivable due to some innovative ideas presented. The heroic moments fail to work, the God-range buildups become laughingstocks after a point. The villain character is sketched weakly with the core conflict ending up as a bummer despite having a decent potential to score well. Comedy sequences are terrible and totally needless. The relief factor is essential to make the dry subject cheerful, but not in this manner. Being a bilingual flick, it does carry the Telugu flavour, but the sad part is many portions are not shot in Tamil, just dubbed.

Performances

Worthy performance by Dhanush, can’t compare with his extraordinary works, yet he has given the best that is required for this subject. Samyuktha is as pretty as a doll, but she is stone-faced and misses out on adding value with expressions. Samuthirakani fits well to his greedy big shot role, could only wish his portions were written in a better manner. Sha Ra and the other comedian over-exaggerate and end up spoiling all their scenes. Just the look of some artists instantly gives the Telugu film feel. Nevertheless the important people of the story, the students' casting is so good and absolutely no complaints with their performances. Most of all, Ken Karunas gets a meaningful role to play.

Technicalities

Vaa Vaathi song is an earworm, montages for it in the film are cute too, the other songs are passable. Such a momentous background score from GV Prakash, uplifts every scene to its best possible level. Decent camera work, the script demanded some simple requirements and it has been fulfilled successfully by the cinematographer. Sloppy editing as the scene placements become random when they try to make it commercial, also some shot-inserts lack clarity.

Edutainment with its own hits and misses. Has quite a few exciting stretches but the engagement is on and off. Dhanush’s natural presence and GV Prakash’s rousing score add value.

Rating - 2.75/5

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Vaathi Movie Review: A wonderful Dhanush anchors a promising tale bogged down by cliches and deja vu

Rating: ( 2.5 / 5).

Even if everything goes downhill in a Dhanush film, one can rest assured his films will always have a poignant father-son scene. Right from the times of Thiruda Thirudi and Sullan to Polladhavan and VIP to even Thanga Magan and Asuran, a Dhanush film is elevated by the scenes featuring a father and a son. In Venky Atluri’s Vaathi ( Sir in Telugu), Balamurugan (Dhanush) asks his father (Aadukalam Naren), why he is making a big fuss out of not having the money to make his son an engineer. The father says, “Pasanga kaekkara vishayam kedaikkalena avangalukku oru naal dhaan varutham, aana kaettadhu vaangi thara mudiyalena, pethavangalukku adhu eppavume varutham (Children are sad for a day if they don’t get what they ask for, but the parents are sad for days together for not being able to fulfill their children’s wishes).”

What follows and precedes this poignant moment in Vaathi is a bunch of cliche-ridden scenes that have a tremendous sense of deja vu. In fact, sandwiching a sentimental moment between template scenes is a trademark of this film. However, there is a reason why cliches exist in the first place… they work, and in Vaathi , they almost do. 

Director: Venky Atluri

Cast: Dhanush, Samyuktha, Samuthirakani, Sai Kumar  

The film begins in 2022, and soon enough, through the wondrous world of VHS tapes, we are transported back to the late 90s and jump right into the crux of Vaathi — privatisation of education. On one end, there is dwindling attendance at government schools, and on the other end, there are burgeoning admissions in private schools. Of course, even if the system is a villain, you need a face for it, and that’s where Thirupathi (Samuthirakani) comes into the picture. He is the corporate villain archetype who treats education as a commodity.

Of course, his materialistic world is challenged by the idealistic and rather simplistic world of Balamurugan, or as he is fondly called Bala sir. In fact, it is fun to see Samuthirakani ham like there’s no tomorrow, especially when one realises that he is the Bala sir in Saattai , and his Dhayalan has shifted to the dark side in Vaathi . Nevertheless, Bala’s utopian worldview can be labelled as impractical, but it is nice to see a protagonist having a want and a lot of heart.  It is this heart that is seen in Vaathi , even in the most mundane of scenes. Read Also :  Maaveeran's first single Scene Ah Scene Ah to drop on this date

But where Vaathi really surprises us is in the sudden burst of ingenuity. Take, for instance, the first time we see Rajendran in the film. He is Bhoopathy, a videographer who moonlights as a theatre owner who runs soft porn films. When his place gains respect among his own people, there is a nice wrap to that arc. The way Venky decided to sketch this character speaks a lot about his intent. 

This heart and intent hold him in good stead as Venky blows hot and cold with the writing, which is burdened by a Super 30 hangover, in addition to a cocktail mix of films, including Saattai, 3 Idiots, Nammavar , and a bunch of other films. If coaching centres were the bane of quality education in Super 30 , it is private schools in Vaathi . There are a lot of similar beats in both films, especially the camaraderie between the students and the teacher. Honestly, these portions in Vaathi were quite enjoyable, and the lengthy sequence where the students defy the odds and rally for their teacher is a mass masala moment that finds its way to the top in a film that managed to stay rooted till then. It is a nice touch that when being exalted as a god, Bala is not really in his senses. This is the perfect amount of masala in a film that wants to be rooted.

However, sensationalism soon finds its way to the fore pushing realism behind, which leads to some uncharacteristic narratives, and unintended humour. Also, the ‘love at first sight’ and the ‘fighting for the girl’ tropes have no place in Vaathi, even if the film is set in the glorious 90s that always had a soft corner for such scenes. The forced humour does more good than harm and has a very bitter aftertaste too.

Also, can’t help but detect points from the makers for naming the film, Vaathi , and not having the students use it as a term of endearment and respect. Having a superstar like Dhanush at the centre of things also pushes Venky and Co to give us more than the required number of stunt sequences. They work because of the actor’s charisma, but they poke large holes in the narrative.  

Undoubtedly, Vaathi is all about Dhanush and his students, and it is impressive to see an unwavering focus on this equation. The biggest strength of Dhanush's performance is his understanding of when to take the back seat, and in more than a few scenes, he doesn’t shy away from letting the children take the wheel. The kids rise up to the occasion too, and most of them get their moment under the limelight, and they use it to the fullest. 

Another smart idea in Vaathi is the setting of the film, which allows the inhabitants of the town of Sholavaram to speak a smattering of Telugu. However, the idea isn’t fully developed, and it is also the case with the film being set in the 90s era. Apart from a PCO booth, and a beautiful scene involving hall tickets and a newspaper, Vaathi doesn’t really explore the time period, and we are left with the feeling of watching a rather trendy story unfold in a period setting.

Also, Samyuktha is wasted in a role that starts off quite well but doesn’t offer her anything, There is a nice aside where they refer to each other as 'sir' and 'madam' even when they are romantically inclined towards each other, but this arc is largely disappointing, especially since the writer even finds a way to conveniently pack her away during the second act where things don’t always go in favour of Vaathi . The same holds good for the supporting cast, who are spectacularly one-note and offer nothing new. 

Bolstered by a mostly loud and moderately effective background score by GV Prakash, whose songs are used smartly by Venky, Vaathi is a triumphant tale of an underdog who fights against a system that is heavily stacked against him. With the power of retrospection, Venky and the team talk in detail about the education system in the country.

As the credits roll, and we move past the induced mass moments and the warm relationship Bala shared with his Super 46, Vaathi becomes the latest film to strike warring bells against the increasingly expensive field of education. Impressively, Vaathi presents the problems without offering any solutions. Despite using a 140-minute runtime to teach us a bunch of subjects, including the importance of education, respect in society, caste discrimination, women empowerment, and financial independence, the biggest two lessons that Vaathi teaches us are...

1) Films don't have to be preachy to drive home a point

2) Dhanush can make anything look easy

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