I heard in the news that Varisu’s screenplay was written with Mahesh Babu in mind, and when the actor was unable to commit, the makers sought Allu Arjun, Prabhas, and Ram Charan before settling on Vijay. After watching the film, I can see it being true, since the film altogether feels like a Telugu family entertainer disguised as a Tamil language movie.
WHAT I LIKE
Vijay is the film’s standout, and his performance here is far superior to his last venture, Beast. His interactions with Jayasudha, who plays his mother, and Yogi Babu provide some of the film’s strongest and most amusing sequences. There are several references to his previous films in this film, which never seemed cringe-worthy since he delivered them in a joyful and entertaining manner.
The songs in the film are really catchy and lively. It was so much fun seeing Vijay dance to the songs, and while it has little connection to the plot, it provided me with a much-needed distraction from the story.
The action sequences are superbly choreographed. There was a certain gratification in seeing Vijay beat up a number of people and outwit his siblings and Prakash Raj in quite amusing ways. I would have preferred less slow-motion in the action, but it was nonetheless cool.
WHAT I DISLIKE
Except for Vijay and Jayasudha, none of the characters makes an impression and are quickly forgotten after watching the film. Rashmika Mandanna received the short end of the stick since she is the film’s most pointless character. She is merely present to provide a transition into a song. She is a love interest checklist, and removing her would have no effect on the plot.
Prakash Raj has played a number of iconic villains, but this isn’t one of them. He doesn’t accomplish much, and most of his schemes include him hanging in the background and giving advice to the elder brothers when they leave their residence in the second half. He looks cool, yet he poses no threat and is ultimately one of the most forgettable villainous roles.
I also thought the film was a little too lengthy. I feel there were roughly 20 to 30 minutes of the film that could have been trimmed to make the plot flow better. When the second half started, I felt the runtime bringing me to this suggestion. Certain scenes in the film felt strange as if they were shot in front of a green screen.
CONCLUSION
When Vijay appears on the screen, Varisu is a really enjoyable film. Vijay and Jayasudha bring this film to life, and I would watch it again simply to see them interact. Aside from that, this is a fun, one-time-watch, casual Vijay family entertainer.
