Aravaan Movie Review

Banner: Amma Creations

Production: T. Siva

Direction: Vasantha Balan

Star-casts: Aadhi, Dhansika, Pasupathy, Archana Kavi, Bharath, Anjali, Swetha Mohan and others

Music: Karthik

Cinematography: Siddarth

While most of the filmmakers are so inspired by the Hollywood’s nerve-wrecking action thrillers, there remains always a bunch of auteurs constantly hooked towards the unique genre of period movies. Well, the first look posters of the film itself gave a clear idea that Vasantha Balan is so much obsessed with Mel Gibson’s Apocalypto, but with a different style. Who’ll know the real identity and lifestyle of the communities that lived during 18th century?

Vasantha Bala has seemingly undergone a long phase of preproduction works. Aravaan according to our terms is a movie that has power packed performances of almost all the star-casts, but doesn’t have a substantial screenplay.

Set in backdrops of 18th century, the film revolves around the clash between two communities and it focalizes upon the protagonist (Aadhi), who handles any situation with an ease and some shades of suspense. The film has a wafer-thin storyline and has nothing to boast off except the technical bonanzas.

As mentioned earlier, the film is placed in the backdrops of 300 years. Capturing some of their lifestyles isn’t an easy job. To start off with, Aadhi is the showstopper here and this one should really get him top on the nomination of best awards for next year. It’s blatant that the actor has taken scrutinizing efforts exerting the best into the skin of his characterization. Pasupathy sleepwalks through the role and he is just a genius with his part.

The female lead actresses Archana Kavi and Dhansika have done their best to win the appreciations. Guess what? She partially reminiscences of the characterization played by Padmapriya in Mammooty-Sarath Kumar Malayalam movie starrer Pazhassiraja.

As you are watching the film, it becomes obvious that the actors have undergone a terrible phase of toilsome moments as the locations boast off their works. Just imagine the action packed sequences across the thorny bushes of forests. The unique choreography of action scenes where the basic concept is ‘Not-to-see-blood’ is a superb stroke.

Swetha Mohan has almost become the next glamorous queen of Malayalam film industry and she sets well to the Lucifer role of beauty-villainous character.

The cameo appearances by Bharath and Anjali are just okay and it’s just to add the star-values that Vasantha Balan has casted them into the movie.

Background score is okay in places while the songs aren’t pleasing. Playback singer Karthik should have worked harder to give the best as cinematographer Siddarth, who has done a fabulous job with his cinematography.

But when it comes to marking our verdicts, Vasantha Balan has made an award winning movie and the fate of producer T. Siva can be decided only after this week.

Having produced good entertainment movies like Saroja, he committed a fault producing few flop movies and Aravaan needs few more time to be judged with its status in box office.

Verdict: Good Effort by the entire team

R. Richard Mahesh