2.5 / 4 STARS
DIRECTOR: SELVA
ACTOR: PRASANTH
ACTRESSES: KOUSALYA, CHANDNI
MUSIC DIRECTOR: DEVA
STORYLINE:
Karthik (Prasanth) goes to a small town for the marriage of his friend Anand (played by Anand as well). On his way, at the bus stop, he sees a beautiful girl (Kousalya) and falls in love with her instantly. He sees her again during the wedding and sends her a love letter. Only then is it revealed that Kousalya is actually Anand's intended bride. The love letter causes many complications (with Vijayakumar as Kousalya's father and Charlie as a servant of the family), and eventually Prasanth owns up to having written it and asks for forgiveness. The wedding goes on and Kousalya and Anand are married.
Karthik goes back to Madras and there a girl named Chandni, the daughter of a local "dhadha" keeps following him around. Eventually, he falls in love with her, too, and the two plan to be married.
Unfortunately, Kousalya is not happy in her marriage. Anand and her father-in-law consistently torture her with their suspicious minds, and Anand keeps insisting that Kousalya and Karthik are having an affair. Their suspicions get so bad that Anand even makes a move to spill acid in her face -- fortunately, Karthik shows up and stops him, and takes Kousalya away with him, saving her.
But that's not the end of the story. Riled up by Anand, Chandni thinks that Karthik is cheating on her with Kousalya and so she accuses him of it and he dumps her, the marriage breaking up. Vijayakumar is also beset by suspicions and eventually disowns his own daughter because of Anand's false accusations.
Beset by suspicions on all sides, Karthik and Kousalya feel trapped.
COMMENTS:
A movie well worth watching for one thing in particular -- Kousalya's marvellous acting. She shows the world how she can act, and in the scene where she finally gives what-for to Anand and her father-in-law, you feel like cheering. Prasanth, on the other hand, looks lost and his acting isn't very notable.
A lot of other reviewers (Indolink Tamil Thirai Valai, for one) said the comedy was hilarious as performed by Vivek, Dhamu, and Vayapuri. In my opinion, it was only okay, and some of the jokes were raunchy and disgusting (there was a prostitute joke and a gay joke). The only joke I really liked was the 'Nattamai' joke with Vivek and even that got unfunny real fast.
This movie could have been very very great, but the shot misfired, and so we're left with a mediocre work. If the storyline had been concentrated better, and Prasanth's character had come only when necessary (such as Ramesh Aravind's character in the little-known movie "Thendral Varum Theru"), the movie might have been much much better.
NOTE ON THE MUSIC:
Deva excels in mediocrity and this is no exception. But Vennilavai has its moments and I really did enjoy the title track.
RECOMMENDATION:
Watch it on video.
VIJAY VANNIARAJAN