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"Visaranai (2016) and Vada Chennai were shot without a script," said 43-year-old Vetri Maaran, a bit hideous, just days after the release of her magnum opus. The Dhanush-starrer Vada Chennai is his first big-budget movie after Aadukalam (2011), winner of a national award, and Visaranai, which was also India's official entry to the Oscars. In the making since 2003, preceding Polladhavan (2007), his first film as director, Vada Chennai (North of Chennai) not only received the expected grand opening, but also exceeded the opening revenue estimates at the box office. "Although I'm not motivated by the numbers, I knew the film would work in commerce," he says. "It's the biggest opening Dhanush has ever known, which I did not expect," he adds.
Located in northern Madras, in the fishing village of Kasimedu, the film begins with a crime scene. A murder was committed and the deceased was not identified. It is the center of the plot that comes in flashback from here. However, the story is not limited to a linear format; instead, important events are divided into chapters with character names that connect their lives. There are few leaves of Vetri Maaran that are unspoken or unexplained. The narrative voice (that of Anbu, played by Dhanush) is a character in the film as well as the living and living canvas of Northern Madras and the recurring painting. Popular sport in the region, the carrom has been used effectively as a conspiracy tool and for realistic details.
As in all his films, Vetri Maaran strives to define the milieu by bringing important political and social references of this period. and incorporating real images of the time. He cleverly uses the badbadination of Rajiv Gandhi, the death of MGR and the visit of Pope John Paul II to Madras to establish the political tendencies of the characters, hint at his own politics and introduce a little humor also. Scenes like the one in which two characters discuss the MGR succession battle in the background of the main action will stay you long after the movie ends.
Vada Chennai is a layered film; important characters join the story at different stages of the plot. But the script is tight and inflexible. You know, when a filmmaker is not afraid of giving in to critics, the strength of the film lies not only in plot twists and a larger-than-life climax. "Vada Chennai is really the story of Chandra (interpreted skillfully by Andrea Jeremiah) told from Anbu's point of view.The character and the actor both came before the others became so great , including the central characters of Anbu (Dhanush) and the Rajan (Ameer) gift, "says Maaran.
The film has evolved over time. T.R. Silambarasan (Simbu) was to play the lead role until timing and logistical issues met and Maaran brought the film to Dhanush. "The story has not changed with his arrival on board, but the character has changed, it was written differently for Simbu." The character of Rajan became bigger after that. " Ameer joined the boat, "says Maaran. However, the main challenges facing the film were related to logistics and budget. "Dhanush was also the producer and we encountered a lot of difficulties, we had something between 10 and 300 actors to deal with for each image.This is a very noisy and cluttered movie."
The film, Chandra's fully realized character, also marks an important moment for Maaran himself, as he has often been criticized for his lack of autonomous female characters. "It's something I'm consciously working on, and in a way, Chandra started this trip for me," he explains. Maaran admits that Vada Chennai has influenced his other projects since its inception. "The world of Polladhavan was borrowed from Vada Chennai, as was the scene of the meeting," he says. "The research process is however still different." While Visaranai was based on a novel involving research on the lives of inmates through prison officers, Vada Chennai relied more on my own study. "
The slum evictions and the Anbu character seem too familiar and we can not help but make comparisons with Kaala de Pa Ranjith. However, Maaran says that films must be political and serve as vectors of change. "It's a good sign and a necessity for the moment," he said. Will his neighbors be more disconcerted on this front? "Yes, my films will be more and more political.However, it's the story and the frame that will determine the part of my policy on the screen," he says. For the moment, Vetri Maaran has to start working on two Vada Chennai suites, making it a trilogy. "It was not supposed to be, but people literally stop my vehicle on the road to ask me when the rest is expected," he said.
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