Veeraappu Tamil Movie
Director-actor Sundar C has given a strong performance in "Veerappu" which marks him out as an actor of immense potential. He made his debut as a hero in "Thalainagaram" which was a big success. "Veerappu" is the second film in which he is featured as hero and he has played the role with good understanding of the character.
Parents have their own dreams about their children but more often than not their dreams come to naught. Parents endeavor to mould and shape their children to be what they think best, but when children grow up and choose to go their own way deviating from the course charted out by their parents and some of them even become wayward, it is hellish for the parents. The film brings into sharp focus these contradictions in the father son relationship.
Sundar C's role as a wayward son gets embellished with versatile Prakash Raj playing his father. This duo makes "Veerappu" an uncommon commercial potboiler.
Badri, the debutant director, who has worked as an assistant to Sundar C, has acquitted himself creditably. The way he has adapted the Malayalam script to suit the Tamil audience is commendable. Badri has seen to it that "Veerappu" is as good an emotional drama as the original "Spatikam"
Here goes the story…
Vedhakannu (Prakash Raj) is a high school math teacher and a President's medal winner in mathematics. He is also a stickler for discipline. He wants his son, Pandi (Sundar C) also to be like him and expects him to grow to be a man endowed with excellent qualities. But Pandi has no aptitude for math, which is a disappointment to his father. Though he has no penchant for maths, he is good at designing and producing mechanical and electronic gadgets. His artistic-bent of mind and creativeness do not impress his father. Obsessed as he is with maths, Vedhakannu does everything in his power to bring his son in line. He adopts some dubious methods to make his son realize his father's dreams. Vedhakannu is strict with his students in his class, Pandi including. He even goes to the extent of punishing him for any mischief committed by other students. Worse still, he manipulates his son's answer papers to fail him in exams. Far from getting Pandi interested in maths, Vedhakannu's ways of dealing with him makes things go from bad to worse. In an unexpected turn of events, Pandi drops out. As years go by, Pandi grows to be a notorious rowdy and is now called Puli Pandi". Chased by the police and shunned by his father, Puli Pandi has none to turn to. He comes across Bharathy (Gopika), a teacher, and they fall in love with each other. Rapprochement between the father and son and how it is brought out is a gripping climax.
After "Thalainagaram", this is the second time Sundar faced the camera and he looks more confident and mature as a hero now. Prakash Raj deserves special mention, for his character, as a strict father is as natural as it should be. Gopika has no or little scope to be at her best. Nonetheless, her performance is well crafted. Vivek and Anju form a comedy track that lacks freshness. D. Imman has come up with some lively numbers. Song sequences were filmed in New Zealand and Australia. K.S. Selvaraj's camera work is average.
"Veerappu" is the first film produced by Krishnamurthy Vijayakumar and Sujatha Vijayakumar.
The movie has the right mix of emotions, action, romance and humour, though cliched. Rapprochement between the father and son and how it is brought out is a gripping climax.
