Veetla Vishesham Movie Review

When RJ Balaji came onboard with the remake of Badhaai Ho in hand, it seemed to be an interesting decision indeed. Without tarnishing the image and the life of the original, he and his team have come up with a very convincing and satisfying remake which does complete justice to the original.

Veetla Vishesham follows the same storyline as the original, and only makes small changes in its narrative to spice up the proceedings and also make it more localized for Tamil audiences. The film has Ilango (RJ Balaji) coming to complete shock after he realizes that his mother is pregnant again, and this sets off a series of events where he comes into terms with the fact and also faces the social pressure and reactions from the people around him including his girlfriend. The film takes off in a mute fashion and has signs of a TV soap, but about 20 minutes into the narrative, the real plot comes into play and starts making the film a very interesting watch. Though minimalistic, the first half of the film has some decent laughs to keep us invested in the proceedings.

The second half is the superior of the two, and has emotional stretches that strike gold, and are sure to connect with the audiences. RJ Balaji has also added some efficient dialogues and additional sequences which work in favour of the film, and help it go ahead in neat form until the very end. Veetla Vishesham is a film that constantly provides laughs and ensures that its emotional quotient stays in place without being taken for granted.

It is clear that Sathyaraj and Urvashi have strong parts to play in the film, and the former rules the roost with his terrific performance that is a treat to watch. The film benefits big time from the confident portrayal of the father that he brings, and there is so much to like about his performance.

Urvashi offers very good support to the film, and is present in all the important scenes with a measured performance. RJ Balaji has seriously improved on his acting skills, as there is a drastic changeover that he brings out superbly in the emotional scenes of the film in the second half. Watch out for two particular scenes with Aparna Balamurali’s onscreen mother, which are worth your claps. The film also has an extraordinary final act by the late KPAC Lalitha, who does a superb job and is not just an interesting casting choice.

Veetla Vishesham has fine cinematography and editing which is tightly done. However, the music by Girish is a downer, and the background score feels straight out of TV serials for most parts.

On the whole, it is clear that RJ Balaji is getting better with every film and Veetla Vishesham is indeed a joyous and sprightful entertainer that is worth watching in theatres. The film is not a frame-by-frame remake of Badhaai Ho, for it is a thoughtfully executed entertainer that will keep you pinned despite few initial hiccups.  Veetla Vishesham Movie Review by Siddarth Srinivas

Veetla Vishesham Movie Review Rating: 3.5/5