Though loaded with fantastical commercial elements catering to Ajith’s mass hero image, the decent plot, stunning music by Anirudh and spectacular visuals captured by cinematographer Vetri make director Siva’s Vedalam an enjoyable Diwali treat…

The Ajith starrer Diwali blockbuster Vedalam largely depends on the mass appeal and star power of the actor with a script sans solid content and logic and just tailor-made by for him. Though the story travels in predictable lines, it has high-octane stunt sequences, bro-sis sentiment, and loads of punch lines, hit songs to satisfy the mass audiences.

If you are okay with a movie with an invincible hero, who can take down 20 or 30 men at a time and if you can put up with an overdose of sentiment, then you can like Vedalam. And don’t bother about that frame during the end credits which says that the film is dedicated to all women. It has nothing to do with the film whatsoever. Seems like Siva has used it as an answer to all those who ask, “But what is the takeaway from the film?”

Vedhalam is yet another template mass masala film with few well etched out action sequences and feel-good moments but most of the time, the ship rests on the broad shoulders of Ajith, who single handedly makes us sit through the predictable potboiler.

Beautifully crafted with enough emotion, family values and loads of action — Vedalam also has a beautiful message for all of India’s young men: respect women enough to ensure they feel safe anywhere. The brother-sister bond is the highlight of this masala film and we were left teary-eyed on many occasions.

When things that are commendable are few and far between, it’s not an easy watch. For all the “Aaluma Doluma” about ‘Vedalam’, the impact is just about a fingerprint. There isn’t enough strength in it to pack a punch.

As much as I would like to praise Ajith as an actor, I would really need to criticise how he chooses his scripts. For Vedalam has nothing new to offer to the actor, other than tap on his already popular mass image. Though the teaser of the film and (even the title) gave us a slight hint of some supernatural stuff or split personality stuff, there is nothing of that sort in the film. Ajith’s character is like any typical massy Tamil hero – he is an indestructible killing machine, for whom swords, hockey sticks, guns and 100 goons don’t matter

This movie is an out and out commercial entertainer. Director Siruthai Siva has ensured that there is plenty for Ajith fans and the family audience. Ajith has punch dialogues, high octane action sequences and all the right dance moves. He plays the good and the bad with ease and is a treat to watch on screen.

When there is a mass hero, action comes along like his shadow and Vedalam has its fair share of ‘thiruvizha’ action moments resulting from the revenge theme of the film. There are three hunky villains falling into the commercial cinema template completely.

The time-tested I’ll-abduct-your-close-ones method was after all used in a film like Run, that released 13 years ago. And oh, somebody should really tell filmmakers that it’s completely all right to not cast a heroine when she has nothing substantial to do, like Shruti Haasan in this film. In comparison, Nagma’s seems like a plum role in Baasha. And that’s saying something.

If you have seen Siva’s previous films — Siruthai and Veeram — you will have a fair idea of what to expect in Vedalam. He is beginning to make a career out of films that are extremely loud and incredibly gratuitous, and his filmmaking style mainly involves ramped up camera moves, frenzied cuts, and over-the-top acting with an ear-splittingly loud background score for company.

At 157 minutes, Vedalam is but an Ajith Kumar show (all the way where Menon and Haasan are wasted). The man arrives with a big bang and never tires of bashing up baddies — but now and then taking a break to cleanse society of minor evils like fooling law courts or cheating on wives.
Certainly not for children, who might wonder how Phantom sprung out of their favourite comic books in such a horrifically mutated form.