Veeram (Valour)Tamil (U) **Director: Siva Cast: Ajith Kumar, Tamannaah, Vidharth, Munish, Suhail Chandhok, Bala, Santhanam, Nasser, Pradeep Rawat
They are brothers in arms. Fivesome to be precise. It’s their writ that runs large in this village of Ottanchathiram. Defy them and be done to death or punched to pulp. They have a rider though. Before those that dare them are given the full works by big brother Vinayakam. The villainous victim is fed to full before his bones are broken and the living daylights taken off him.
For, their loony logic is that unless the guy is well fed, how can he bear the brunt of big brother’s fists of fury. Welcome to brawny and bravado world of Veeram or valour, pre-Pongal offering from Kollywood. Here violence is the V word to provide paisa-vasool mindless, mundane entertainment for masses."
Tiresomely long, with second half, tad sagging, Veeram has Thala Ajith in fulsome flow with all fireworks. With salt and pepper looks, and swashbuckling works – sickles, chains, and punchy online dialogues by the dozen. Only different does he don here is that he is in traditional vesti, and not suited and booted, given that the adrenaline, derring-do action drama takes place in the bucolic setting.
The rakish ruffian he is, our Vinayakam is also bit of misogynist. Don’t get him wrong. His dislike for feminine form stems from the dreadful belief that once a woman enters a man’s life, he has to change for good and lead life according to her diktat. So, even as he swats those that dare to defy the brothers like wanton flies, he ensures cupid does not strike his arrow at his brothers. But brothers being brothers, when two of them are smitten, they ensure Kopperundevi visit their village to restore temple idols/statues. And lo and behold!
Vinayakam is hooked, line and sinker by her winsome, magnetic charm. But can the lass’ Gandhian father, who abhors violence, accept our vigilante Vinayakam as his son-in-law? Well, to know this and more and what other twists and turns including, what past does Kipperundevi have, whom and why are killers after, Siva’s soporific festival offering takes to, visit Veeram. While Ajith’s fans may swoon and swear by his one-man demolition squad show that will give even hulk Arnold Schwarzenegger the blushes, for the rest though, it’s a matinee masala to stay away.