A tale that defines Kollywood
FTER collaborating for eight years, director AL Vijay and Kollywood actor Jayam Ravi have come together to deliver an action packed jungle adventure suitable for family viewing.
Action director Stunt Silva, with 160 movies to his credit, had heaps of praise for Ravi’s Tarzan-like swinging from trees action sequences where no harnesses were used in attempting these stunts. The unit travelled to the Andaman and Nicobar Island, and the forests of Vietnam and Thailand.
They studied and observed tribal behaviour and the terrain of the forests before filming.
Silva has choreographed some of the toughest and mind-blowing stunt sequences in Vanamagan.
The highlight of the movie is the action scene with a tiger.
This is music director Harris Jayraj’s 50th movie and all the songs are hits.
The opening song, Damn Damn, is certainly going to be a craze in South Africa.
Art director Jayashree Lakshminarayanan deserves credit for the sets constructed in Chennai and in the Thalakonam forest.
The city set had a really classic look.
She used wood and leaves from the trees to build the tribal village.
Weapons, boats, vessels and other products were also created using materials from the forest.
Cinematographer Tirru should be praised for his breathtaking cinematography that carries Vanamagan to another cinematic level.
For his tough role as a wild tribal inhabitant, Ravi shed many kilos and toned his body to suit the role of his character, Vaasi.
He also watched a string of documentaries on tribal living and spent some time and interacted with tribal communities in Andaman to bring credibility to his role.
Ravi speaks a few lines in the movie and his acting skill shines brilliantly.
Ravi the suave, handsome actor with a natural swag, transforms himself into a rugged being with a swarthy complexion and minimal costume to complete his role as a wild man, who knows no existence beyond his jungle habitat.
Bollwood actress Sayeesha makes her grand Kollywood debut in Vanamagan and plays her role as Kavya with aplomb.
And Prakash Raj plays her guardian.
What are the consequences when a jungle dweller, who arrives in Chennai city for the first time falls in love with Kavya, a modern urban dweller?
Vanamagan showcases the harmonious relationship that exists between the indigenous habitants of Andaman and nature and raises the question about who is the real human being.
After watching Vanamagan, you realise we of the modern and so called civilised society have lost our human values but yet the wild tribes continue their existence in innocent harmony among themselves and nature.
Vanamagan is an extraordinary high definition Kollywood movie and is currently on circuit at Cine Centre SunCoast, Durban, and Rosebank in Johannesburg.