Movie review 'VSOP': Could use an extra bit of maturing in the cask
Cast: Arya, Santhanam, Tamannah, Bhanu
Director: Rajesh
Rating: 2 stars
At a time where there’s furore from several different quarters close to the Tasmacs, director Rajesh’s Vasuvum Saravananum Onna Padichavanga (VSOP) hits the screens. Rajesh has a fixation for certain things in his films, and these take a rather predictable pattern, namely: innumerable tasmac and drinking sessions, friendships, Shakeela for oomph (!) and a popular actor making his cameo towards the climax and who acts as a catalyst to solve problems. VSOP too falls within such a nutshell.
If there’s something called the story, it can be written on the back of a bus ticket. Vasu (Santhanam) and Saravanan (Arya) are friends from childhood who are inseparable. They spend most of their time drinking together at several joints in the city. Vasu gets hitched to Seema (Bhanu). A stupid and juvenile act of Saravanan angers Seema and she tells her husband to sever ties with the former. Until then they will have to sleep separately, Seema warns. Vasu feels that if Saravanan also gets married, he would have diversion and things would sort themselves out. Now enters Aishwarya Balakrishnan (Tamannah) and our Saravanan falls head over heels for her. But all his dim-witted antics fails to woo her. The rest is how Vasu and Saravanan tackle their respective partners to keep their friendship intact. The film rambles on with a series of corny jokes and one cannot really blame Rajesh – for that’s the ‘sarakku’ (stuff) which is expected of him.
The film is Arya’s 25th outing and is also produced by his home banner. Much was expected out of him, but sadly he plays a role which is an extension of his earlier character in Boss Engira Bhaskaran, which was also directed by Rajesh. At least in BOB, Arya’s character was etched with more substance. Here he comes across as childish in one scene and in another, as a joker. And typical of Rajesh’s films, Santhanam drives the entire story with his witty one-liners, which can get stale and boring. The sexist jokes in particular can start to grate your senses. Tamannah is just about adequate. Vidyulekha has a meaty role but she stoops to a level where her fat body becomes the object of comedy. Shakeela character is redundant. Vishal does a cameo towards the climax, and he illustrates the major differences between men and women over brandy and beer.
With plenty of air and little in way of stuff, VSOP could have well used with an extra bit of maturing in the cask.
