It is really great to see a successful team pairing up again and when it comes to the cinema this aspect is more than enough to draw audience to the theaters. After delivering a comedy roller coaster in 2010 with ‘Boss Engira Baskaran’ the trio of Arya, Santhanam and Rajesh are back with ‘Vasuvum Saravananum Onna Padichavanga’. Has the magic remained intact in these five years?

The online story of the film does not differ from what a regular movie buff would have guessed by watching the trailer. Saravanan (Arya) and Vasu (Santahnam) are thick friends and owners of a mobile shop. Vasu gets married to Seema (Bhanu) gets annoyed by the funny antics of Saravanan. She says Vasu that they can start the conjugal life only if he quits Saravanan’s friendship.

Vasu plans to lock Saravanan in a relationship in a bid to save his wedding life. He takes Saravanan to a matrimonial office where he falls at first sight for Aishwarya (Tamannah) who works there.

The attempts of the duo to convince Aishwarya and also retain their friendship forms the rest.

The film heavily banks on Santhanam on expected lines and we have to say that the man carries the film in his shoulders though it may sound clichéd. One line punches, counters, Kalaais (jibes) and what not? The film is throughout filled with whatever one would expect of Santahnam especially when he joins with his lucky director Rajesh. The duo has regained the magic and heavily compensates for the disappointment caused by ‘Azhaguraja’.

Rajesh has also cleverly adopted to the changes in Santhanam’s career graph and showed him almost like a hero. He has a heroine like pair, romance scenes and he comes throughout the film. The lack of a duet for Santhanam is the sole factor that stops us tagging this film as a ‘dual hero’ subject.  

Arya who is known to be the ‘friend of everyone’ in the industry has understood the needs of the film and supplements and compliments Santhanam throughout the film. He has completely shed his star power and hero image and submits himself to the needs of the character and gives his best. A point to note…he is also the producer of this film.

Tamannah gets enough scope to act and also plays her part in the comedy segment of the second half. For a first timer with a bit lengthy scope for comedy, Tamannah is good. Bhanu looks as good as a heroine and performs well as a doting wife. It is only her character that has something to do with serious emotions in the film. Vidyullekha Raman has a meaty role in the second half and she plays a vital part in bringing out laughter. Swaminathan a regular entrant of Rajesh films does his part well. Karuna fits the bill while Vishal who comes in a slightly extended cameo towards the end gives an impression that he can be the suitable lead man for the next Rajesh-Santhanam laugh riot.

D.Imman’s songs come as mere fillers and none except the ‘Luck ah Mattikichu’ stays in mind after leaving the movie hall. Re-recording is just okay and Nirav Shah’s cinematography gives the urban look required for the film.  Jackie’s art direction could have been better. The beach coming in the film looks alien.

The film does not have anything to offer new as a script. The first half moves with good flow of entertainment and the childish turns here and there do not go beyond tolerable limits. The problem starts in the second half when the protagonists start using a chubby friend as a puppet to make heroine fall for the hero. This is also used as a reason for Aishwarya shedding her inhibitions and falling in love for Saravanan which is a mere cinematic liberty.

In these sequences an entire family of overweight members are shown as mere objects of ridicule and unfit for having dreams of getting loved or marrying someone. If this is not enough, a caste identity is intentionally given to these characters and that is also used to evoke what can be termed as cheap humor. Of course, the theatre bursts out in laughter even for these attempts.  

The film intentionally portrays woman as destroyers of men’s friendship. It would not have been a problem if this was limited as a mindset problem of the female characters of the film.  But there are conscious efforts to paint the entire womankind with the same brush and belittle them. Even there is a dialogue in the film which says that women by nature do not like to live in groups and they want an isolated and (as an indirect reference) selfish life.

This film has many rib tickling, entertaining and engaging moments. But when can we expect an entertainer from Kollywood that does not pass demeaning judgments on women and tease someone for their looks to make others laugh? This question lingers in mind beyond the sumptuous entertainment the film provides.

Verdict- The best director-comedian duo of recent times is back with a bang.