Five aimless youngsters who bear the load of their parents’ ambition on their frail shoulders! An oft told tale of angst, anger and anguish. But what redeems Vaazha, ’the biopic of a billion boys’, is the humour woven in all the scenes in the first half of the film and the relatability factor in the second half. Smart one-liners — some crude, some crackling — bring on the laughs.
Ajo Thomas, Vishnu, Moosa, Abdul Kalam and Vivek Anand are five thick friends who can’t seem to crack examinations, and the travails of the backbenchers strike a chord with many viewers. The five buddies come from middle-class families, as the film tracks their lives from pre-school to college and beyond.
But for Moosa, whose father stands by him through thick and thin, the other young men have to deal with parents who have no time to listen to their woes or even let them follow their dreams.
Vaazha means plantain tree in Malayalam; it is also a take on a popular grim adage in Malayalam that says that instead of spending money on a good-for-nothing kid, it would have been better to plant a plantain tree instead!
Film director Vipin Das of Jaya Jaya Jaya Jaya Hey and Guruvayoor Ambalanadayil is the writer of the movie, which is directed by Anand Menen who made his debut with Gauthamante Radham.
Vaazha (Malayalam)
Director: Anand Menen
Cast: Jagadish, Kottayam Nazeer, Azees Nedumnagad, Siju Sunny, Amith Mohan Rajeswari, Joemon Jyothir, Anuraj OB and Saaf
Runtime: 125 minutes
Storyline: The journey of five thick friends, all backbenchers, who drift through school and college, burdened by the expectations of their parents
The Reels-like feel of the film is enhanced by crisp scenes that depict the youngsters’ encounters with unsympathetic, unimaginative teachers in school and college. There is action, fisticuffs and comedy. Somewhere, after the interval, the writer and director suddenly realise that the film — like the protagonists — has been drifting along happily. So, they decide to bring in reality bytes to firm up the story.
As they plod through engineering college, with seats bought by their parents who dream of the sons achieving their dreams, reality begins to hit them in the form of failed examinations, botched interviews and dead-end flings.
That is when the film shows how parents fail their children by forcing them to follow paths the parents have navigated. How teachers and educators go by examination marks as markers of achievement and have no time to cater to students who might want to chase rainbows of a different kind. Toxic parenting comes under the scanner with age-old practices of abject obedience and gaslighting by nosy relatives being questioned in the movie. A scene in which Ajo’s father (essayed by Azzez Nedumangad) takes on his toxic brothers who gaslight and put down his son, is bound to be a heartwarming moment for youngsters who are forced to exist with such folks.
Even while portraying the hurdles posed by the students’ lack of academic success, writer Vipin does not forget to keep the laughs going. Moreover, even certain poignant scenes in Vaazha do not become cheesy at any point.
What works for this movie most is the relatability factor; director Anand ensures that the film does not become maudlin, although the second half has plenty of scenes where it could have turned into a typical tear-jerker.
Amith Mohan Rajeswari, Siju Sunny, Joemon Jyothir, Anuraj OB and Anu essay the five classmates, and Saafboi appears as the antagonist, the top-scorer and teachers’ pet who ticks all the boxes as an A-lister.
Kottayam Nazeer as Vishnu’s disappointed dad aces his role, and so do Jagadish and Azees. Noby Marcos, appearing as Moosa’s father, keeps its subtle, yet scores as the supportive father. Basil Joseph’s guest appearance adds a zing to the storyline.
Although the women in the film have nothing much to do, Vipin does not make that an excuse for chauvinism or toxic masculinity. Instead, the script underscores how the lack of emotional empathy and maturity make it difficult for them to strike a healthy relationship with women.
The several loopholes in the script are filled by the overall feel-good tone of the movie. The technical team supports the director with apt editing by Kannan Mohan and cinematography by Aravind Puthussery.
Vaazha is a full-on comedy that also asks certain pertinent questions about parenting and education.
Vaazha is currently running in theatres
