VANGALA VIRIGUDA MOVIE REVIEW

Cast: Guhan Chakkaravarthiyar, Alina Sheikh, Ponnamabalam, Vaiyapuri, Vasu Vikram

Director: Guhan Chakkaravarthiyar

You have to respect the audacity. Guhan Chakkaravarthiyar handles 21 departments here: writing, directing, composing, cinematography, even costume design. It’s the kind of passion project that emerges from someone who refused to wait for the industry to give him a chance.

The plot has interesting bones. Guhan plays a wealthy Thoothukudi businessman whose loveless marriage drives him to the beach, where he witnesses his former girlfriend attempting suicide. Learning her situation mirrors his own, he commits a murder to free her and they begin a life together. Then the dead man starts calling. Someone is watching. The thriller mechanics kick in, shuffling through genres as it goes.

Guhan clearly studies Tamil cinema heroes. His screen presence borrows liberally from the greats, and he throws himself into every action beat and romantic glance with genuine commitment. Ponnamabalam, Vaiyapuri, and Vasu Vikram lend their experience to supporting roles, providing some stability. A song celebrating Dravidian leaders and film icons catches attention for its ambition.

The limitations show in execution. Scenes don’t always connect smoothly, and the numerous newcomers drift through without clear purpose. The genre-hopping creates confusion rather than intrigue. What begins as mass action pivots to family drama before landing in thriller territory, but the transitions feel abrupt rather than deliberate.

Vangala Viriguda works best as a testament to one man’s determination. As polished cinema, it struggles. As a calling card announcing Guhan Chakkaravarthiyar’s arrival, it makes its point.