VIVEGAM MOVIE REVIEW



Release Date : Aug 24,2017 Aug 23, 2017 Movie Run Time : 2 Hours 29 Minutes
Censor Rating : U/A
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Ajith fans must be mighty excited to see their favourite star back on screen after 20 months. Yes, he is finally back, and it is not one of those typical commercial films that he acts time and again. Vivegam is being promoted as an international spy thriller, a new genre for Tamil cinema. So is it a costly experiment shouldering on the mass image of Thala Ajith? What would be the outcome? Will it cater to all center audiences or just Ajith fans? Let's find out.

A spy agent who goes by the name AK (Ajith Kumar), someone who is highly respected by all including his boss. Out of the blue, how a criminal plot flips his career upside down forms the plot. One side AK is concerned about the safety of his wife, who he cannot contact and on the other hand, the entire government is against him. How he fights against all the odds and thwarts the mastermind from doing further damage is what Vivegam is all about.

The plot looks quite compelling, although the story line makes you think that it is inspired from international spy thrillers like Salt. Nevertheless, one has to accept the fact that the film is perfectly in sync with Ajith's image. Probably it’s been a while since Ajith has played an intense character that requires him to push himself to greater limits. Vivegam has shown him in an entirely different dimension. Having said that, the whole execution part looks weak and diluted. That is where you tend to question the intention of the director. Siva has concentrated more on showcasing Ajith's mass rather than the core story, which is worrying.

This film is mainly to celebrate Ajith. The man has given it all; with numerous complications in his body and to have gone the extra mile is highly commendable. Surely something for his admirers to cherish about for a long time to come. It is not just the six pack scene that warrants mention, but there are plenty of scenes out there that speak of his hard work and determination. But the nagging doubt that the makers could have well done to portray his mass in the right way rather than just glorifying his character through some dramatic dialogues stays at the back of your mind.


Vivegam keeps you in a state of nervous excitement from the start of the second half till the pre-climax. It is not without its flaws though - the first half of the movie is quite ineffective saddled with pace and logical issues. In fact, logic takes a backseat throughout the movie. Vivegam is a conventional spy thriller with routine escapes and clashes and hide-and-seek gambits. Yet the way the screenplay moves, nothing that happens seems inevitable, which makes the whole movie seem a lot less natural. Albeit it could connect with a section of the audience.

Vivegam has enough in store – special effects and car chase sequences a la spy films – to appeal to die hard action and Ajith fans. But these scenes come out on screen in a contrived manner.


For a film that is visually appealing, it could have scored brownie points if only it had been made with a little more substance. The true skill of a director is when he makes a complex film seem simple but here Siva seems to have done the reverse!


Anirudh's music is a major plus for the film. Among the list of positives, Vetri's visuals make it to the list. Kajal Aggarwal lands a meaty role and makes a good job of it. So does Bollywood import Vivek Oberoi except for the lack in depth revolving his friendship scenes with Ajith. Akshara Haasan does a neat job of her cameo. On the flip side, Karunakaran's character seems to vanish abruptly. The negatives also include over the top dialogues glorifying the hero. Excessive use of Tamil dialogues in Europe also make the narrative sound a tad unnatural at times.


Siva packs enough firepower into Vivegam to please hardcore Ajith fans but by the looks of it they might be the only ones going home sans disappointment. Arbitrary twists and excessive action distractions could have been avoided.


VIVEGAM VIDEO REVIEW

Verdict: High on production value and action. Heavily dependent on Ajith's persona, engagement factor takes a beating.

BEHINDWOODS REVIEW BOARD RATING

2.25
( 2.25 / 5.0 )
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REVIEW RATING EXPLANATION

"RAJINIKANTH SCARED OF PA RANJITH ON SETS" - ANU VARDHAN | KAALA VIDEOS

BREAKING: AK58 DIRECTOR AND PRODUCER CONFIRMED! | DETAILS INSIDE | TK 553 VIDEOS

SONGS REVIEW

Review by : Behindwoods Review Board
Album Release Date : Aug 07,2017

Surviva 
Singers: Yogi B, Mali Manoj, Anirudh
Lyrics: Yogi B, Siva


It is refreshing to hear rapper Yogi B singing a Tamil song after quite a while. And that too, Yogi B’s rap portions in Anirudh’s music is something very exciting for both Anirudh and Ajith fans. The song is heavy on EDM and synth. It is a high energy song that has the positive energy attached to it. Surviva is a proper western based EDM number that will attract the masses. The specialtiy about this song is its lyrics which talk about the character of Ajith himself both in the movie and in real.  Qualities like hard work and self-confidence have been touched upon.

Thalai Viduthalai  
Singers: Anirudh Ravichander, Harish Swaminathan
Lyrics: Siva


Thalai Viduthalai was the second single released by the Vivegam team It has been sung by Harish Swaminathan in Anirudh’s music. The number is a proper rock style motivational number. It is a very positive sounding inspiring number that has the guitars with a commendable chord progression flowing in, right from the start. Another speciality about this number is that it has Thala Ajith’s deep voice all along and these chants are another positive. A proper fast based, rock number that gives you no time to breathe and has a very attractive rhythm and beat right from the start. There is no deviation from the death metal rock genre, and it is a very raw song with no compromise from composer Anirudh.

Kadhalaada
Singers: Pradeep Kumar, Shashaa Tirupati
Lyrics: Kabilan Vairamuthu


Kadhalaada is a classical fusion track which is the only melody of this album by Anirudh. Sung by Shashaa, Pradeep Kumar Anirudh, the Carnatic tunes are very impressive. Anantha Krishnan's violin is purely the soul of the song as it provides so much life to it. Kabilan Vairamuthu's first collaboration with Anirudh works very well, making it an excellent tribute to marriage and love. A purely Carnatic, swaram portions take your breath away while the drums and a mild Konnakol piece add value to the track.

AK Theme Music (Ready to Rage)
 

The AK Theme Music is high on electric guitars and follows the rock route. It is Anirudh’s experimentation for this Ajith film that sets this theme apart from the usual mass themes. It has a unique use of metal and rock style elements and is a classy theme that would suit the style and charisma of the character played by Ajith.

Veriyera
Singers: Poorvi Koutish, MM Manasi


Veriyera starts off with a spooky theme and moves onto become a track that fantasizing the character played by Thala Ajith. It has a positive energy attached to it and has been crooned by Poorvi and Manasi. The song takes a fast pace throughout with drops in regular intervals. Synth usage is very evident, and the drums and guitars have also been utilized. The latter half of the track takes the EDM route with electronic music taking over.

Never Give Up
Singers: Anirudh Ravichander featuring Raja Kumari


The Never Give Up song is an English style song featuring Raja Kumari. The lyrics have some inspirational words attached to them. Anirudh sets a new international flavour song with this one. The mild guitars and the electronic beats and tune would attract a wide range of audiences. Raja Kumari sizzles with her rendition for this number and could be termed as the right pick. The other attraction with this number are the timely pauses which tease the listener. The fade away towards the end helps finish this number in style.

Kadhalaada (Reprise)
Singers: Pooja, Anirudh, Namratha, Shashaa Tirupati

 

The reprise version of Kadhalaada has Anirudh’s voice taking the front seat. The classical number is a feast, and as in the original, violin portions are mesmerizing. Shashaa’s voice is nectar like and keeps the listener interested. A shorter version of the original Kadhalaada.

Verdict: Anirudh delivers a convincingly International album in his forte for Ajith's Vivegam!
( 3.0 / 5.0 )

CLICK FOR VIVEGAM CAST & CREW

Production: Sathya Jyothi Films
Cast: Ajith Kumar, Akshara Haasan, Kajal Aggarwal, Vivek Oberoi
Direction: Siva
Screenplay: Siva
Story: Siva
Music: Anirudh
Background score: Anirudh
Cinematography: Vetri
Dialogues: Siva
Editing: Ruben
Art direction: Milan
Stunt choreography: Ganesh, Kaloyan
Singers: Anirudh Ravichander, Harish Swaminathan, M.M.Manasi, Malli Manoj, Narmatha, Pooja AV, Poorvi Koutish , Rajakumari, Shashaa Tirupati, Yogi B
Lyrics: Kabilan Vairamuthu, Rajakumari, Siva, Viveka, Yogi B
PRO: Suresh Chandra

Vivegam (aka) Vivekam

Vivegam (aka) Vivekam is a Tamil movie. Ajith Kumar, Akshara Haasan, Kajal Aggarwal, Vivek Oberoi are part of the cast of Vivegam (aka) Vivekam. The movie is directed by Siva. Music is by Anirudh. Production by Sathya Jyothi Films, cinematography by Vetri, editing by Ruben and art direction by Milan.