Naane Varuvean: Why The Dhanush Starrer Worked For Me

Naane Varuvean was released a day earlier than Ponniyin Selvan 1, on September 29. It won't be an exaggeration to say that Naane Varuvean would have been noticed more without a grand competitor taking up so much space.

I saw the film again recently, and I felt that despite its flaws, it was a rewarding watch. Here is why.

Following up on their legacy of Thulluvadho Ilamai, Kadhal Konden, Pudhupettai, and Mayakkam Enna, the siblings have worked together on Naane Varuvean. Dhanush takes up two roles, Prabhu and Kathir. Prabhu is responsible and civilized whereas Kathir is mentally a bit disturbed and psychopathic.

As Prabhu, Dhanush brings out the angst and desperation of a father who is trying to figure out what is happening to his daughter and save her from danger. The way Prabhu handles situations, and how he emotionally interacts with his daughter, is so well written and performed that you start empathizing with Prabhu a lot.

It isn't always the screen time that a character takes, or how intense the events in their life are, that determines whether the audience connects with the character emotionally. It depends on how well the actor performs the role and how well the scenes are written. This has worked well in Naane Varuvean.

As Kathir, Dhanush creates magic with his alternating charm and animosity, which confuses you. One moment he is this fun, admirable, and cute dad and husband, and the next moment he turns into this life-threatening brute. Dhanush is convincing in both versions of Kathir and in his role as Prabhu.

There is unbelievable magic in how Selvaraghavan brings out shades of Dhanush that keep you hooked to the screen. That magic alone is sufficient to enjoy this film.

In addition, Yuvan Shankar Raja joins the duo, after a break. Apart from Mayakkam Enna, which was composed by GV Prakash, whenever the two siblings signed a film, Yuvan has been a part of it. In Naane Varuvean, Yuvan does his thing again and elevates the scenes with a brilliant background score.

Naane Varuvean is a must-watch if you enjoy Dhanush's acting. It is one of his best in terms of acting excellence.