THE movie Veetla Vishesham is a remake of Badhaai Ho, which won a Hindi National Award in 2018. The plot tells of Ilango (Balaji), whose life is turned upside down when his elderly parents Krishnaveni and Unni (played by Urvashi and Sathyaraj) reveal that they are about to have another baby. Faced with shame and scorn from society, Elango’s brother and grandmother (KPAC Lalitha) are compelled to carefully manage their personal and social lives. Veetla Vishesham is the narrative of a family of five dealing with a pregnancy, individual decisions, and societal consequence.
Urvashi owns this film. She doesn’t say much, but that reflects her Krishnaveni’s function in a lower-middle-class household. The actress is fantastic in conveying much innocence and maternal affection without ever coming off as naive or stupid. She is her own person, and she will not submit to coercion.
Throughout the film, you can witness these polar opposites coexisting. She is terrified of societal shame and condemnation from her own family, but when her husband, Unni, attempts to push her to his will in kind, gentle ways, you will see signs of a powerful woman. This film comes to life through the love between Unni and Krishnaveni. Unni is not like the Sathyaraj we are used to seeing. He is the parent that creates videos that any son or daughter would squirm at. He never speaks out, and he never confronts an issue. So much so that when his mother abuses his wife, he only way to deal with it is by ordering tea for her. He is unwaveringly supportive, yet he never solves any of the difficulties. He is the lovable common man.
RJ Balaji is excellent in the part of Ilango, a dumb moron. Ilango is weak, ignorant yet genuine without the peculiar RJ Balaji-isms. KPAC Lalitha does a fantastic as the mother-in-law. She is so faithful to her character that even the expected change goes above and beyond.
Veetla Vishesham is a mash-up of many comic techniques, including dark comedy, situational humour, and Balaji’s well-known sharp counters. The finest part about this remake is that no alterations were made to the original plot. When compared to the original film, the remake contains many more daring elements that need to be discussed in our daily lives. Even when the picture appears to be a touch loud, it surprisingly remains convincing, and the music, photography, and editing brought additional complexity to the film, making it really shine with its authenticity.
Veetla Vishesham is a pleasant comedy-drama that embodies the phrase “family entertainer.”
Cast: Sathyaraj, RJ Balaji, Urvashi, Aparna Balamurali
Director: N.J. Saravanan, RJ Balaji
E-VALUE: 7
ACTING: 8
PLOT: 7
