Vidaa Muyarchi Movie Review : A dull outing for Ajith and his fans

Vidaa Muyarchi Movie Synopsis: Arjun (Ajith Kumar) and Kayal (Trisha), who were together for 12 years, are on the verge of divorce. Arjun decides to drop Kayal at her parents’ house, a 10-hour drive. The trip takes an unsettling turn when Kayal goes missing, prompting Arjun to embark on a journey, looking for her.

Vidaa Muyarchi Movie Review: Vidaamuyarchi is adapted from the Hollywood film Breakdown. The film doesn’t give the usual euphoria Ajith fans expect from their hero, but offers some enjoyable moments in the last one hour. Those who watch road trip thrillers on OTT, or are familiar with the genre, might find the set-up and storyline very predictable. While the first half stays true to Breakdown, the second half has been Kollywoodised to cater to fans and the local audience.

Arjun and Kayal decide to get married 3 months after meeting each other. Twelve years and a miscarriage later, the couple is clearly not happy. Kayal reveals about her affair with another man, and initiates divorce, but Arjun insists that their relationship is not yet broken beyond repair. When Kayal decides to move to her parents’ house in Tbilisi - a 10-hour drive from their house in Baku, Azerbaijan - till the divorce proceedings are settled, Arjun insists that he drop her — as their one last trip together. On the road, they encounter Rakshit (Arjun Sarja), a truck driver, and his wife Deepika (Regina Cassandra), who are also Tamilians. When Arjun’s vehicle gives up mid-way, he asks them to drop Kayal at a cafe nearby. But when he reaches the place, he finds out that Kayal has been kidnapped! Can he save her on time or will he lose her forever?

Vidaamuyarchi starts off very slow, with Sawadeeka song — which starts as soon as the movie begins — being the only high point in the slow and dull first half, which covers the couple’s relationship drama, flashback sequences and the incidents that lead to Kayal’s kidnap. It reaches an interesting point at the interval, only to be bogged down by a quick revelation about the antagonists. Had director Magizh Thirumeni placed this part towards the climax, the film would have become an intriguing thriller. The revelation ends up being a spoiler for the supposedly thrilling second half, making it very predictable. The half-hour leading up to the interval also feels repetitive. The film comes together in the last one hour, but the closure is utterly disappointing as it feels like a convenient wrap up.

Vidaamuyarchi is not the usual Ajith outing and marks a departure from his typical mass masala films with an entry song and lengthy dialogues. While there are two ways to see this, the movie might be disappointing for Ajith fans expecting mass moments. Ajith wields a white flag from the beginning and stays away from putting up a fight until heavily provoked. For an action thriller, he gets beaten up more than he can beat up. The action sequences are ordinary and natural, and don’t suit the tone of the film. Vidaamuyarchi lacks the stand-out moment fans eagerly look forward to, thus failing to deliver an intended impact.

Ajith is stoic as a man who is caught unaware of why Kayal is divorcing him. Throughout the film, he puts up a class act as the film focuses on content over style. Trisha appears prominently in the first half, but has very little to do in the second as she goes missing. Arjun and Regina’s roles required a little more depth. While adapting from the core of Breakdown, the filmmaker fails to provide details about why Arjun and Regina are the way they are.

Om Prakash’s cinematography offers some good frames as he captures the deserted roads of Azerbaijan in true tone. His camera work enhances the film's visual appeal. Anirudh Ravichander is in top form, and shows off his excellence in the last few minutes. Sawadeeka stands out, and the rest of the songs are blended into the story. An action scene inside the car is delightful, and is shot very tastefully.

Vidaamuyarchi might find its space with some niche audience, but a racy screenplay, especially considering the genre, and a little more emotional depth, could have made the film dearer to all.