Vai Raja Vai

Vai Raja Vai (English: Place It King, Place It) is a 2015 Indian Tamil language heist black comedy film written and directed by Aishwarya Dhanush, and produced by AGS Entertainment featuring an ensemble cast starring Gautham Karthik, Priya Anand, Vivek, Gayathri Raguram and Daniel Balaji and Taapsee Pannu and Dhanush playing guest appearances. The film was announced on 12 September 2013, along with the commencement of principal photography.[1]

Vai Raja Vai
Movie poster
Directed byAishwarya R. Dhanush
Produced byKalpathi S. Aghoram
Kalpathi S. Ganesh
Kalpathi S. Suresh
Written byAishwarya R. Dhanush
Madhan Karky
(dialogue)
Screenplay byAishwarya R. Dhanush
Story byAishwarya R. Dhanush
StarringGautham Karthik
Priya Anand
Vivek
Sathish
Daniel Balaji
Gayathri Raguram
Music byYuvan Shankar Raja
CinematographyVelraj
Edited byV. T. Vijayan
T. S. Jay
Production
company
Release date
  • 1 May 2015 (2015-05-01)
Running time
125 minutes
CountryIndia
LanguageTamil

Yuvan Shankar Raja composed the film's soundtrack and score which was widely appreciated by the audience and critics. The film's plot summary is a mix of Hollywood movies Next and 21.

The film was released on 1 May 2015 to positive reviews from critics and was declared a hit at the box office.[2]

Plot

Karthik (Gautham Karthik) is a middle-class boy gifted with extrasensory perception who works at an IT company. He has a girlfriend Priya (Priya Anand). During school days, he scores good in the exams using his power, so his father (Vasanth) asks him to suppress this power. Then Karthik meets Pandian aka Panda (Vivek) at his office and befriends him. Panda, a gambler, gets to know about Karthik's power and asks him to play cricket gambling by using his power. Rangarajan aka Rande (Daniel Balaji) is in charge of cricket gambling under an unknown man known as Kumar. Karthik wins a crore in gambling and uses 10 lakhs for his elder sister Gayathri's (Gayathri Raguram) marriage. Panda, Karthik and Sathish (Sathish) go on a vacation to Goa to spend the gambling money. There, Rande threatens Karthik to play roulette in the Casino Royale ship. Initially Karthik hesitates, but Rande threatens him by kidnapping Priya. Karthik accepts to play. By this incident, Priya comes to know about Karthik's power. To train Karthik, Shreya (Taapsee Pannu) comes to help. Karthik plays the game and tricks Rande to take his place in gambling. The casino officials arrest Rande. Karthik, with his money won in the gambling with Panda, Sathish and Priya, escapes and goes back home. Shreya helps Rande escape from guards by the saying of Kumar. Rande traces Karthik and takes him to his place. There, Karthik uses his power to fight Rande's sidekicks and threatens Rande. At that time, a Rolls-Royce Phantom comes and is revealed that the unknown man Kumar is Kokki Kumar (Dhanush), and he asks Karthik to play for him in politics.

Cast

Production

Casting

Initially, director Aishwarya's choice for the lead actor was Atharvaa, but due to schedule conflicts he was unable to work on the project, therefore, Gautham Karthik was signed to play the male lead.[3] It was later announced that Priya Anand was going to be the female lead opposite Gautham in the film.[4] Velraj was confirmed as cinematographer for the film.[5]

Director Vasanth was cast as Gautham's father to make his acting debut, while choreographer Gayathri Raguram was signed to play Gautham's sister, making her return as an actress after a ten-year hiatus.[6] Taapsee Pannu and Daniel Balaji were chosen to perform guest appearances in the film. Taapsee's role would be a surprise element in the film as for the first time she plays a character with a negative shade.[7] She later stated that she was not playing the villain in the film but "an aloof girl who is a regular at casinos".[8] In November 2014, Dhanush also shot for a cameo role, reprising the role he played in the film Pudhupettai, Kokki Kumar.[9]

Filming

The film was mostly shot in Chennai, with major portions being shot at Pacifica Tech Park, OMR. The climax scenes were filmed in a cruise liner as the ship sailed a seven-night itinerary across Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. In December 2013, the crew filmed a song in Osaka, Japan.[10] Gayathri Raguram, besides acting in the film, choreographed the love duet.[11] A few scenes and songs were also canned in Goa.[12]

Soundtrack
Vai Raja Vai
Soundtrack album by
Yuvan Shankar Raja
Released10 December 2014
Recorded2013–2014
GenreFeature film soundtrack
Length19:41
LanguageTamil
LabelSony Music India
ProducerYuvan Shankar Raja
Yuvan Shankar Raja chronology
Poojai
(2014)		 Vai Raja Vai
(2014)		 Idam Porul Yaeval
(2014)
Singles from Vai Raja Vai
  1. "Move Your Body"
    Released: 18 August 2014

Yuvan Shankar Raja was chosen to compose the film's soundtrack and score, making his first collaboration with Aishwarya R. Dhanush. The background music of the film was widely appreciated by audiences and critics, and it was one of the best in Yuvan's career. The soundtrack album featuring five tracks was released on 10 December 2014 in Chennai.[13] Four months earlier, a single from the album, "Move Your Body", a song in the trap-and-bass genre,[14] which was written by Aishwarya's husband, actor Dhanush and sung by Yuvan Shankar Raja's father and composer Ilaiyaraaja, was released on YouTube on 18 August 2014.[15] Besides Dhanush, Madhan Karky wrote two songs, while Gana Bala and Hiphop Tamizha wrote and performed each a song. The soundtrack received highly positive reviews upon release.

No.TitleLyricsSinger(s)Length
1."Vandha Kadha"Gana BalaGana Bala3:32
2."Pachchai Vanna"Madhan KarkyYuvan Shankar Raja4:15
3."Pookkamazh"Madhan KarkyTanvi Shah, Yuvan Shankar Raja3:58
4."Naam Vaazhndhidum (Title Track)"Hiphop TamizhaHiphop Tamizha, Yuvan Shankar Raja4:39
5."Move Your Body"DhanushIlaiyaraaja3:17
Total length:19:41

Release

A first-look teaser of 70 seconds was released on 18 April 2014 which received a good response.[16] The trailer was released alongside the soundtrack on 10 December 2014.[17] The satellite rights of the film were sold to STAR Vijay.

Critical reception

The New Indian Express stated the film was "compact, breezy, stylish and a pleasant watch".[18] Sify called the film "a perfect recipe of a full-on entertainer without even a dash of obscenity or violence...the film is smartly packaged as an exciting and stylish entertainer".[19] The Times of India gave 3 stars out of 5 and wrote, "The film isn't perfect, far from it, it has a few weak spots that could have been disastrous but the confidence with which Aishwaryaa manages to narrate this story helps us tide over its issues".[20]

The Hindu wrote that "her second film too suffers from bipolar disorder".[21] Indo-Asian News Service gave 2 stars out of 5 and wrote, "Vai Raja Vai is a good effort gone completely awry", noting that "the first half is incredible fun" but that the film "goes haywire post interval".[22] Rediff gave the same rating and wrote, "Despite a good storyline, young enthusiastic cast and an impressive technical crew, the film barely manages to hold your attention", calling the film a "let down".[23]

Box office

The film collected ₹3.35 crore (US$470,000) in Tamil Nadu in first day.[24]

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References
  1. "Gautham Karthik confirms 'Vai Raja Vai' – Times Of India". Articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com. 19 April 2013. Retrieved 7 September 2013.
  2. http://m.ibtimes.co.in/vai-raja-vai-box-office-success-aishwarya-thanks-rajinikanth-dhanush-631415
  3. "Aishwarya Dhanush's next is Vai Raja Vai – Times Of India". Articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com. 20 April 2013. Retrieved 7 September 2013.
  4. "Priya Anand is Gautham Karthik's new pair! – Priya Anand- Gautham Karthik New Pair- Vai Raja Vai- Aishwarya Dhanush- Yuvan Shankar Raja- Ags- Velraj- Kola Baskar". Cinemalead.com. 14 May 2013. Retrieved 7 September 2013.
  5. Cinema cinema!. The Hindu. 31 July 2014. Retrieved 12 August 2014.
  6. "After a decade, Gayathri returns to the big screen". The Times of India.
  7. "Taapsee's cameo in Aishwaryaa's film". The Times of India.
  8. "I'm not the villain in Vai Raja Vai: Taapsee". The Times of India.
  9. "Dhanush to do a cameo in 'Vai Raja Vai'". Sify.
  10. "Aishwarya Dhanush shoots in Osaka!". Sify.
  11. "'It's all for Aishwaryaa Dhanush'". Deccan Chronicle.
  12. "Exclusive interview: Aishwarya Dhanush talks about Vai Raja Vai". Sify.
  13. "'Vai Raja Vai' audio launched in style". Sify.
  14. T. Krithika Reddy. "The Yuvan Wave". The Hindu.
  15. "Vai Raja Vai single out". The Times of India.
  16. "'Vai Raja Vai' and 'Irumbu Kuthirai' teasers well received". Sify.
  17. "WATCH: Slick & pacy 'Vai Raja Vai' Trailer!". Sify.
  18. Mannath, Malini. (3 May 2015) "Aishwarya Dhanush Returns With Second Venture Vai Raja Vai". The New Indian Express. Retrieved on 2015-06-16.
  19. Review : Vai Raja Vai. Sify.com. Retrieved on 16 June 2015.
  20. Vai Raja Vai Movie Review, Trailer, & Show timings at Times of India. Timesofindia.indiatimes.com (2 May 2015). Retrieved on 2015-06-16.
  21. "Vai Raja Vai: Curse of the second half". The Hindu (1 May 2015). Retrieved on 2015-06-16.
  22. Vai Raja Vai review: Good effort gone awry. Hindustantimes.com (2 May 2015). Retrieved on 2015-06-16.
  23. Review: Vai Raja Vai is a let down – Rediff.com Movies. Rediff.com (1 May 2015). Retrieved on 2015-06-16.
  24. "'Vai Raja Vai' Box Office Collection: Aishwarya Dhanush's Movie Gets Good Opening on First Day". International Business Times. 2 May 2015. Retrieved 18 May 2020.
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