Varnajalam

Synopsis

Recently retired police commissioner of Chennai, Devanathan(Nasser) begins a new life with his family (which includes his brother and his wife). He buys 2 large tea estates in Ooty and moves in with his family there. Devanathan's daughter Anita(Kutty Radhika) is a teenager, and his son Ashwin is a brilliant but troubled young man. One morning, a young man named Daniel(Srikanth) arrives with a recommendation letter from a recently dead priest to apply for a job as the tea estate manager. Daniel slowly becomes a favorite of the family with his good nature, music skills and mainly because he saves Devanthan's life from criminals, and wins the heart of the family. Ashwin who is not very social drives too fast, frightening the neighborhood children and gets into an argument with Devanathan, who goes to Daniel's office. Daniel inflicts wounds on himself and blames it on Ashwin. Daniel starts a fire in the house and blames that on Ashwin too. Ashwin is taken to a mental hospital. Daniel disguises himself and spies on Devanathan's sister-in-law when she is bathing who thinks it was Devanathan and the friction between the brothers start which grows to a level that the younger brother leaves the house.

One day while riding her bicycle, Anita discovers Daniel's motorcycle and is shocked to see Daniel performing hindu rituals for some one called Abirami. Daniel reveals himself to be Sakthivel, raised by his elder sister and uncle. He was academically very brilliant, but when his brother-in-law suffered from paralysis, he was voluntarily gave up his school studies and became a painter. He and his sister's daughter Abirami are in love. Abirami's parents plan their marriage after Abirami finishes college. On Devanathan's last day in service, a junior officer requests him permission to perform an encounter operation on a famous rowdy. But unknown to all Devanathan is under the rowdy's payroll. Though Devanathan refuses permission, the chief minister overrides him and the operation is carried out near a bus stop, where Abirami was standing. Thought the rowdy escapes due to Devanathan's prior information, Abirami is killed in crossfire. To save their names, Devanathan places the rowdy's photo inside Abirami's bag and makes her look like his lover. Connected as a family Sakthivel is arrested and Abirami's parents commit suicide. Devanathan retires with honors.

Anita is shocked to hear that her father is a murderer. At that moment the same rowdies are hiding at Devanathan's house. They are about to escape ooty in a vehicle driven by Devanathan himself to avoid unnecessary checking. Sakthivel chases them and when they are about to cross a checkpost, he shoots at the car. The rowdies mistakenly think it as a police firing come out and start firing which triggers the real police to come to the spot and kill Devanathan and the criminals in the shootout. At the film's end, we see Sakthivel reading a newspaper account of Devanathan's death.

Cast

Production

The film was shot for nearly 25 days in Sri Lanka, 15 days in Ooty and 20 days in Chennai, Director Nagulan Ponnusaamy who earlier worked as an assistant to G. M. Kumar and Rajkapoor and worked as dialogue writer made his debut as director with this film.

Release

The film failed at the box-office. Nagulan Ponnusaamy hadn't directed any film so far and he went to hibernation before resurfacing as an actor by playing Karu Pazhaniappan's father in his film Mandhira Punnagai.

Reviews

The film received mixed reviews. Hindu wrote:"On the face of it GJ Cinema's "Varnajaalam" (the title is a well-thought out one) is just another tale of revenge. But Nakulan Ponnusamy's treatment gives new dimensions to the narration. Though it is a thriller of sorts surprisingly the film has very few action scenes. But fear and suspense continue to mount at every stage, till the climax". Another critic wrote:"nothing new to offer as it lacks style, newness or a tautness of a thriller". Balaji wrote:"its slow pace and lack of suspense and tension prevent it from becoming a successful entry". Bizhat wrote:"the first half lacks consistency. The screenplay is a bit slow and most of the scenes are predictable. But the second half is neat and fast paced".