Diwali Dhamaka Battle - Vedalam vs Thoongavanam

This Diwali, two of the most expected films - Ajith's Vedalam and Kamal Haasan's Thoongavanam will be storming into hundreds of screens. Let's quickly check out the similarities and contrasts between the two films, and what the audience can expect from them.

Hero

• Vedalam is Ajith's second film this year, and even though his last film - Yennai Arindhaal received critical acclamation, it failed to turn out to become a hit. Ajith would like to end the year on a high by delivering a blockbuster hit. The expectations on the movie are high as Ajith is expected to play a role with negative shades, which has always worked well in the past.
• Surprisingly, Thoongavanam will be Kamal Haasan's third release this year. With a hit and a flop this year, Kamal Haasan is hoping to add on to the 'Hit' tally with this film. Kamal looks stylish and suave in the trailer, and age is struggling to affect him.

First Impression

• Vedalam's teaser was severely criticized and mocked by the non-fan base. It looks like the director was desperate to create a different mannerism to Ajith, which backfired. Fans are hoping that Ajith's persona in the film will be overwhelming enough to blur the shortcomings.
• On the other hand, Thoongavanam's trailer was top-notch and impressed the movie buffs instantly. Touted as the official remake of French flm, Sleepless Nights, expect the film to be a racy thriller.

Director

• When Ajith was caught in a storm of urbane action entertainers, director Siva gave a new dimension to him via Veeram, which also clicked at the box office. Siva is expected to play to the strengths of Ajith in this film as well.
• Rajesh M Selva, an erstwhile assistant of Kamal Haasan, is making his debut as a director with Thoongavanam. Coming from the school of Kamal Haasan and with the genius' creative inputs, expect it to be a no-nonsense debut for the director.

Music

• Vedalam's music was yet another huge let down, as the songs were so not like Anirudh's compositions. It would be interesting to see if the visuals make them any better.
• Thoongavanam has just 1 song, and the lack of more songs might actually make the film more riveting.

Target audience

• Vedalam is made for the masses, who enjoy celebrating Ajith's bigger-than-life avatar on the big screen.
• Thoongavanam is a more refined movie that relies solely on its diligent content, which will be lapped up by neutral audience.

However, both the movies have to depend on initial positive reviews and word of mouth to attract family audience over the weekend. Recently, we saw how Naanum Rowdy Dhaan dominated 10 Enradhukulla in a similar release scenario.

Final Words

Vedalam and Thoongavanam are two completely different films, with respect to their treatments. While Vedalam solely relies on Ajith's charm, Thoongavanam is expected to a pulse-pounding thriller minus Kamal's usual self-indulgence. We will be back with the FDFS reviews of both the films.