Hi all,

Bala is a director who brings out the best from all his actors. His films have bagged awards at all levels. He has always made a thumping mark with his films and can make you laugh and cry from the heart. But, I’m afraid Avan Ivan falters without a proper screenplay. 

The movie is set in a village near Theni. Kumbudren Saamy (Arya) is a smart burglar who can break into any lock and his half brother Walter Vanangamudi (Vishal) is a small time actor who performs in roadside plays. They’re always at loggerheads with each other and always try to pull each other’s leg. They fall in love with a college girl Thenmozhi (Madhu Shalini) and a police constable Baby (Janani Iyer) respectively. Their respective mothers, played by Jayaprabha and Ambika, are equally envious of each other. The village’s head is Highness (G.M. Kumar), who is well respected in the village. A cattle smuggler (RK) enters into the arena almost near the end of the film and climax is an easy guess.

Vishal as a squint-eyed person steals the entire show. His painful efforts are visible on the screen and his feminine act in the opening track is remarkable. Arya scores with his dialogue delivery and comical acts. G.M.Kumar emotes well, especially in a scene where he scolds Arya and Vishal. Ambika gives her best in the role of a village mom. The movie revolves mainly around these people and other actors do not make a big impact.

It is always good to make performance-oriented films. But, it should not be done at the cost of a proper screenplay. One would wonder what might be the story of the film even after sitting through one-and-a-half hours at the movie hall. There is absolutely no clue where the movie is heading until the cattle smuggler (RK) is introduced in the film. There is nothing to rave about Yuvan’s music while Arthur Wilson’s cinematography is appreciable.

Avan Ivan is a milestone in Vishal’s career and that is all about it. It is a film where the performances of the actors outdo the weak screenplay.