BEHINDWOODS COLUMN

The ultra-talented Dhanush is back to the Tamil silver screens with Velai Illa Pattathari (VIP), which is set for release this Friday on the 18th. Being his 25th film, the hype around it is palpable and adding more glitz to the 'D25' factor, are the superhit music score by Anirudh and the terrific trailer cut which has already clocked 2 million plus hits.
 

Here we do a quick SWOT analysis of VIP and find out if Dhanush's silver-jubilee film can turn out to be a silver-jubilee fare at the box-office as well.
 

S - Strengths 
 

• Anirudh's music has given the movie a major push and is guaranteed to bring crowds in droves in the first few days at the least. His prowess at BGMs is also well-known and VIP is sure to be a musical treat.
   
• Dhanush fans are fired up to see their star back to winning ways at the box-office and the opening is bound to be huge. The 6-pack sequences, the punch lines, the famous VIP kick and Dhanush's 'dabba vandi' are added incentives for fans to whistle and hoot in delight. The 'D25' factor adds more goodwill for the general audiences as well.
   
• As said earlier, the trailer has sent across all the right messages about the movie and we know that VIP can be a perfect commercial package if things work out well.
   
• The buzz in the social media is at an all-time high for a Dhanush film and having a positive presence in this space is of prime importance nowadays.
   
• After marriage, this would be Amala Paul's first release and audiences would be curious to see her on the big screen again. Given the nature of the industry, there is an uncertainty about Mrs. Amala's coming days as a lead heroine, and this in turn may act as an instigator for Amala fans to turn up in numbers at the theaters.
   
• Vivek's fans would have a chance to see their favourite on screen again, in a role which is bound to be a cakewalk for the veteran. The Dhanush - Vivek chemistry has worked well in the past, adding more muscle to VIP.
   
• The likes of Saranya Ponvannan and Samuthirakani command a solid following for their acting capabilities and add more power to VIP.
   
• It's been quite a while since we saw a movie focusing on the travails of an unemployed man, a subject which invariably makes for interesting viewing.
   
• The movie's run time of 2 hours 13 minutes is ideal and works well in the current scenario, where movies beyond 150 minutes are scoffed at.
   
• The U certificate and the wide release in the state are added strengths for VIP as it looks to make a killing at the box-office.
   

W - Weaknesses
 

• There have been quite a few movies earlier, where Dhanush has played the naughty, rebellious unemployed young man and hence there may be a sense of 'déjà vu' in VIP.
   
• The high expectations can have an adverse impact too, if the content doesn't turn out as expected.
   

O - Opportunities
 

• VIP presents a huge chance for Dhanush to get back to winning ways after going through a big commercial lull in recent years. Newer salable heroes have emerged and Dhanush would be looking at VIP as his chance at a major comeback. The pre-release buzz and the wide release have set things up well.
   
• After ‘Kolaveri’ and Raanjhanaa, Dhanush's popularity and reach in other states and overseas markets have seen a huge ascendancy. VIP can strike it rich in these markets too, provided the content works.
   
• Noted DoP Velraj makes his debut as a director and VIP presents him with an opportunity to stake his claim as yet another cameraman who can shine as a director too, following the likes of Santosh Sivan, K.V.Anand, Vijay Milton to name a few.
   
• Pretty young actress Surabhi, upcoming comedian Sathish and the other new introductions in the cast and crew, would be looking at furthering their careers with VIP's outcome.
   

T - Threats
 

• The coming weeks would be packed with many expected movie releases such as Jigarthanda, Thirumanam Enum Nikkah and also Salman Khan's Kick to name a few. VIP wouldn't be having solo breathing space, what with Sathuranga Vettai also releasing on the 18th. So, the path is packed with healthy competition and Dhanush has to really earn his success.
   
• Any new release has to grapple with piracy and VIP is no exception. And being a big star movie, deliberate hate messages against the movie by fans of other stars, also cannot be ruled out.
   

All the very best to team VIP for a cracker of a run in theatres from the 18th onwards
 

Written by Kaushik LM
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