This flick from Gautam Menon is the best of his efforts so far and still not satisfying. Karthik (Silambarasan) is your young, jobless boy-next-door, aspiring to become a Film Director. Jessie (Trisha) is a Malayali Christian, daughter to a conservative father, portrayed as a very beautiful, brilliant, grounded woman. Like with most of Simbu’s real/reel storylines, the girl is older to him, by a year.

Karthik is struck by thunderbolt the moment he sees Jessie. He woos her and confesses his love in an impulse. He chases her all the way to Kerala and apologizes, promises to be her friend (A.R.Rahman plays ‘Mustafa Mustafa’ in the background for the occasion!) Time spent together reveals how Jessie is the perfect foil for Karthik. If she is all I-am-so-confused, he is all let’s-face-it-together. As Jessie falls for Karthik’s charms, her father fixes her marriage. The plot revolves around Karthik persuading her to cross her sky for the sake of love.

'Why am I in love with Jessie, of all the women?’ is the question raised by hero, which remains unanswered throughout. VTV, in essence, is the struggle of the couple to come out of their shells. Glaring, obvious love notwithstanding, the couple make their lives harder for no reason. She cites internal and external pressure as reason, but we get it only to the extent that this is what most women go through in their love lives. There are times you feel like shouting, ’What the hell woman, look at him, go for him.’ Nonetheless, VTV seems a better reasoned version of the love affair between Surya-Sameera Reddy characters in Varanam Aayiram.

The only reason for such comments is Mr.Simbu. Breaking the shackles of mass-chauvinistic-self-obsessed characters, he has lived the role of a young, passionate, at-times-lusty yet dedicated man in love. Trisha on her part has essayed a memorable performance and has to thank her costume designer Nalini Sriram for her natural, fresh, hep appearance onscreen. As with his previous ventures, the director has portrayed the leading lady as a new-age, matured, practical, hesitant  yet not fickle lover.  Ganesh, as the ‘Kakka Kakka’ cameraman  and Karthik's friend does a neat job as wannabe love-guru, making pertinent observations about love, life and the movie itself. Entire cast looks well set in the poetically romantic atmosphere.

 

VTV would have been but a shadow of itself, but for the genius of A.R.Rahman. With seven songs in all, one gets a music-drama effect at times. ARR’s amazing music is well complemented by the artistic eyes of Manoj Paramahansa, the cinematographer. Be it Kerala, Goa, Malta or United States, Manoj has just the best of the beauty to offer to us. Shot mostly in Chennai, there is an air of familiarity about the locales, which helps one connect more. Screenplay is  Hollywood-ish and is woven with chary thoughts.Dialogues are so realistic that when the interval closes in with Trisha's silhoutte gently fading, the audience join Simbu in saying 'What a woman sir!'

 

Even with so many strong points to boast about, the movie sags, mostly because the story does not move on. Climax comes a bit too late, and has the director’s mark written all over it. This might as well turn out to be a compulsory first-date movie, with all the elements of a relationship enhancer to it, but not quite a classic it could have been. Usual story with a dead slow narrative. Expected better from you, Mr. Gautam.