Remember those carefree days of college, of hanging out with friends and taking life easy? That’s a phase most of us can identify with.
Tamil music composer James Vasanthan’s Vaanavil Vaazhkai will probably stir up those memories. This musical entertainer, a first in Tamil cinema, is set in a college campus and revolves around cultural events and the camaraderie and rivalry that goes along with it.
Vasanthan’s debut directorial venture features newcomers with a music background. Take Jose Selvaraj, a percussionist and a third year engineering student, who plays Fayaz, a drummer in this story. Jithin Raj, acting for the first time, is a vocalist and a guitarist, while Janani Raj is trained in classical music. Also making their debut are two Kerala girls, Cassandra, a singer, and Radhika George who has a degree in percussion instruments from Trinity Royal College of Music, London. Noted Carnatic singer S. Soumya is also making her debut in Tamil cinema.
Vasanthan, who has written the story and composed its music says, “The challenge lay in bringing all of them together, since most of them are still in college and there was the question of missing classes and labs, not to forget angry parents. At one point I feared about not being able to complete the project.
“Being a campus story, they just had to be themselves in front of the camera. The whole experience was fun.”
This Ilayaraja fan has been a film buff since he was young and Hollywood musicals are his favourite.
“In our industry, we have a set of beautiful songs in a film and call it a musical. But in the West, a musical is a production in which the lead actors sing and act. Vaanavil Vaazhkai is one such movie with 17 songs where the actors perform and sing.
Produced by Oceanaa AJR Cine Arts, Vaanavil Vaazhkai, releases on March 13 in India. R.K. Prathap is the cinematographer.
