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Veeran Reviews

Adhi shines in the Tamil superhero film written and directed by ARK Saravan. It is fun, but also interesting thanks to its rural setup.

Full Review | Jun 2, 2023

Overall, Veeran possesses enough strength to keep us engaged throughout the film.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Jun 2, 2023

The comic-book quality keeps the film likable because who can take offense at a film that seems to be targeted at children.

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Veeran possesses enough strength to keep us engaged throughout the film.

Veeran Movie Review: Veeran tries its best to be Tamil cinema's Minnal Murali

• Times of India

Veeran - Official Trailer

Veeran | Song - Papara Mitta (Lyrical)

Veeran | Song Promo - Thunderkaaran

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User 128 278 days ago

Good Direction and Good Story.<br/>*Everyone performed very well.<br/>*I once remembered our KANNADA Industry's movie called KANTARA.<br/>*Children's, Youngsters, Aged persons, and small village, within this a small story cached everyones interest.<br/>*Story of some history is interesting.<br/>*Some of them will get dream like this, but no one will explore, only we have to watch during tough situations.<br/>*We have to do Pooja daily by remembering God, only trust will carry us.<br/>*We are eagerly waiting for veeran 2 , I think story will much more interesting.<br/>*Tq for beautiful movie.<br/>*Best of luck for upcoming movies.

Rajeev Metha 174 279 days ago

Cheap copy of Minnal Murali, <br/>Even in this film hero had minnal power, villan had sentific power....

Copy of Minnal Murali morning much

Vijay Ravi 260 301 days ago

veeran tamil movie

Muhammad Nezar M N 3071 305 days ago

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• This film marks the first collaboration of uncle-nephew duo Anil Kapoor and Arjun Kapoor. Arjun is the son of Anil’s brother Boney Kapoor. Share
• This film marks the first collaboration of uncle-nephew duo Anil Kapoor and Arjun Kapoor. Arjun is the son of Anil’s brother Boney Kapoor.
• This is the second time Arjun Kapoor is playing a double role, the first being Aurangzeb (2013).
• The song ‘Yamma yamma’ from ‘Shaan’ is sampled in the song ‘Partywali Night' for the film.

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Veeran movie review: Tamil superhero comedy with good intentions and unique rural backdrop

Veeran movie review: adhi shines in the tamil superhero film written and directed by ark saravan. it is fun, but also interesting thanks to its rural setup..

ARK Saravan , who made a strong impact with his debut film Maragatha Nanayam, a fantasy comedy, a few years ago, returns with a superhero comedy, which is also a concoction of a few other genres. What really makes Veeran standout from other Tamil superhero films from the past is its attempt to set the story in a small village, making it a first-of-its-kind attempt. Also read: Good Night review

The premise of Veeran

Adhi plays Kumaran, an atheist, who gets struck by lighting at a very young age. As he takes time to recover from the incident, he starts to develop some powers at the same time. One of his powers is his ability to produce electrical discharge, also known as electric arc. Soon after the incident, Kumaran shifts to Singapore with his sister and returns 14 years later after a premonition warns him about an imminent threat to his village.

Upon his return, Kumaran unravels the mystery in his village. A multinational corporation - lead by mad scientist cum businessman Vinai Rai - is planning a big power project which will require the villagers to sign off their lands. Kumaran senses the sinister plan of Vinai, and makes it his life’s mission to stop the project from taking off.

Veeran is fun

Veeran isn’t a straightforward superhero film as it smartly strikes a balance between being a comedy based in rural India, and an emotional drama about one's faith in spirituality. It’s a very interesting idea that pits science and spirituality. It is explored quite convincingly, and full marks to director Saravan for treating it smartly.

Unlike most superhero films that chase grandeur, Veeran dumbs down every popular trope associated with the genre and that really works in the film’s favour quite well. When it isn’t a superhero film, Veeran is fun and consistently entertaining. The film, unlike is its first half, definitely needs trimming in the second half which does dip in quite a few places.

Action sequences are the highlight

Adhi, who has so far done films that have majorly appealed to young audiences, shines in a film that caters to all sections of the audience. As a youngster struggling to manage his newly acquired superhero powers, he turns in a very believable performance. The visual effects play a key role in the action sequences and the film manages to impress on that front as well. One of the highlights of the film has to be the highly inventive action sequences. Vinay as the main antagonist is the film’s weak link as he plays a character with no major purpose.

As a superhero film, Veeran achieves something that’s rarely been explored before. You don’t have to make a larger-than-life film, especially in this genre, to make audiences root for the hero. Here, Adhi’s superhero powers are never made to glorify his character. Another interesting aspect of the film has to be its rural backdrop - the whole village setup - which Saravan uses very effectively to keep the narration largely engaging. Comedy is Sarvan’s strength and he really makes a mark in that area jn Veeran.

Film: Veeran

Director: ARK Saravan

Cast: Adhi, Vinay Rai, Muniskanth and Kaali Venkat

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Veeran Movie Review: A superhero film in which the attraction is everybody else

Rating: ( 3 / 5).

In perhaps the funniest scene of Veeran, a bad suit-clad boss (the impressive R Badree) storms into Veeranur to destroy a village deity site, but the superhero protagonist exercises ‘mind-control’ (Harry Potter fans might recognise this as the Imperius curse) and has him dancing to his tunes, literally. It’s a scene that gets funnier with repetition—like another scene featuring a government official played by Chinni Jayanth. It’s these little nuggets I liked in Veeran , moments where director ARK Saravan doesn’t seem too daunted by the pressure of making a superhero film and allows the superhero to work with the sweet-natured people of Veeranur to achieve ‘small’ objectives.

Director: ARK Saravan Cast: Hip Hop Tamizha Adhi, Munishkanth, Kaali Venkat, R Badri, Sassi Selvaraj If it’s true that ‘any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic’, then, surely, a superhero in a village must be indistinguishable from… god. This is a foundational parallel drawn throughout the story, with a good priest constantly getting his faith rewarded (remember how a line in The Dark Knight goes, “Sometimes, people deserve to get their faith rewarded’?). There’s even the suggestion that the village deity itself is a mythologised figure of a real warrior. Veeran, in these portions, treads a slender line to ensure that it never comes through as a ‘ saami padam ’; neither does it ever condescend on the power of faith. In fact, there’s a beautiful scene about how faith can move mountains—or in the case of this film, a paralysed girl. One good man, Kumaran/Veeran (Hip Hop Aadhi), goes to great lengths to underplay the effects of god… while many other good people in the village, including the priest, are happy to repose their faith in the supernatural. This film loves both.

Adhi as Kumaran isn’t exactly radiating charisma (even if his music is likeable and fascinatingly urban for the rural scape). However, I enjoyed that his character constantly underplays the importance of a superhero. It’s a departure from the vanity we are used to associating with superheroes. Even a Batman who seems so burdened by superhero duties finds the time to pose atop skyscrapers, his cape flying elegantly in moonlight. In this film, however, at a time of great need, Veeran’s powers (mind-control and electric arcs) fail him, as he totters, bruised and bloody. It’s a nice touch to emphasise that this man’s superhero attribute isn’t the powers he procured accidentally, but his unquenchable thirst for resistance. In fact, he says as much when he tells the people of Veeranur that they don’t need a superhero if they remember to stand united in resistance.

None of these appreciative observations is to excuse the many problems within the film, including how long it takes to get going, the lack of purpose for the hero’s friend and girlfriend, the weak main villain (Vinay), the generic corporation-exploits-village idea, the not-so-memorable stunts… I could go on, but it’s a film that also has enough moments of enjoyment—or should I say, amusement. Much like the filmmaker’s first film, Maragadha Nanayam , in which the humour shone (over the horror), here too, he seems most comfortable when operating in light spaces. And is there any other actor who’s better suited to playing the village simpleton than Munishkanth right now? There are many other such likeable characters—including a horse owner, the hero’s friend who gets plenty of screen-time and perhaps more dialogues than the hero, the heroine’s fiance, the young leader of a youth welfare association… ARK Saravan’s film seems to have a lot of love for the many people of Veeranur, and I enjoyed the democracy of his storytelling. Nothing summarises his love for the little people more than the scene in which the big villain gets taken down—or in his eagerness to give that fiance character a happy end.

And yet, it's a strange film—a film that’s mediocre with the grand but good with the minutiae. The origins story is so-so. The man-hero-superhero arc is half-hearted. The main villain is a farce. The hero’s power seems problematically intrusive. The heroine is purposeless. But contrast all of this with the film’s love for the ‘little’—especially, the many little people in Veeranur. Even the memorable villain isn’t the main character played by Vinay, but his little brother (R Badree). Even the temple site the hero is protecting isn’t a grand structure of architectural beauty. It’s merely a hint of a deity, a little symbol of a vaster feeling. For such nifty little touches, I feel compelled to be a little forgiving.

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Veeran Movie Review

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Actor Hiphop Aadhi Tamizha’s previous collaboration with Sathya Jyothi Films have been decent family entertainers, and he attempts the same with this new movie ‘Veeran’, hitting screens worldwide today. The film is directed by ARK Saravan, who earlier shot to fame for his directorial debut ‘Maragadha Nanayam’.

Fantasy and Superhero movies have common element of an ordinary man getting super powers when either electrocuted or struck by the lightning. The protagonist (Hiphop Aadhi) belongs to the latter category, who unexpectedly gets hit and develops a superpower. He also experiences additional gifts of telepathy, which prompts him to fly back from Singapore to his native village to save the people from a serious issue.

As abovementioned, Hiphop Aadhi Tamizha is known for coming up with decent family entertainers, and this one is no exception. Director ARK Saravan, who knows the knack of blending humour and emotions together, delivers a neat film. Usually, fantasy genres would demand whopping budget, but the production value is well maintained here. The director rather than focusing on the grandeur tries to engross audiences with engrossing screenplay.

Apart from Aadhi, the other characters too get a decent scope to perform. But it would have been nice if the villain’s character was made yet more powerful. The musical score and the cinematography are additional attractions in this movie.

There are few scenes that manage to eclipse the little vague moments in the writing. Say for instance, the police station sequence followed by the encounter of Veeran with the little girl and few more scenes easily lets the audience feel the connection.

Veeran is a passable entertainer that will not disappoint the family audiences. Sathya Jyothi Films needs special mention for coming up with such decent entertainers, and Veeran will not disappoint the universal crowds.

Verdict: A decent entertainer that blends humour and emotions engrossing audiences

User Review

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'Veeran' Review: A lightning bolt of entertainment strikes Tamil cinema

Superhero movies have frequently found success in Bollywood, such as 'Krrish' and 'Ra.One'. However, the South Indian film industry has been lacking prominent homegrown superheroes until recently. The Malayali audience celebrated their first indigenous superhero, 'Minnal Murali.' And now, the people of Tamil Nadu have their very own superhero 'Veeran,' directed by ARK Saravan, with Hiphop Tamizha Adhi donning the superhero persona in this film.

Lately, it seems like a common theme among superheroes is gaining their powers through a lightning bolt, and Veeran follows suit. This movie revolves around a Kumaran (played by Hiphop Tamizha Adhi) who is struck by lightning, resulting in the emergence of extraordinary abilities that drastically alter his life. As the story progresses, he realizes the responsibility he holds and embarks on a journey to protect and fight for the people of his village along with his two friends Sakkarai (played by Sassi) and Selvi (played by Athira Raj). While adhering to the familiar superhero movie template, this film manages to intrigue the audience by cleverly incorporating humour throughout. Despite following a conventional structure, the inclusion of comedic elements elevates the overall experience, making it an enjoyable and refreshing superhero venture.

The movie's first half-hour may give the impression of a slow start, potentially leaving you sceptical. However, as the story progresses, the plot gradually unravels and gains momentum. A prominent element emerges in the form of an evil scientist villain and his brother, who have sinister intentions for Kumaran's village. The villagers, resolute in their stance, refuse to succumb to the nefarious plans due to the presence of a small temple housing the idol of 'Veeran,' a legendary figure from local mythology. And the journey only gets more enjoyable from there. The village is teeming with fascinating characters that enhance the film's entertainment value, and on numerous occasions, these characters step into the spotlight, captivating the audience.

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When it comes to performances, Hiphop Tamizha Adhi delivers a convincing portrayal of a neighbourhood lad dedicated to the betterment of his village. Sassi and Athira also deliver decent performances. However, the true highlight of the movie lies in the chemistry between Munishkanth and Kaali Venkat. The duo seamlessly takes control of the movie's comedy element, stealing the show. Vinay Rai undoubtedly excels in his portrayal of the evil scientist, but at times, it feels like his villainous role was sidelined, lacking significant depth or impact in the overall story.

Veeran may not present a completely unique storyline or offer extraordinary elements. However, it is still a highly enjoyable film. ARK Saravan deserves praise for his efforts in bringing this entertaining movie to life. Apart from the humour, there are certain scenes, like the grand introduction of 'Veeran' as he gallops triumphantly on a horse, that truly stands out and leave a lasting impact. All in all, Veeran proves to be a good entertainer with potential for a sequel.

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Veeran (2023)

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2023 ‘வீரன்’ Directed by ARK Saravanan

Kumaran has had a troubled childhood after getting hit by lightning, comes back to his village to fight evil elements and provide hope through indigenous deities.

HipHop Tamizha Adhi Sassi Selvaraj Athira Raj Munishkanth Kaali Venkat Vinay Rai R. Badree Nakkalites Chella Tha. Muruganantham Jensan Diwakar Bose Venkat Chinni Jayanth 'Jeeva' Ravi Nisha M.K. Rajan Kannappadasan Prasanna Balachandran Nakkalites Savithri Appa Ravi Sankar Das

Director Director

ARK Saravanan

Co-Director Co-Director

Stalin Ganesh

Producers Producers

G. Saravanan Arjun Thiyagarajan Sendhil Thyagarajan Sai Siddharth

Writer Writer

Editor editor.

Prasanna GK

Cinematography Cinematography

Deepak D Menon

Art Direction Art Direction

N. K. Rahul

Visual Effects Visual Effects

Stunts stunts.

Mahesh Mathew

Choreography Choreography

Sathish Krishnan Santosh Master

Composers Composers

HipHop Tamizha Adhi HipHop Tamizha Jeeva

Songs Songs

Vivek GKB Muthamil Vignesh Srikanth

Sound Sound

Hari Haran Sachin Sudhakaran Tapas Nayak

Costume Design Costume Design

A Keerthi Vasan

Makeup Makeup

P. S. Chandrasekar

Sathya Jyothi Films

Releases by Date

02 jun 2023, releases by country.

150 mins   More at IMDb TMDb Report this page

Popular reviews

Review by Michael James ★★½

A mixed bag. The movie does offer you some interesting thematic elements and well written stretches, but unfortunately never quite manages to rise above the par scale. While the superhero backstory and safe play ride between faith and superstition gets neatly integrated, the weak conflict-antagonist characterization and dull moments drag it down. Not all the comedy hits the right meter, but the ones which do give you some solid chuckle moments. Though it did have a strong setup and solid potential, it ends up in the not great-not bad bag of entertainers.

Review by Rushe✨ ★

Adhinaa cosplay 🥵

Review by VishalT ★★½

Has some moments to really like Margatha naanayam alavuku illa for me.

Review by Adithiyan Curioser ★★★

Unmaiyodayum thairiyathodayum irunthaa Kadavul laam nammaku thevaiyae illa maa!

I think Indian cinema off late has forgot to make movies for "Pre-Teens and Teen Audience" and ARK Saravanan's Sophomore Feature "Veeran" does take a step into that genre and demographic after a very long time. In an era where comedy is almost non-existent and picks up "controversies" because of the people who push " the message", ARK Sarvaanan almost takes a clean comedy approach to this narrative and succeeds in it almost to give a quirky rural drama with all the antics resembling films like "Mundaasupatti", etc. With "Nakkalites" team in the supporting cast accompanying with Aadhi, they provide great laughs. More than Vinay, It's Badree who delivered a condescending performance…

Review by Luke Thorne ★★★

Ark Saravan’s film. When Veeranor, a 15-year-old boy, goes into a quick coma, he recovers and finds out about his superpowers of lightning and mind control. In Tamil with English subtitles.

The story concerns a 15-year-old boy existing in Veeranor, who gets hit by lightning and goes into a tiny coma. After improving, he eventually comprehends that he has super-abilities of lightning and mind control.

Hiphop Tamizha Aadhi gives a good performance in his double role as Kumaran and the title character, with the former the young boy who has an awful accident, while the latter the protagonist with extraordinary powers at such a young age.

Elsewhere, Vinay Rai as Sarath, Athira Raj as Selvi, Munishkanth as Perusu, Kaali Venkat…

Review by Nithish Joshua ★

full meals sapta madhiri irunchu bro…..semma thookam

Review by Vidhush ★★★½

old wine in a new bottle kinda film. munishkanth and kaali venkat combo slaps. adhina good improvement in acting as well as music. the nakkalites people also get meatier roles. kaththi one liner taken in a superhero comedy genre. worked well for me.

Review by ash ★

A never ending and boring movie

They tried an attempt at an indie superhero and yet again uses lightning as means to give him powers, they could've atleast changed that.

The scenes intended as comedy just comes out as hell of a boring affair and tests our patience, a whole chunk of the movie is filled with these painful scenes. The villagers just test your patience and I was fed up within the first 45 minutes itself. Mediocre villains.

You'll understand everything even if you seek forward 10 seconds non stop.

Vinay rai please stop playing the welloff, ruthless and mainly rich villain in every other movie

Review by Shivendra ★★★

Commercial film which doesn't take the audience for granted with good comedy

Review by BigDeePee ★★

Spider-Man ku epdi 🤟 Namma Veran ku 🫰

Review by sharanoffl ★★★½

Works as a fun film at most places but as a superhero/mythical folkloric film it was a low voltage content even though it has powerful traces of Minnal Murali, ATM and Velayudham in the plot and Vidaathu Karuppu in the aesthetics. Had so much of potential but went as a underwhelming attempt...Still it demands a definite theatrical watch for the good fun portions which will be very much enjoyable in community watching

Review by AdithyaSiddaian ★★½ 1

Adhi na moss💀

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• Home » Movies » Veeran Movie Review

Veeran review: Director ARK Saravan’s superhero film makes some pertinent points

The movie narrates a simple story that can be easily understood with minimal effort and is worth a watch.

Published:Aug 10, 2023

A poster of the film 'Veeran'. (Twitter)

Watch-worthy!

Veeran (Tamil)

• Cast: Hip-hop Tamizha, Vinay Rai, Athira Raj, Munishkanth, Kali Venkat, and Sassi Selvaraj
• Director: ARK Saravan
• Producer: Sendhil Thyagarajan, and Arjun Thyagarajan
• Music: Hip-hop Tamizha
• Runtime:  2 hours 35 minutes
• Cast: Salman Khan, Katrina Kaif, Emraan Hashmi, and Revathy
• Director: Maneesh Sharma
• Producer: Aditya Chopra
• Music: Pritam Chakraborty
• Runtime: 2 hours 35 minutes

Director ARK Saravan comes up with a simple but smart plot in his fantasy film  Veeran , which by the way, is being claimed as Tamil cinema’s first superhero film.

The film’s story might be simple, but it actually looks to make some meaningful points. Just for attempting to do so, the film and the director deserve a pat on the back.

Before we get into a detailed analysis of the film and its pros and cons, here’s the story in a nutshell.

Team ‘Veeran’. (Supplied)

Kumaran (Hiphop Tamizha Aadhi) of Veeranur gets struck by a thunderbolt while returning from school one day. He is taken to Chennai for treatment and later shifted to Singapore for further medical care.

Years pass and he returns as a young man to Veeranur, only to find that a corporate company is in the process of laying cables through his village and the neighbouring regions for generating power through lasers.

The company is headed by a ruthless scientist/businessman named Sharath (Vinay Rai) who is well aware of the fact that the project is extremely hazardous.

But he keeps the villagers in the dark about the risks associated with the power project for his selfish gains.

Kumaran as Veeran

Hip-hop Tamizha as ‘Veeran’. (Twitter)

Kumaran acquires the ability to control the minds of those around him for brief periods. He also can discharge electric arcs because of the thunder/lightning strike he suffered as a boy.

So, Kumaran decides to use his powers to stop the corporate from implementing the dangerous project.

He disguises himself as the long-forgotten guardian deity of the village — Veeran — and looks to create awareness among the people about the hazards of the project.

Does Kumaran succeed in stopping the corporate from implementing the hazardous project? How does the corporate headed by Sharath look to get Veeran out of the way? The film gives answers to all these questions and more.

Also Read: ‘Neeraja’ is a women-oriented film that focuses on a daring subject

What works.

Veeran  looks to narrate a simple story that can be easily understood with minimal effort.

Hip-hop Tamizha on the sets of ‘Veeran’. (Supplied)

Despite dealing with a fantasy subject, the film has been made in such a fashion that one is easily able to accept what is shown on screen.

Nothing about the superhero’s skills or powers comes across as being awkward or out of place on the screen. That by itself is a big achievement as it helps the character gain acceptance.

Apart from narrating an entertaining story, the film subtly tries to make some pertinent points. For instance, it tries to put across the message that hard work and discipline are sure to deliver results, even if one’s prayers don’t work at times.

The friendship between Kumaran, Selvi (Athira Raj) and Sakkarai (Sassi) is heartening. There is a genuine warmth between the three friends, which makes the story more relatable.

Also Read: ‘Pareshan’ is a madcap village story with the right dose of humour

What doesn’t work.

These are quite a few in number. The film has several gaping holes concerning logic.

In a sequence, Sharath finds a way to stop Kumaran/Veeran from generating the power arcs. However, he doesn’t employ the strategy when he needs to employ it the most and lets Kumaran get the better of him.

A still from ‘Veeran’. (Supplied)

Further, Veeran has two talented comedians — Kaali Venkat and Munishkanth — to provide humour. Unfortunately, their acts don’t evoke laughter. At the most, they manage to get you to smile on some occasions.

However, what Kaali Venkat and Munishkanth fail to do, certain situations in the film succeed in doing. Yes, some situational comedy sequences involving small-time actors work big time in the film.

A case in point would be the sequence where a granny at a wedding function makes a big impact with her seemingly simplistic questions.

Further, Veeran has a simple but significant plot that needed to be told in a sharp, crisp manner. The editor seems to have failed on this count.

What should have ideally been a 135-minute film finally ends up being a 155-minute film because of some really long sequences and this could have well been trimmed.

Also Read: Dr Vishnuvardhan’s 51 cutouts enter Asia Book of Records

Technical aspects.

The film’s music is a plus and its hero Hiphop Tamizha Aadhi, who has also scored the music for the film, does a much better job as a music director than he does as an actor.

The movie has some stunning fight sequences and the stunt choreographers seem to have done a mighty fine job.

Despite its flaws, Veeran comes across as a reasonably good film that is worth a watch.

(Views expressed are personal.)

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Veeran Review - This homegrown superhero has its moments!

Published date : 02/jun/2023.

Veeran - This homegrown superhero has its moments!

Bharath Vijayakumar

ARK Saravan’s Veeran has odds stacked against it. Superhero films in Tamil have mostly disappointed, with the rare ones being average at best. On the other hand, with most of the audience being bombarded with superhero flicks from Marvel and DC at regular intervals, how are you going to make them sit up? ARK Saravan seems to know this all too well. While he probably wants to play with this genre, he also knows he possibly cannot narrate something that is going to be novel for even the local audience, who are well exposed to films from all around. So, he ensures that things are kept simple and uses his strong point humour as the film’s fulcrum.

The plot is simple and follows the standard superhero template. So, the first thing that ARK Saravan does is that he hardly wastes even a second trying to portray that he is telling a new story. There are even self-referential digs made on this account. Much like Minnal Murali , the focus is more on establishing the neighbourhood and the characters. But unlike Minnal Murali , which was more intimate with the villain, the story here is more generic with generic villains. But surprisingly, the villains are pretty neat in Veeran. Both Vinay and Badri play villains who mean business and keep it simple. And immediately, this makes the proceedings a lot better. Imagine your average Tamil film that keeps having North Indian villains lip syncing to the corniest of lines.

ARK Saravan’s strength is his humour and Veeran keeps showing glimpses of the director’s potential in this regard. The antics of Munishkant and Kaali Venkat duo keeps you grinning at regular intervals. And that climax scene involving the duo and Vinay is the kind you want to see more in films like these. But Veeran also never really turns into a laugh riot that it could have been. That is why I used the word glimpses. Most of the jokes, ensure a smile and few of them turn into laughs. But what this film misses, is at least one long stretch that keeps the momentum of laughter going. It is the same scenario with the main track of the hero saving the day. There is no real tension or anticipation of what next in the game between the hero and the villain. None of these scenes are either boring or leave you scratching your head but also none of them really take you by surprise as well. It is as though the makers decided that you pretty much know the drill. So why bother. Also, the couple of scenes that plays out for laughter using the superpower of the hero keep on going for a while. One of these involving the villain Badri works better because it keeps adding something new in every iteration of that scene.

The film keeps melodrama in check throughout. It also smartly never ventures into delivering messages through dialogues. And what a surprise that there is hardly a scene involving any character singing praises about the hero (and Aadhi  keeps things simple too ). It is also interesting how the film keeps stressing about science as opposed to superstition. The comedy track involving a prospective groom is another pleasant surprise. The humour is never about mocking the character’s personality (as it always is) and I really liked the closure of that track.

Veeran is a self-aware movie that knows what it has set out to do. Had those sparks of humour caught on like a fire, Veeran should have been a lot more enjoyable outing. As of now, it remains a worthwhile outing for an undemanding audience.

Rating: 3.25/5

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Veeran Movie Review: Hip Hop Adhi's superhero film is a half-baked attempt

Director ark saravan's veeran is a superhero film that has many interesting ideas. however, the major shortcoming is the pacing of the film, says our review..

Listen to Story

• Veeran released in theatres on June 2.
• The film is directed by ARK Saravan.
• Hip Hop Adhi and Vinay Rai play lead roles.

Release Date: 2 Jun, 2023

Superhero films are not new to regular cinephiles. Marvel and DC films have always entertained audiences with their myriad superhero films. In 2021, Indian cinema gifted a desi superhero film in the form of Minnal Murali, a blockbuster Malayalam film. Now, Tamil cinema has attempted a superhero film with Hip Hop Adhi's Veeran, thanks to director ARK Saravan. Let's find out if Veeran has surpassed expectations.

Kumaran (Hip Hop Adhi) gets struck by a bolt of lightning while he is on his way home with his two friends. He is bedridden and unconscious. Eventually, he also gets a superpower from the lightning strike. Meanwhile, some of the villagers from Veeranoor have sold their land to a private company that aims to build a pipeline to give electricity to the village and nearby areas. But, there is a twist.

Kumaran and a handful of people know that the pipeline could be of catastrophic damage to the village. How Kumaran uses his superhero powers to convince the villagers to save them forms the story.

Director ARK Saravan made his debut with Maragadha Naanayam, starring Aadhi and Nikki Galrani. The fantasy adventure film is regarded as one of the underrated Tamil movies. With Veeran, he has attempted a superhero film which also showcases people's faith in God and superstitious beliefs. The villagers of Veeranoor do not believe in their God, who is named Veeran. One grandfather, however, has unshakable faith in Veeran and keeps saying that God will save them in distress.

Saravan has neatly drawn a line between faith and superstition. With Veeran, he plays safe and does not glorify any side. Veeran has many interesting ideas. For example, the superhero's backstory and how the comedy is embedded in the story are entertaining. However, these ideas are ruined by the repetition of ideas and scenes.

Here's the trailer:

Also, there is a lack of clarity about Kumarn's health condition and how his superpowers affect him. In one scene, they say that his superhero powers make him weak. However, the same point does not hold when he actually faces the villain. Here, the characterisation of the antagonist is not strong enough. Vinay, the main villain, is introduced in the second half. There are some logical loopholes that are difficult to get past. Badree, who is the second villain, is also made fun of. You don't feel fear when you look at them.

The comedy tracks by Kaali Venkat, Munishkanth and Muruganantham fall flat in most places. They do provide sporadic laughs. Hip Hop Adhi as Kumaran has shown improvement in terms of his acting. With his limited range of expressions, he has done a decent job.

Veeran is a film that could test your patience. But, the interesting ideas, which are sprinkled in a few places throughout the screenplay could hold your attention.

2.5 out of 5 stars for Veeran. Published By: K Janani Published On: Jun 2, 2023 --- ENDS --- ALSO READ | Hiphop Tamizha Adhi documents life of frontline workers, might release video soon

• ENGLISH HINDI MALAYALAM TAMIL TELUGU KANNADA BENGALI  

Veeran Tamil Movie

Veeran is a 2023 Indian movie directed by ARK Sarvan starring Hiphop Tamizha, Kaali Venkat, Athira Raj and Vinay Rai. The feature film is produced by Sendhil Thiyagarajan and Arjun Thiyagarajan and the music composed by Hiphop Tamizha.

A 15-year-old boy living in Veeranor, gets struck by lightning and goes into a short coma. After recovery, he gradually realizes that he has superpowers of lightning and mind control. With the help of his powers and demi God "VEERAN" how he handled the villain and avoid the major electirc blast.

Director: ARK Sarvan Producers: Sendhil Thiyagarajan, Arjun Thiyagarajan Production Company: Sathya Jyothi Films Music Director: Hiphop Tamizha Cinematographer: Deepak D Menon Editor: Prasanna G. K Art Designer: N K Rahul Action Choregrapher: Mahesh Mathew

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Refrain from posting comments that are obscene, defamatory or inflammatory, and do not indulge in personal attacks, name calling or inciting hatred against any community. Help us delete comments that do not follow these guidelines by marking them offensive . Let's work together to keep the conversation civil.

• What is the release date of 'Veeran'? Release date of Hiphop Tamizha and Vinay Rai starrer 'Veeran' is 2023-06-02.
• Who are the actors in 'Veeran'? 'Veeran' star cast includes Hiphop Tamizha, Vinay Rai, R Badree and Kaali Venkat.
• Who is the director of 'Veeran'? 'Veeran' is directed by ARK Saravana.
• What is Genre of 'Veeran'? 'Veeran' belongs to 'Action,Drama,Fantasy' genre.
• In Which Languages is 'Veeran' releasing? 'Veeran' is releasing in Tamil.

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'Monkey Man' review: Underestimate Dev Patel at your own peril after this action movie

In his directorial debut “Monkey Man,” Dev Patel gifts action-movie fans with a multilayered, hyperviolent narrative. Sure, he pulls off a deep dive into Indian mythology, yet he's pretty darn good at attacking goons with fireworks, platform shoes and all manner of sharp objects too.

More “Rocky” than “John Wick,” the gritty and gory revenge thriller (★★★ out of four; rated R; in theaters Friday) is a love letter to his two-fisted influences, from Bruce Lee movies to Asian cult flicks like “Oldboy” and “The Raid.” But the underdog story, produced by Jordan Peele, also shows a bunch of new sides to Patel, who knuckles up as a legit action star and a guy who can make a movie that’s totally cool, occasionally amusing and impressively thoughtful.

'Monkey Man': Dev Patel got physical for his new movie, and he has the broken bones to prove it

Patel also co-wrote the screenplay, a modern take on the mythos of the Hindu monkey god Hanuman. Kid (Patel) competes in an underground Indian fight club, though his job is mainly to take a bloody beating while wearing a monkey mask and hope his colorful boss Tiger (Sharlto Copley) doesn’t stiff him on pay.

At the same time, our hero is also haunted by the murder of his mom and a traumatic childhood, which fuels Kid’s mission of vengeance to take down those responsible. He gets a chance to infiltrate a repressive political system by working in a high-end brothel and starts causing problems for power players including a narcissistic, no-good celebrity guru (Makarand Deshpande) and a corrupt police chief (Sikander Kher).

With the holiday of Diwali on the way, as well as an important election, they don’t need someone like Kid messing things up. He becomes a wanted man and ends up left for dead in the street, where he’s found by a tribe of trans women who like Kid have been marginalized. Their leader Alpha (Vipin Sharma) nurses him back to health yet also imparts a key lesson: Instead of enduring pain and suffering as his primary existence, Kid needs a purpose in life.

While the piecemeal rollout of Kid’s backstory and bits of the Hanuman tale muddy the plot at first, “Monkey Man” swings into a groove when the main character is at his lowest point. Kid gets himself (and the movie) into gear in a lively montage where he uses a bag of wheat for punching practice as Alpha offers up a nifty percussion accompaniment. (It’s the next best thing to Survivor songs psyching up Rocky Balboa back in the day.)

Thusly inspired and trained, Kid goes on a righteous rampage and literally fights his way to the top floor of the villainous big boss. Patel can craft a mean action sequence, whether between ring ropes as masked men duke it out for crowds, a speedy car chase involving a tuk-tuk named after Nicki Minaj, or Kid kicking, stabbing and brawling his way through hordes of bad guys. As the guy at the center of these battles, the Oscar-nominated Patel ("Lion") never seems or looks out of place, even borrowing Keanu Reeves’ fashionable panache when it comes to gnarly combat couture.

The fact that “Monkey Man” includes social-cultural context, as something meaty to chew on rather than a throwaway thematic thread, is the cherry on top of Patel’s bloody sundae. He’s managed to craft a rare action movie that makes you think and also will joyfully plunge a metal rod into a dude’s brain.

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Monkey Man review – Dev Patel goes wild in ultraviolent Mumbai revenge flick

Patel exacts wildly OTT vengeance in the neon-lit city in this stylish and exciting action thriller, which doubles as a boisterous satire of Modi-esque nationalism

D ev Patel brings the gonzo chaos for this very impressive writing-directing feature debut, with Jordan Peele on board as a producer; it’s a wildly over-the-top revenge action thriller on the teeming but uncliched streets of Mumbai – doubling as a boisterous satire of Modi-esque nationalism. As the lead performer, Patel shows us some pretty serious martial arts chops, kickboxing and thumping seven shades of ordure out of the punchbag, and then the bad guys – and periodically pausing, of course, attractively dropletted with sweat, to let us get an eyeful of those sculpted abs. And he also gives us a gloriously old fashioned men’s room punch-up, with the flimsy wooden dividing walls of the lavatory cubicles going over like dominos and each washroom mirror smashed to its constituent molecules.

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Patel clearly thinks that his movie looks like John Wick; hence a rather self-conscious pre-emptive line about that well known Keanu Reeves franchise in the script. But that’s not precisely the resemblance; given Patel’s need to avenge a dead parent, his personal growth “wilderness” experiences at the hands of socially marginalised but wise people, and his bloody and ultraviolent attack in the neon-lit city – Monkey Man looks more like Nicolas Winding Refn’s Only God Forgives crossed with The Lion King. And Patel turns it into a very exciting and stylish movie. His previous acting work didn’t obviously point to a kickass action career, although his performance in The Green Knight might have given us a hint. He’s evolved.

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‘Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire’ Review: Running Out of Steam

The latest in the Warner Bros. Monsterverse franchise shows signs of an anemic imagination.

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By Alissa Wilkinson

Nothing about “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire” makes sense, which is not, on the face of it, a problem. We have not settled into cushy cinema seats with our comfortingly stale popcorn to engage in discourse about metaphors and science; we are here for the stars in the title. About that title: “Godzilla x Kong” (meant to echo various other titles in other, non-Hollywood Godzilla movies) could mean Godzilla times Kong, or Godzilla crossed with Kong, or Godzilla against Kong — some permutation of titans. Whatever it is, there will be punching. We are here for the punching.

What we’re not here for is the humans, which is lucky, because they’ve been dropping like flies. Most of the characters from the last few films — including the 2021 “Godzilla vs. Kong” (also directed by Adam Wingard) — have disappeared, largely without explanation. Our main character now is Dr. Ilene Andrews (Rebecca Hall), adoptive mother to a tween, Jia (Kaylee Hottle), a member of the Iwi tribe, who communicates with Kong directly via sign language. I particularly missed Alexander Skarsgard’s Dr. Nathan Lind, whose absence is sort of explained but not mourned, and who has been replaced, for narrative reasons, by a kooky veterinarian to the titans played by Dan Stevens. (For some reason, I assume to signal the kookiness, Stevens sports an exaggerated Australian accent.)

They’re joined once again by Bernie Hayes (Brian Tyree Henry), the conspiracy podcaster-blogger-documentarian-weirdo from the last film. For some reason, he’s convinced that nobody believes his stories about the titans, even though actual Godzilla is roaming the Earth and shown on the nightly news. (I’m more stuck on the strangely fantastical idea that he’s a popular blogger. Wouldn’t he have a Substack by now?)

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These humans are pretty boring, more anemic than they were in the last movie. They’re there purely for narrative propulsion through this story, which begins with Kong living in the Hollow Earth (exactly what it sounds like) and Godzilla up on the surface. As long as the twain never meet, we’re good — and by we, I mean humankind.

Which means, of course, they’ll meet. The scientists spot Godzilla napping in the Colosseum, then stomping his way through Europe and northern Africa, seemingly absorbing as much nuclear power as he can because he senses some confrontation coming. At the same time, something is very wrong in Kong’s world down below. And Jia is having strange dreams, too — dreams that lead to an expedition into the Hollow Earth.

What follows is an attempt to establish a whole lot of mythology for the Monsterverse franchise. (Their term, not mine.) This is a big mistake. You can tell it’s a mistake, because all of that mythology has to be revealed in tedious expositional dialogue. More important, once you know what happened in the past, you know precisely what will happen in the present, which rips any remaining suspense out of the film, leaving only the punching. (So much punching.)

Besides: Does this series need a mythology? Both Godzilla and Kong have a rich screen history to draw on — this is the 38th movie for Godzilla and the 13th for Kong, and though they haven’t shared the screen until recently, they bring all of their baggage and back story with them. It feels like a desperate attempt for the crossover franchise to justify both its existence and its continuation.

Which is not surprising. This series’ track record induces whiplash. The 2014 film “Godzilla,” a kind of reboot of the original Toho series featuring the character, was a legitimately excellent film, balancing spectacle and human pathos. But then came “Kong: Skull Island” and “Godzilla: King of the Monsters,” both meant to build toward a shared universe, both of which were not just bad but real bummers. Next was “Godzilla vs. Kong” which wasn’t, technically speaking, good — but it promised confrontation and delivered it, with a late-breaking coda of unwilling and visually spectacular cooperation between massive ape and nuclear lizard. It was a blast to watch, not least because the climax happened: The two monsters finally had their long-teased meeting.

But with that zenith in the rearview mirror, “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire” has very little road left to cruise, and it shows. The best stretches involve Kong lumbering through the landscape, Godzilla stomping around crushing things, and of course the inevitable final confrontation, which has a few surprises up its proverbial sleeves. Kong in particular seems to have no problem communicating without human language, and those extended scenes are so fun to watch that it’s disappointing to swing back to the humans.

Certainly, humans can be a fruitful part of these monster movies. The recent Japanese film “Godzilla Minus One,” produced for a fraction of the “Godzilla x Kong” budget and recipient of the Oscar for best visual effects this year, manages to combine the creature with true pathos and a focus on the human cost of war, guilt and trauma. It’s more in line with the origin of Godzilla, too, as a metaphor for Japanese generational trauma related to the atomic bomb. In 2004, writing for The New York Times , Terrence Rafferty succinctly described the monster as embodying “a society’s desire to claim its deepest tragedies for itself, to assimilate them as elements of its historical identity.”

None of that is here. In fact, “Godzilla x Kong” is evidence the original thread has been lost entirely — a shame, in an era haunted by monsters the movies can only hint at, from climate catastrophe, destructive weaponry and geopolitical strife to power-hungry, brutal authoritarianism. There’s no reflection here at all, not even space to contemplate what might lie beyond the literal. Beyond the main cast, the humans in this movie exist only to get squashed like ants by falling debris and mangled buildings. They are expendable, but it doesn’t matter. The meaning of these films isn’t in metaphor at all. It’s in punching.

Be warned: There’s a lot of guts in “Godzilla x Kong,” guts from mammals and reptiles ripped in half, guts from sea monsters, Technicolor guts, way more than I expected. They feel appropriate, for a monster movie, and aren’t quite gross enough to merit an R rating. But as I pondered the guts, I found myself wondering one thing: When will someone have the bravery — the guts, you might say — to make a movie with Kong, and Godzilla, and various other titans and monsters, and no humans at all?

Or maybe there’s a greater question at stake: When will Hollywood have the guts to make a fun blockbuster like this that dares to acknowledge the real menacing monsters?

Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire Rated PG-13 for destruction, some mild profanities and so, so many guts. Running time: 1 hour 55 minutes. In theaters.

Alissa Wilkinson is a Times movie critic. She’s been writing about movies since 2005. More about Alissa Wilkinson

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