The all-out entertainer “Vaagai Sooda Vaa” (a tamil movie) makes me wonder if it is a movie with a message. If the director intended to send across a message to the viewers, he had skilfully blended it with the texture of the movie. The movie released in 2011 is a period film set in the year 1966 in a remote village in the southern part of India. 1965 was a politically unforgettable year for India, yet none of these seem to be reflected in this village setting. One gets a feeling that the village lives in a world of its own and this is exemplified by the background score, songs, and the elaborate attention given to details in creating the set for the village.

The songs of the movie are very carefully executed. Especially the songs “Sara sara sara katru” and “poraney, poraney” are beautifully sung and the on-screen characterization given by Vimal and Iniya bring the scenes to life.

In 1960s, the government had two schemes for the youth to gain employment in the government. One of them was to do community service for six months. Vimal as Veluthambi plays the role of an unwilling youth forced by his father to take up community service so that he would be able to become a teacher in a government run school to perfection. When he reaches the remote village, he learns that the villagers were unwilling to send their children to school. His adamant nature to understand their disinterestedness in education and the villagers adamant nature to accept his services are very well executed by the actors on screen. Vimal enjoys the undivided attention of the spectator only until Iniya comes to the screen. Iniya with her appearance of an unabashed village girl fits into the role so elegantly that it is hard to imagine her as different person. The children with their naughty and jocular behaviour take Vimal for a ride in the first half and towards the end they turn to him with respect for the education he provides them. The interplay between them is a feast for our eyes.

Although the movie talks about the importance of education and its capacity to remove ignorance and defend oneself from cheaters, the movie does not presume to give a message. It humorously shows the simplicity with which the people of the village lead their lives and in that simplicity the movie extols the virtues of honesty, community living, and togetherness. Humour again makes it stand apart from other period films as most of the period films have a serious undertone to them.

The movie as a whole does a fantastic job of characterization and transports us to the period and setting in which the story takes place.