Vaani Rani

Since December 2014, I have been following Vaani Rani, and Thamarai, two South Indian Tamil dramas from Radaan Media.  Let’s face it, for a 600-episode series, Vaani Rani is rather, for the lack of a better word, lame.  This may be the style of a Tamil serial. This could also very well be what the locals enjoy. But for someone who lives in Sydney, who understands Tamil, and wants to improve on my Tamil language skills, I find this a little too rudimentary.  Of course, you could say “stop watching and do what other Australians do”. But I would be lying if I didn’t say how much I enjoy hearing a familiar language played over YouTube.  Let’s just say, it’s my link to South India.  What would I like to see?  Something more substantial, something that we could all relate to, simply because I know that there are more intelligent and creative story writers in Tamil Nadu.

Radhika’s acting is incredible, no doubt.  I am fascinated by the distinct difference in both her characters, one as Vaani and the other as Rani.   Gautam/Pooja are probably the most loved and “sensible” couple on here, though keep in mind that I have only started following for about three months.  The sub-plot of a village lady and her step-daughter fighting on the street is quite derogatory. The hair-pulling, shouting and public humiliation is not something I would be able to explain to my children.  The complex inclusion of many “rowdy” murderers are borderline dehumanising. Regarding Poongodi and her husband, I don’t even know where to begin with them.  The one called “Anaconda-granny” and her grand-daughter,  plotting to make Pooja’s life miserable is simply uncalled for, and now, this whole attempt molest/murder video-work, that had placed Dimple in jail.  Oh dear…  Do I need to say anymore?

Being involved in a similar field myself, I have learned that production quality is one of the most important aspects, and there should be some believable camera work and angles.  Too much of focusing in and out of characters, time consuming lengthy monologues, and ridiculous three way imaginary selves are very much in the style of a B grade 80s film.  You may say I watch too many Hollywood blockbusters. In reality, I don’t.  I’d rather watch a Spanish film, which carries a raw, but profound form of their day-to-day stories (and struggles) or a Middle-Eastern drama that challenges feminist rights, or a French young village man, struggling with modernism.

I am also curious, where are the gay, lesbian and transgender characters?  If you’re part of a society, then they are layers of that same community, which we all come in contact with.  Maybe the story writers should be dealing with things more sensibly and realistically.  Give it theoretical consideration, but don’t just focus on how one assumes the general population should or would live.

I have written more than what I initially thought of contributing, and I will try and be part of this from time to time. I hope that some of the writers/producers/directors would actually make this serial a little more enjoyable for all levels of culture and society, but mostly relateable to present times and importantly, the current moral soup.  As clichéd as it may sound, I think it’s time to think outside the box, or in this case, the villages of India.  I see many wordily reviewers on here. I am surprised none have brought these matters up. Maybe they have simply exhausted themselves after almost two years of watching (and shouting).