Vazhaa 2 Telugu review: A fun yet emotional coming-of-age comedy drama about friendship, youth struggles, and life lessons
Review by Rajeshwari Kalyanam
Vazhaa 2: Biopic of a Billion Boys promptly begins with a banana tree that is felled in order to use its leaves for serving food to the guests attending a death ceremony. The analogy, though typically Malayali and possibly lost in translation, sets the ball rolling for this fun, mad-in-parts, and at times satirical coming-of-age comedy drama.
Bro-Code Films Trend in South Cinema
The bro-code kind of films aiming to reach young adults are a big trend in South cinema today. Recent films like Young and Happy Raj fall into this space. Vazhaa 1 too belongs to this genre. One of the reasons for its success was that these films not just connect with youngsters, but are relatable to people of all ages—or should we say boys/men of all ages.
The flip side of such films is that they can border on obscenity in the name of fun. They can also appear cheesy in their satire, and at times even celebratory of the follies of the wrong kind, under the often misused ‘boys will be boys’ adage.
Vazhaa 2 Telugu Release and Writing Approach
Vazhaa 2 released in Telugu after its amazing success in Kerala. Vipin Das, who wrote the first part, has also penned the second one. This time, he uses restraint and is not too blatant in glorifying boyhood’s excesses. He also spares a thought for the girls, sparingly being the key word.
Vazhaa 2 Story and Characters
Vazhaa 2 stays true to its genre. This one too is about bromance and the underdogs—young and carefree, often disregarded as being useless. These are boys in their senior years, at the threshold of what could be life-changing moments for them, both personally and career-wise.
Hashir, Alan Bin Siraj, Ajin Joy, and Vinayak V play the four friends whose friendship is seen as detrimental to each other by their parents. They are troublemakers, often getting into fights and forcing their parents to come to school frequently. Like in every school, there are good teachers and bad teachers. And like all families, these youngsters come from different backgrounds—their homes are far from perfect. Some parents are overbearing, while others are indifferent.
Amidst all this, the boys navigate school, society, peer pressure, and age-related changes and indulgences.
Coming-of-Age Tropes and Narrative
All the necessary tropes for the genre are present. Rowdy boys, bunking classes, falling for girls, hanging out at roadside shops—everything finds a place here. Despite their endless mischief that refuses to die down, they remain simple and innocent beneath their know-it-all attitude.
How these seemingly good-for-nothing kids fall in and out of trouble, and what life and their choices teach them, as reality behind their rosy dreams unfolds, is Vazhaa 2 in short.
Direction and Themes in Vazhaa 2
Director Savin, with help from writer Vipin Das, succeeds in creating a relatable piece of cinema. He brings together trials and tribulations, existential crisis, the overseas bubble, the threat of drug abuse, and the lack of focus that the young generation today faces—all in a cinematically inclusive manner.
Without sounding preachy, and without compromising on fun and comedy, the film gives out a message to the young and their parents. Alphonse Puthren, as the policeman, helps in transforming the wayward boys at the right time.
What Works and What Doesn’t
What is visibly distracting is the way too many issues are packed into one film. The director gets away with this, as the genre in itself is a little chaotic in its structure.
Other than that, the fine line between being poignant and serious, and immediately jumping into a comic situation to stay on track with the overall theme, is nicely handled. The underlying commentary on society, and the caste and religious disparities—and how true friendship is beyond such divisive forces—is commendable.
Performances, Music, and Telugu Version
In addition, Vazhaa 2 scores on visuals, music, performances, and all the elements—comedy, drama, emotion, and even action. The fight sequences are choreographed very well and add to the narrative.
The writing for the Telugu version needs a pat on the back. It adds the needed edge for the dubbed version of the film, which is backed by Sahu Garapati under his Shine Screens banner.
Overall, Vazhaa 2 leaves a happy feeling of having watched a good film.
Vazhaa 2 Review
Rating 3/5
