Vaa Vaathiyaar movie review: Karthi is charismatic in an inventive yet underwhelming Nalan Kumarasamy's cinematic superhero film

Vaa Vaathiyaar plot:

Set in the fictional town of Masila, Ramu (Karthi) is born on the same date and time as the passing of M.G. Ramachandran. Ramu’s grandfather (Rajkiran), who is an ardent fan of MGR, believes Ramu to be a reincarnation of his idol and brings him up with staunch ethical principles. But somewhere along the way, Ramu finds it more lucrative to be morally incorrect like M.N. Nambiar (the onscreen villain of MGR) than MGR, as he grows up to become a cop. In a bizarre turn of events, Ramu begins to impersonate MGR as his alter ego.

Vaa Vaathiyaar review:

A movie that was caught in many delays and court hurdles, with a hero who has a whip in his hand to punish wrongdoers, and an actor who transitioned from cinema to politics to run for the CM post as a prime element, has finally hit the screens for Pongal 2026. Not the slated Vijay-starrer Jana Nayagan, but the Karthi film Vaa Vaathiyaar takes up MGR imagery as a running theme in what can be called a cinematic superhero story. The uniquely set Nalan Kumarasamy film is against a specific yet commonly operative milieu of hailing onscreen heroes. It almost owns the setup, yet goes for a toss with its underwhelming screenplay.

Vaa Vaathiyaar is essentially a film that imagines what happens when hailed reel heroes really make an appearance in the real world and unleash their righteousness. MGR, whose screen name is often Ramu—the do-gooder, the punisher of evil, and saviour of the people—is the personality that Vaa Vaathiyaar carries. Karthi’s Ramu first understands the weight of his name during his teens, when his grandfather tears off a lottery ticket that wins a bumper prize. His grandfather quotes the MGR song ‘Uzhapil vazha vendhum, pera uzhapil vazhindhidhe’ (live on your own efforts rather than others’). Having to let go of a fortune that came so close to home, Ramu secretly begins to admire M.N. Nambiar as he grows to become a cop who has his hand in ways his grandfather would not approve of. Although visually rich and with a charismatic Karthi carrying Ramu through the first half, the visible absence of comedy and fleshed-out characters before the interval makes the film dull and stretchy.

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It is only just before the interval that we get to see the premise for conflict introduced, with the midpoint being a resurrection of sorts of the superhero, when Vaa Vaathiyaar also appears to get onto something. There is a lot more MGR in the latter half, and that comes with a fair share of yesteryear songs and a Karthi who manages to pull off an impersonation in his own impressionable way. But the lag continues in Vaa Vaathiyaar. The comedy scores are less, the antagonists are established to a bare minimum, and the resolution is almost predictable well in advance. 

Nalan Kumarasamy, who delivered the iconic Soodhu Kavvum in his debut, gets his premise right—a protagonist you might love despite questionable actions, and a high concept made in the most localised way—but misses packing a punch, with many scenes lacking recall value. When Nalan Kumarasamy gave so much detail, including the kidnapping rules established by abductors in Soodhu Kavvum, a lot more is expected out of Vaa Vaathiyaar, which has a star who can naturally slip into any form of role or scene. But the absence is stark, and Vaa Vaathiyaar does not make a fully impressive take. Krithi Shetty’s Wu, a clairvoyant in the film, shows slivers of interesting ideas, possibly bridging the gap between the supernatural and reality, but her limited presence only adds to the many interesting ideas that get lost midway.

Vaa Vaathiyaar movie verdict:

Vaa Vaathiyaar has an honest and charming Karthi, who executes the vision of Nalan Kumarasamy to the best of his capabilities. But on paper, Nalan Kumarasamy misses out on carving the details and niches his films are known for. The idea of a cinematic superhero, making him a Robin Hood of current times and bridging the gap between past and present, is inventive. But the oddly constructed screenplay leaves it underwhelming.