Released on January 10, 2025, the Tamil film Vanangaan, directed by Bala and starring Arun Vijay and Roshni Prakash, was anticipated to be a compelling action drama. However, it has failed to meet critics’ expectations. Despite a promising premise, many critics have pointed out that the film lacks strong antagonists and presents a weak narrative. The film’s treatment of sensitive issues like sexual violence has also been criticised for being poorly executed, with some reviewers expressing concerns over the portrayal of such topics. Vanangaan Teaser: Arun Vijay’s Silent Yet Intense Avatar Takes On Adversaries in Director Bala’s Action-Packed Thriller (Watch Video).

Originally, Vanangaan was meant to feature Suriya in the lead role and be produced under his home banner, 2D Entertainment. However, due to changes in the storyline, both Suriya and the production house backed out of the project, leading to a shift in direction. Check out the trailer of the film below and also read what the critics have said about this newly released film. Mamitha Baiju Strongly Reacts To Vanangaan Controversy, Actress Dismisses Reports About Mistreatment by Director Bala on the Film’s Set.

Watch the Trailer of ‘Vanangaan’ Movie Below:

India Today: “The way director Bala has portrayed sexual violence with absolutely unwarranted close-ups is questionable. It's high time that films that deal with sexual violence deal with it sensitively. In fact, directors need to go to take sensitivity lessons. After Maharaja and Vettaiyan, Vanangaan is yet another film that adds to a long list of insensitive movies.”

Times of India: “Some portions of Vanangaan (like the melodramatic brother-sister sentiment) and the Bala-isms (there is a laugh every few minutes in the form of some sarcastic remark by one character or the other) work, but most often, Bala's storytelling and the filmmaking seem past their expiry date.”

The Indian Express: “The fault is definitely in the writing because Vanangaan has a wafer-thin plot that beats around the bush for too long despite the runtime being just around the 120-minute mark. The narrative is so ordinary that we never once feel that the stakes are high.”

The Hindu: “A major setback for Vanangaan is the lack of a strong antagonist; you get nothing in seeing a typical vigilante easily take down one-dimensional perverts. The bigger issue is how the film uses the plight of these underprivileged women as mere pawns to milk our sympathies.”

The synopsis of Vanangaan reads: “Koti, is a deaf-and-mute man who does odd jobs to sustain a living with his sister Devi, in Kanyakumari. While working as a security guard at a local orphanage which houses visually impaired girls, he realises that a few men are taking advantage of girls’ disability to voyeur them while they bathe. As Koti takes up violence to finish them off, Vanangaan becomes a tale of brutality, where Koti kills many people responsible for this incident even including police officers, politicians and businessmen. Finally he accomplishes his victory.” Vanangaan is produced under the banners of B Studios and V House Productions.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 11, 2025 11:17 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).