Selvaraghavan’s new film feels like a spiritual successor to his previous, Nenjam Marappathillai. It’s another straightforward tale of vengeance led by a supernatural spirit. But what’s sorely missing this time, are the wild, stylistic swings he took in his previous film. Naane Varuvean feels devoid of a singular, colourful vision for most parts, because it chooses to, confoundingly, pack in two extremes. We get expressive, cinematic moments that can only be found in a Selvaraghavan film, alongside the most banally conceived moments that are typical to mainstream Tamil cinema. There’s a grey character’s rage-averting dance of jubilance, and also a “comedian sidekick” used as an exposition dump. Multiple instances like the latter keep taking the seriousness out of a film that could’ve become a genre piece had it been left on its own.

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