Vettri Vizha, Kollywood’s tribute to a spy fiction thriller, turned 35

Vettri Vizha, a Tamil film inspired by The Bourne Identity, starring Kamal Haasan, celebrates 35 years of success.

Robert Ludlum’s 1980 spy fiction thriller The Bourne Identity found a Hollywood avatar years later in 2002, with Matt Damon headlining the flick. But much before that, Kollywood had done a desi hat-tip to that gripping book through Vettri Vizha, a film helmed by Prathap Pothen and starring Kamal Haasan, Prabhu, Amala and Khushbu.

The movie turned 35 last Monday (October 28), having been a Deepavali release in 1989. The late Pothen and Kamal shared a strong bond and the latter even made a cameo appearance in the former’s Malayalam film Daisy. When they teamed up again in Tamil, expectations were high and it only gained more traction as Sivaji Productions financed the venture.

An undercover agent suffering from amnesia and trying to piece his past life together remains the core of the Bourne series, and Pothen, who had read the book, was intrigued by the idea.

Using it as a thread and localising the content, he dished out some high-octane stylish fare. Vettri Vizha was a massive hit, perhaps the biggest in Pothen’s filmography, and Kamal was all swag and depth.

Ilaiyaraaja dished out chartbusters, and the iconic Maarugo maarugo number, with its beginning notes that interplayed a church choir and a temple shloka, hinted at the duality of Kamal’s character. It is a fact that the viewer is gradually made privy too while the film galloped towards its climax. Another peppy number Thathom talangu, in which Kamal and Disco Shanti grooved and one that segued into a shootout, was well choreographed. Pothen had a distinct manner in which he presented actors and stars, and it was evident in Vettri Vizha. Years later, he did the same in the Malayalam endeavour Oru Yathramozhi starring Sivaji Ganeshan and Mohan Lal, even though this was a rural story with a strong emotional connect.

Vettri Vizha ran for 175 days, a statistic unheard of in these days of a small theatrical window before the film gets an after-life through OTT platforms. However, it wasn’t entirely about guns, and roses were evident too as a lyrical number, like Poongattru, was a part of this film. Also shot in Goa, the movie paid its visual homage to old Portuguese churches and the vibrant spirit of the coastal State.

The hit also had a re-release in 2017 and that enthused the die-hard Kamal fans. And when Pothen passed away in 2022, Kamal penned a heart-felt tribute in Malayala Manorama. The creator has departed, the movie endures, and meanwhile another Deepavali just went past.