Namma Veettu Pillai review: A tried and tested but satisfying family drama

Namma Veettu Pillai, the third collaboration of Pandiraj and Sivakarthikeyan after Marina (2012) and Kedi Billa Killadi Ranga (2013), is the kind of film where everything feels familiar. Yet, you don’t find too many faults with the film. Though cut from the same cloth as Pandiraj’s previous release, Kadaikutty Singam (2018), there is something charming about Namma Veettu Pillai that makes you smile instead of complain as you walk out of the theatre. In spite of the Kadaikutty Singam hangover, there is much that works for this film, the casting being primary.

Sivakarthikeyan plays Arupom whose life revolves around his sister Thulasi (Aishwarya Rajesh) and their mother. Having lost his father at a very young age, Arupom looks up to his uncles and extended family and does everything he can to please them. Despite his efforts, his uncles look down upon him. But these things don’t bother Arupom; he is only concerned about getting his sister married into a good family. The events that follow Thulasi’s marriage form the crux of the story.

Namma Veetu Pillai, unlike Pandiraj’s last outing, handles the melodrama quite well and it’s one of the reasons why the film never feels boring. When it comes to the melodrama, Pandiraj knows where to draw the line and this makes the film refreshing to watch. In spite of taking the tried-and-tested route of family drama, it manages to impress with convincing performances from the ensemble cast. 

Sivakarthikeyan could not have asked for a better film to make a strong comeback after the failures of Seemaraja (2018) and Mr Local (2019). He goes back to playing the son of the soil, a role he excels at, and delivers a mature performance in the emotional sequences.

Aishwarya Rajesh as the hapless sister shines in yet another memorable role and proves once again why she deserves better characters. Soori, for a change, isn’t annoying as the comedian and has some decent screen presence with some genuinely fun moments. Imman, who is the go-to composer when it comes to stories based in rural Tamil Nadu, contributes strongly with the music and background score.