The Vvaan Movie Review: A Visually Rich Folklore Fantasy That Finds Its Strength In Faith, Emotion And Spectacle
CineInfinity Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️½ (3.5/5)
The Vvaan: Force of the Forest is an ambitious attempt to bring Indian folklore, mythology and supernatural mystery together in a mainstream Hindi cinematic universe. Directed by Deepak Kumar Mishra, the film takes an unusual route by placing its fantasy world against the cultural backdrop of Bihar, Chhath Puja and the mysterious Devanchal.
The result isn't flawless, but there is enough ambition, visual scale and rooted storytelling here to make The Vvaan an engaging theatrical experience.
A Fresh World Rooted In Indian Folklore
One of the biggest strengths of The Vvaan is its central idea.
The film explores the mythology surrounding Van Devi, a mysterious forest and the spiritual beliefs connected to the land. Rather than simply using mythology as decoration, the story attempts to connect faith, family, relationships and human choices with the supernatural world.
The Devanchal setting gives the film an identity of its own. The forbidden forest, the village folklore and the mystery surrounding its supernatural forces create an intriguing atmosphere, particularly during the first half.
The film's connection with Chhath Puja is another major highlight. The festival isn't merely inserted as a visual spectacle; it becomes part of the emotional and spiritual fabric of the story. The Chhathi Maiya portions carry genuine scale and emotion and are among the film's most memorable sequences.
Ektaa Kapoor And TVF Attempt Something Different
Producer Ektaa Kapoor has previously backed films such as The Dirty Picture, Once Upon a Time in Mumbaai and Ragini MMS 2, and her association with The Vvaan brings another interesting genre experiment.
The film also represents an unusual creative combination, bringing together the commercial instincts associated with Ektaa Kapoor's supernatural storytelling and the grounded sensibilities associated with the team behind Panchayat.
That combination doesn't work perfectly at every point, but it gives The Vvaan a distinct flavour.
The film wants to be mythology, fantasy, supernatural thriller, family drama and occasional comedy at the same time. At its best, these elements complement one another; at other points, the screenplay struggles to maintain the same balance.
Sidharth Malhotra And Tamannaah Bring Emotional Weight
Sidharth Malhotra gets a physically demanding role and handles the action and dramatic portions with sincerity. His character's journey from a modern, city-oriented man towards a deeper understanding of his roots gives the actor enough material to anchor the film.
Tamannaah Bhatia brings the emotional side of the story into focus. Her character's personal journey gives the supernatural narrative a human dimension, particularly in the portions involving family and motherhood.
The two actors also share a natural screen presence in their first pairing.
Among the supporting cast, Sunil Grover makes an impression in a comparatively different role, while Anup Soni and Shweta Tiwari add credibility to the family portions. Maniesh Paul provides comic relief, although some of the humour feels stretched and could have been handled with greater restraint.
Visuals, VFX And The Chhath Sequences
Visually, The Vvaan aims big.
The forest, mythology-driven imagery and supernatural elements provide the film with an opportunity to create a fantasy world that feels distinctly Indian. The cinematography particularly shines during the larger festive sequences.
The Chhath Puja sequence is arguably the film's visual and emotional high point. The combination of faith, music, crowd scale and imagery gives the sequence a strong theatrical impact.
The VFX, however, aren't equally convincing throughout. Some portions look impressive, while others fall short of the scale the film is aiming for.
Where The Film Stumbles
The biggest issue with The Vvaan is that the screenplay doesn't always maintain the same grip that its premise promises.
The first half does a good job of establishing the mythology and creating curiosity around the forest. However, the second half becomes more crowded as the film tries to accommodate mythology, explanations, comedy, action and emotional revelations.
Some of these elements work individually but don't always blend smoothly.
The climax also goes bigger in scale, but the storytelling doesn't always have the same clarity or emotional impact as the film's strongest portions.
This prevents The Vvaan from becoming the completely immersive folklore saga it occasionally threatens to be.
The Verdict
The Vvaan: Force of the Forest deserves credit for attempting something different.
It brings Indian folklore, faith, supernatural mystery, family emotions and fantasy spectacle into one mainstream Hindi film, with Chhath Puja and the Van Devi mythology giving it a rooted identity.
It isn't a perfectly executed film, and the uneven screenplay and second half hold it back from reaching its full potential. But the ambition is visible, the world is interesting, the performances are sincere and several sequences deliver the kind of scale that works particularly well on the big screen.
Most importantly, The Vvaan doesn't feel like another routine Hindi fantasy film. It tries to build a world around Indian folklore and give that mythology a contemporary cinematic form.
CineInfinity Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️½ (3.5/5)
The Vvaan is an ambitious, rooted and visually appealing folklore fantasy that works best when it lets its mythology, faith and emotions take centre stage.
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