Since Tamil and Telugu films share a fondness for the masala genre, Telugu remakes (Siruthai was the latest high-profile one) are usually masala films that require only a few changes to suit Tamil viewers’ tastes. Vaanam, an ensemble feature that tells 5 stories running in parallel, is a rare Telugu remake that doesn’t belong to the masala genre. The film's tracks vary in interest level and the plot-lines crisscross in an interesting manner but the way the multiple tracks culminate is a bit disappointing.

Vaanam narrates the stories of 5 different individuals. Bharath(Bharath), an aspiring rockstar from Bangalore, has landed his first live gig in Chennai. After missing his flight, he sets out in a car with his girlfriend(Vega) and other band members. Saroja(Anushka) is a much-in-demand prostitute in Sulurpet. Dreaming of running her own brothel, she runs away from her brothel and heads to Chennai. Saranya, who lives in Thoothukudi, plays a desperate mother whose son has been snatched by a moneylender since she owes him money. Seeing no other way to get the money, she goes to Chennai to donate her kidney. Rahim(Prakashraj) is a devout Muslim living in Coimbatore. Hearing of his brother being sighted in Chennai, he goes there along with his pregnant wife(Sonia Agarwal). Raja(Simbhu) is a cable guy in Chennai who has convinced his girlfriend Priya(Jasmine) that he is a rich guy and has to purchase pricey tickets to take her to a New Year eve party.

Like films like Aaydha Ezhuthu and Sarvam that also narrated multiple stories, Vaanam also deals with fate. The five people here are from different geographic locations and have no connection to each other but its fate that makes their lives converge over the course of the movie. They lead largely independent lives and though some of them interact, they don't impact one another until towards the end. Its just that as they go about their lives, each action takes them one step closer to playing a big part in the lives of the other four.

What the five characters go through in their own lives is just as important as the effect they have on each other. While they all go on physical journeys of some sort, they also undertake journeys in the metaphorical sense. All of them undergo changes in their characters as they realize something about themselves. For some its their attitude towards others and for others, its their attitude towards life itself.

Among the five tracks, its the ones that have a dominant emotion driving them that are the most involving. Simbhu's track is driven by love as he tries to get the money to satisfy his girlfriend's wish. Though his rich guy act with Jasmine is dealt with in a light-hearted manner and he and Santhanam invoke several laughs as they try to lay their hands on the money, its love that propels the track. Saranya's track is the most affecting as she and her frail father-in-law are led around by a heartless agent. Since the money is for rescuing her son, the emotions are strong. Prakashraj's story is driven by suspense as he goes in search of his brother.

Anushka's track doesn't make much of an impression. Though it is refreshing to see a prostitute whose ambition is to run her own business, her situation and the difficulties she faces don't make much of an impact. Bharath's track turns out to be the weakest of the five. It has a very contrived start(it is hard to believe that he misses the flight for the most important event in his life by oversleeping) and after that, his transformation happens very overtly while his physical journey is filled with too many corny moments(like his spiel on unity and diversity).

Multiple track films like this always offer small thrills as the characters from the different tracks cross each other. These thrills are seen in Vaanam too as the characters interact at different points in the film, sometimes simply passing each other, sometimes being thrown together and exchanging a few words and sometimes meeting face-to-face and having a huge impact on each other's lives. Considering that their tracks are the most involving, its no wonder that the intersection of the tracks of Simbhu and Saranya is the most powerful. The entire sequence elicits a whole spectrum of emotions and is arguably the film's highpoint.

After the intensity of that meeting, the climax is a letdown. The proceedings seem a bit rushed, some of the key happenings are handled in an unconvincing manner and the motives of the people who precipitate the climax are somewhat hazy. So the impact of seeing the lives of all the characters converge is diluted and the expected soaring emotions just don't happen.

Simbhu indicates that he was serious about making a change in the direction of his career by selecting another strong character after Vinnai Thaandi Varuvaayaa. While his trademark hamming peeks out in the lighter scenes, he emotes perfectly in the heavier scenes. Bharath is convincing enough as the wannabe rockstar but is unable to override the corniness in some of his lines. Anushka looks sensuous without looking vulgar and is able to convey the devil-may-care attitude that is probably an outcome of the hard life she has led so far. Prakashraj and Saranya are seasoned enough to make their characters real and convincing. Who Am I... and Evandi Unna Pethaan... happen in quick succession after the movie starts and the cinematography makes both of them interesting visually. The title number is meaningful while No Money No Honey... feels like it was added just to allow Simbhu and Anushka to dance together though they aren't romantically paired.