The characters are not well etched, and their motives are not strong and their actions lack logic. The story etched from earlier films lack conviction and moves around wobbly as you just cannot sympathise with any of the characters in the film.

Pandi (Akhil) is a pick pocket and a small time goon who walks around with a thin wedge of blade and uses it to slash pockets of people in Chennai. He runs into Vandana (Meera Nandan) who runs a pre-school and is a ‘Mother Teresa’ of sorts who like to look after destitute children.

Pandi saves her from an attack from a mentally challenged person (Badava Gopi) in a temple, but pockets her chain in the melee without her knowledge! She starts developing a crush on him (!!) without realizing he is a pick pocket and an anti- social.

Meanwhile another slum girl and a flower seller Kanaga (Devika), also falls for his charms. However, soon he gets exposed in front of Vandana, who realizes that he is a petty pick pocket, and decides to reform him and his gang which leads unnecessary twist in the climax.

The first half is tolerable, but post interval the film drags big time and songs are thrust into the narration, which makes it unbearable. The climax is infuriatingly contrived and corny.

The only silver lining in this film is the new artists who do character roles like Pandi’s friends though the lead actors are not up to the mark. There is not even a single song of Ilayaraja that stays in your mind while Aghagappan’s camera is average.

Sadly, Valmiki lacks story, style and soul.

Verdict- Disappointing