thiru movie review imdb 2022

Log in or sign up for Rotten Tomatoes

Trouble logging in?

By continuing, you agree to the Privacy Policy and the Terms and Policies , and to receive email from the Fandango Media Brands .

By creating an account, you agree to the Privacy Policy and the Terms and Policies , and to receive email from Rotten Tomatoes and to receive email from the Fandango Media Brands .

By creating an account, you agree to the Privacy Policy and the Terms and Policies , and to receive email from Rotten Tomatoes.

Email not verified

Let's keep in touch.

Sign up for the Rotten Tomatoes newsletter to get weekly updates on:

• Upcoming Movies and TV shows
• Rotten Tomatoes Podcast
• Media News + More

By clicking "Sign Me Up," you are agreeing to receive occasional emails and communications from Fandango Media (Fandango, Vudu, and Rotten Tomatoes) and consenting to Fandango's Privacy Policy and Terms and Policies . Please allow 10 business days for your account to reflect your preferences.

OK, got it!

• What's the Tomatometer®?
• Login/signup

Movies in theaters

• Opening this week
• Top box office
• Coming soon to theaters
• Certified fresh movies

Movies at home

• Fandango at Home
• Prime Video
• Most popular streaming movies
• What to Watch New

Certified fresh picks

• 79% Deadpool & Wolverine Link to Deadpool & Wolverine
• 96% Dìdi Link to Dìdi
• 100% I Am: Celine Dion Link to I Am: Celine Dion

New TV Tonight

• 100% Batman: Caped Crusader: Season 1
• 93% A Good Girl's Guide to Murder: Season 1
• -- Futurama: Season 12
• -- Women in Blue: Season 1
• -- Unstable: Season 2
• -- Hotel Portofino: Season 3
• -- Betrayal: The Perfect Husband: Season 2
• -- Unsolved Mysteries: Season 4
• -- Cowboy Cartel: Season 1

Most Popular TV on RT

• 80% Star Wars: The Acolyte: Season 1
• 50% Those About to Die: Season 1
• 69% The Decameron: Season 1
• 89% House of the Dragon: Season 2
• 100% Supacell: Season 1
• 76% Lady in the Lake: Season 1
• 93% The Boys: Season 4
• 78% Presumed Innocent: Season 1
• 79% Time Bandits: Season 1
• Best TV Shows
• Most Popular TV
• TV & Streaming News

Certified fresh pick

• 100% Batman: Caped Crusader: Season 1 Link to Batman: Caped Crusader: Season 1
• All-Time Lists
• Binge Guide
• Comics on TV
• Five Favorite Films
• Video Interviews
• Weekend Box Office
• Weekly Ketchup
• What to Watch

100 Best Found Footage Movies

25 Essential Stoner Movies, Ranked by Tomatometer

What to Watch: In Theaters and On Streaming

Awards Tour

Batman: Caped Crusader First Reviews: A Solid Throwback with Top-Notch Performances

The Most Anticipated Movies of 2024

• Trending on RT
• Paris in Movies
• Comic-Con Trailers
• Cosplay Gallery
• Vote: Most Anticipated August Movie
• Upcoming Marvel Movies

Thiruchitrambalam

Where to watch.

Watch Thiruchitrambalam with a subscription on Prime Video.

Critics Reviews

Cast & crew.

Mithran Jawahar

Nithya Menon

Raashi Khanna

More Like This

• Movie Schedules
• OTT and TV News

-->

Most Viewed Articles

• Job Opening : Wanted English Content Writers
• Shah Rukh Khan to fly to the US for treatment
• Tripti Dimri opens up about Animal Park
• Juicy update on Prabhas-Sandeep Vanga’s Spirit is here
• Prabhas’ The Raja Saab: Stunning glimpse and release date unveiled
• Photo Moment: Ram Charan and Upasana meet PV Sindhu in Paris
• Sai Dharam Tej reveals the blockbuster film he missed for his debut
• Harish Shankar makes a big statement about Ustaad Bhagat Singh

Recent Posts

• “గేమ్ చేంజర్” షూటింగ్ పై లేటెస్ట్ అప్డేట్!
• Report: NTR in talks for a two-part film with Hi Nanna director
• “బ్రహ్మాస్త్ర 2” కి విలన్ గా ఆ ఇద్దరు స్టార్స్ పేర్లు?
• Amrutham creator’s comeback with Dulquer’s Aakasam Lo Oka Tara
• Janhvi Kapoor loves shooting for Devara and tells us why
• “మిస్టర్ బచ్చన్” ఓవర్సీస్ రిలీజ్ డీటైల్స్ ఇవే!

Release Date : August 18, 2022

123telugu.com Rating : 2.75/5

Starring: Dhanush, Raashi Khanna, Nithya Menen, Priya Bhavani Shankar, Prakash Raj

Director: Mithran R Jawahar

Producers: Kalanithi Maran

Music Directors : Anirudh Ravichander

Cinematography : Om Prakash

Editor: Prasanna GK

Global star, Dhanush is doing back-to-back films in his career. His new Tamil film, Thiruchirambalam has been dubbed in Telugu with the name Thiru. The film has been released without much noise today and let’s see how it is.

Thiru(Dhanush) is a delivery boy who lives with his father(Prakash Raj) and grandfather(Bharatiraja). He shares a close bond with his grandfather but has deep issues with his dad. He is also close friends with Shobana(Nithya Menon) whom he knows from his childhood. Thiru falls in love with a modern girl played by Raashi Khanna but gets rejected. But a sudden tragedy strikes and Thiru’s life turns upside down. The rest of the story is about how Thiru picks up the broken pieces of his family and also ends up winning his love.

Plus Points

Dhanush picks up good subjects always and he has done the same with Thiru. The film is a mature family drama that has a good dose of sensible love. Though the plot looks predictable, the narration is decent. There are not many dull moments as emotions are unleashed in a simple yet moving manner.

Dhanush leads from the front yet again and shows his versatility as an actor. Be it his hatred towards his dad Prakash Raj or the chemistry and love he showcases with Bharatiraja and Nithya Menon are quite good. He leads from the front and gives a settled performance. Raashi Khanna is neat in her cameo.

Veteran director Bharatiraja played a key role and he was outstanding. His scenes with son Prakash Raj and grandson Dhanush will move you to tears in a few scenes. As usual, Prakash Raj gets a meaty role and shines in his character. But the unsung hero of the film is Nithya Menon whose role is endearing and gives selfless love. Though Nithya did not dub for her voice, she gives an amazing performance and holds the film in the last half an hour.

Minus Points

The plot of the film is nothing new and has been showcased in many films. The dubbing is a letdown as both Prakash Raj and Nithya Menon did not dub in their voices. There is a bit of Tamil flavor in the film which might go against the taste of the Telugu audience.

The first half of the film is filled with family emotions. The thread between Prakash Raj and Dhanush is established well but is not given more importance in the narrative. More drama between these characters would have made a lot of difference to the film.

Technical Aspects

A song in the second half should have been edited out. As said earlier, the dubbing of the film is not that great. Production values are decent and so was the camera work. Coming to the director Mithran, he has done a decent job with the film. Though he picks a simple and outdated storyline, his narration is sensible. As he has taken top-notch performers, it makes a lot of difference to the narrative. Mithran has elevated every character quite well and narrated the film in a sensible manner. The emotions are a major attraction and the film has a few episodes that will move you in a few areas.

On the whole, Thiru is a sensible family drama that has fabulous performances. Though the story is routine and predictable, the emotions and strong drama make the viewing easy. Sadly, the film has not been promoted at all in Telugu and this is an obstacle for the audience to come to the theaters. But once they come in, Dhanush’s performance will make this film a passable watch this weekend.

123telugu.com Rating: 2.75/5

Reviewed by 123telugu Team

Click Here For Telugu Review

Articles that might interest you:

• Mr Bachchan’s mass surprise for Hyd Metro passengers
• Gaddar Awards: Chiranjeevi’s special request to Telugu Film Industry
• Raja Saab’s fan India glimpse becomes a pan-India hit; Tops YouTube charts
• Devara team set to drop another banger; Netizens are pretty excited
• Mahesh Babu wins the hearts of Tamil audience

-->

Ad : Teluguruchi - Learn.. Cook.. Enjoy the Tasty food

• Latest News
• Olympics 2024
• Real Estate
• Entertainment
• IND vs SL Live Score
• Jharkhand Train Accident Live
• Paris Olympics 2024 Live
• TN SSLC Supply Result 2024 Live
• India vs Ireland Live
• India vs Sri Lanka Live Score
• India vs Sri Lanka
• The Interview
• Web Stories
• Mumbai News
• Bengaluru News
• Daily Digest

Thiruchitrambalam movie review: Dhanush is effortless, Nithya Menen is phenomenal in endearing slice-of-life drama

Thiruchitrambalam movie review: dhanush's film is an endearing slice-of-life drama, in which he and nithya menen share a kind of relationship that’s been rarely explored before in tamil cinema..

At a time when every movie industry is obsessed with making pan-Indian films, Mithran Jawahar’s Thiruchitrambalam, a slice-of-life drama, comes as a breath of fresh air. It’s a simple film with its heart at the right place. This Dhanush- starrer is a very familiar tale, but one that works like a charm and leaves you grinning as you walk out of the theatre. It’s the simplistic storytelling along with the highly-relatable characters that makes the film endearing and wholesome. Read more: Dhanush serves a fresh comedy as delivery boy out to find love in Thiruchitrambalam trailer

Dhanush plays Thiruchitrambalam aka Thiru, who works as a food delivery boy with no ambitions. His life revolves around his grandfather (Bharathiraja) and his childhood friend-cum-neighbour Shobana ( Nithya Menen ). He has a strained relationship with his father (Prakash Raj), who works as a police officer. As Thiru navigates through life trying to find love and purpose, he goes on a journey of self-realisation as he mends his bond with his father.

Sometimes even the most familiar stories can weave magic if presented well, and Thiruchitrambalam is the perfect example of that. The film, which lets Dhanush shed his hero image, works effectively both as slice-of-life family drama as well as a romantic-comedy.

For most of part of its running time, Thiruchitrambalam treads on thin ice as it could’ve easily become over dramatic, especially with a lot of drama in the second half. Thankfully, the simplistic writing and the regular use of highly enjoyable humour – courtesy Bharathiraja’s inimitable wit and one-liners - never lets a single moment get boring. The comedy is clean and situational, which works very well in the context of the story. Even the casting plays a crucial role in making the characters so relatable and enjoyable.

Nithya Menen, for instance, plays Dhanush’s bestie, and it’s the kind of relationship that’s been rarely explored before in Tamil cinema. Mainstream Tamil heroes are usually seen having male best friends. It was also refreshing to see a family full of men looking after each other and not relying on women to come fix their issues.

Dhanush returns to playing a role that he has championed over the years. You make him play similar characters another 100 times and he would still make it enjoyable every single time. That’s how effortlessly good he gets at playing these kinds of characters. Nithya Menen has always shied away from playing the quintessential heroine and it has always worked in her favour, going by the kind of characters she manages to land. She’s phenomenal in Thiruchitrambalam, playing a key character that she nails to perfection.

Veteran filmmaker Bharathiraja gets a meaty part which he plays incredibly well. Some of the film’s best scenes involve Dhanush, Nithya and Bharathiraja at their best. Anirudh Ravichander’s music is another major highlight of the movie. His work is a heartfelt tribute to the legendary Ilayaraja, and the songs and background score elevate the mood of the movie on so many occasions.

Film: Thiruchitrambalam

Director: Mithran Jawahar

Cast: Dhanush, Nithya Menen, Prakash Raj, Bharathiraja, Raashi Khanna

• Tamil Cinema
• Nithya Menen
• Terms of use
• Privacy policy
• Weather Today
• HT Newsletters
• Subscription
• Print Ad Rates
• Code of Ethics

• Live Cricket Score
• Cricket Teams
• Cricket Players
• ICC Rankings
• Cricket Schedule
• Shreyas Iyer
• Harshit Rana
• Kusal Mendis
• Ravi Bishnoi
• Rinku Singh
• Riyan Parag
• Washington Sundar
• Avishka Fernando
• Charith Asalanka
• Dasun Shanaka
• Khaleel Ahmed
• Pathum Nissanka
• Other Cities
• Budget 2024 Live
• Income Tax LIVE Updates
• Income Tax Calculator
• Petrol Prices
• Diesel Prices
• Silver Rate
• Relationships
• Art and Culture
• Taylor Swift: A Primer
• Telugu Cinema
• Board Exams
• Exam Results
• Admission News
• Employment News
• Competitive Exams
• BBA Colleges
• Engineering Colleges
• Medical Colleges
• BCA Colleges
• Medical Exams
• Engineering Exams
• Love Horoscope
• Annual Horoscope
• Festival Calendar
• Compatibility Calculator
• Career Horoscope
• Manifestation
• The Economist Articles
• Lok Sabha States
• Lok Sabha Parties
• Lok Sabha Candidates
• Explainer Video
• On The Record
• Vikram Chandra Daily Wrap
• Entertainment Photos
• Lifestyle Photos
• News Photos
• Olympics Medal Tally
• Other Sports
• EPL 2023-24
• ISL 2023-24
• Asian Games 2023
• Public Health
• Economic Policy
• International Affairs
• Climate Change
• Gender Equality
• future tech
• Daily Sudoku
• Daily Crossword
• Daily Word Jumble
• HT Friday Finance
• Explore Hindustan Times
• Privacy Policy
• Terms of Use
• Subscription - Terms of Use

Thanks For Rating

Reminder successfully set, select a city.

• Nashik Times
• Aurangabad Times
• Badlapur Times

You can change your city from here. We serve personalized stories based on the selected city

• Edit Profile
• Briefs Movies TV Web Series Lifestyle Trending Medithon Visual Stories Music Events Videos Theatre Photos Gaming

Has Telugu star Sreeleela opted out of David Dhawan's film starring Varun Dhawan? Producer Ramesh Taurani responds - Exclusive

Arjun Rampal on chasing physical relationships: 'Experience everything but honour certain commitments'

Zareen Khan admits feeling intimidated by Salman Khan: 'I used to chase him on his cycle'

From Kartik-Karan to Salman-Bhansali: Actor-director fallouts in Bollywood

Ranbir Kapoor reveals he met Alia Bhatt when she was 9 and he was 20: 'Sanjay Leela Bhansali wanted to make Balika Vadhu'

Dimple Kapadia reveals a ‘famous director’ wanted her to be ostracized from school due to her leprosy, recalls how Raj Kapoor cast her in Bobby

Movie Reviews

Deadpool & Wolverine

Uparwala & Sons

Bloody Ishq

Chalti Rahe Zindagi

The UP Files

The Ministry Of Ungentl...

Accident Or Conspiracy:...

Find Me Falling

• Movie Listings

​Eesha Rebba stuns in a chic black top​

​In pics: Rashmika Mandanna dazzles in glamorous outfits​

Bhojpuri newbie Kristina Pravda's pics you shouldn't miss

Amruta Khanvilkar's Breathtaking White Looks

Bhumi Pednekar ups the style quotient in a chic crop top and stylish skirt

Ravishing Helly Shah: Captivating in every frame

'URI to 'Neerja': Top 10 Bollywood movies based on true stories

Shweta Tiwari's Comfy Yet Chic Collection of Suits

Birthday girl Varsha Bollamma's fashion versatility

Unmissable Pictures of Kareena Kapoor Khan and Saif Ali Khan's sons Taimur and Jeh

Mangta Jogi

Accident Or Conspiracy...

Hindustani 2

Fly Me To The Moon

Despicable Me 4

A Quiet Place: Day One...

The Exorcism

Creation of the Gods 1...

Pitha 23:23

Maya Puthagam

RK Vellimegham

Kavundampalayam

Emagadhagan

Monica: Oru AI Story

Level Cross

Samadhana Pusthakam

Idiyan Chandhu

Kanakarajyam

Kunddala Puranam

Roopanthara

Family Drama

Vidhyarthi Vidyarthini...

Kadaloora Kanmani

Back Bencherz

Robin's Kitchen

Manikbabur Megh: The C...

Hemanter Aparanha

Alexander Er Pisi

Kaliachak - Chapter 1

Manje Bistre 3

Jatt And Juliet 3

Jatt & Juliet 3

Teriya Meriya Hera Phe...

Kudi Haryane Val Di

Ni Main Sass Kuttni 2

Rode College

Allahr Vres

Mehkma Chhadeyan Da

Gharat Ganpati

Danka Hari Namacha

Vishay Hard

A Valentine`s Day

Rang De Basanti

Dil Lagal Dupatta Wali...

Mahadev Ka Gorakhpur

Nirahua The Leader

Tu Nikla Chhupa Rustam...

Rowdy Rocky

Mental Aashiq

Raja Ki Aayegi Baaraat...

Ram Bharosey

Builder Boys

Trisha on the Rocks

Love You Baa

Jalul Jalul Thi Aavjo

Roshani Confused Girl

Maru Mann Taru Thayu

Chandrabanshi

Jajabara 2.0

Operation 12/17

Dui Dune Panch

Your rating, write a review (optional).

• Movie Listings /

Would you like to review this movie?

Cast & Crew

Latest Reviews

The Decameron

Amber Girls School

Lady In The Lake

Tribhuvan Mishra CA Topper

Thiru - Official Trailer

Users' Reviews

Refrain from posting comments that are obscene, defamatory or inflammatory, and do not indulge in personal attacks, name calling or inciting hatred against any community. Help us delete comments that do not follow these guidelines by marking them offensive . Let's work together to keep the conversation civil.

• What is the release date of 'Thiru'? Release date of Dhanush and Raashi Khanna starrer 'Thiru' is 2022-08-18.
• Who are the actors in 'Thiru'? 'Thiru' star cast includes Dhanush, Raashi Khanna, Nithya Menen and P. Bharathiraja.
• Who is the director of 'Thiru'? 'Thiru' is directed by Mithran Jawahar.
• What is Genre of 'Thiru'? 'Thiru' belongs to 'Drama,Comedy,Musical' genre.
• In Which Languages is 'Thiru' releasing? 'Thiru' is releasing in Telugu.

Visual Stories

​8 animals that switch genders​

Sardar Udham Singh's quotes to inspire kids

Khatron Ke Khiladi 14’s Asim Riaz’s dapper looks

Entertainment

Sara Ali Khan exudes major ethnic fashion inspiration in ivory and gold Anarkali set

​Shraddha Kapoor masters the art of accessorising​

​In pics: Attractive looks of Rashmitha Roja​

Janhvi Kapoor sets fashion goals high as an absolute diva in sarees

10 must-try Arabic Chicken dishes

News - Thiru

Samuthirakani-starrer 'Thiru Manickam' music score comp...

Khushbu, Kasthuri, Aathmika, and other Kollywood stars ...

‘Thiru Thiru Thiruvananthapurathu’: Latest video song f...

I was a little hesitant to direct a web series: Thiru

'RC 15': Shankar and Ram Charan's film to get a powerfu...

Director Thiru shares a recent 'Kadhal Kottai' moment

Upcoming Movies

Man Of The Match

Popular movie reviews.

Purushothamudu

Music Shop Murthy

Prasanna Vadanam

Siddharth Roy

Tillu Square

Prabuthwa Junior Kalashala

• Movie Reviews

Thiru Review

What's Behind

Dhanush who is known for  his versatile performances is coming to entertain movie lovers with his film Thiru (Thiruchitrambalam) which released on August 18,2022. The film has a star studded cast of Rashi Khanna,Nitya Menen and Priya Bhavani Shankar. Let us see what Dhanush offered as Thiru.

Story Review

The story is all about a food delivery boy Thiru (Dhanush). Thiru stays along with his father, Neelakanthan (Prakash Raj), a police officer, and his grandfather Thiru (Bharatiraja). All of them have a strained relationship due to some incident and Thiru who works as a delivery boy shares all his feelings to his childhood friend and neighbor Shobhana (Nithya Menon). What strained Thiru's relationship with his father and how Anusha (Raashi Khanna) and Ranjani (Priya Bhavani Shankar) are related to him and where his relationship with Sobhana goes ahead forms the crux of the developments.

Artists, Technicians Review

The story of Thiru is all about a middle-class youngster Thiru and Mithran narrated it in such a way that it gives ample scope to elevate the acting talent of Dhanush. To the top of it, he cast Nitya Menen as the friend of Dhanush and this turned out to be a coup. Both of them came with an exceptional performance which makes viewers glued to the screen. Though the film's story is routine, Mithran started the narration in an interesting manner and without treading on the regular family or romantic angles, narrated the entire story through the friendship angle. This captures the imagination of all. Thus viewers feel the entire first half is quite novel and refreshing except for the interval bang. The first half with all the highlights ends on a dim note with the routine interval bang.

However, expectations increase over the second half due to the interesting narration in the first half. But from the start of the second half, the entire story turns routine, and Tamil flavor creeps in decreasing the interest levels. The narration slowly treads towards the climax and here once again, Mithran tried to be different. When Prakash Raj remarks to Nithya Menen that she will not fly to Canada as she leaves for the airport, many expect that to be true. But Mithran ends the film on a different note.

Dhanush is renowned for his natural and realistic performances. He slipped into the role effortlessly and came out with fabulous expressions on the screen. He showed variations as a son who hates his father and then changes his feelings under testing circumstances. He is attracted as a middle-class youngster who is unable to express his love and feels left behind. The way he emoted by expressing his love either for Raashi Khanna or Priya Bhavani Shankar stands out. His dialogue delivery is natural and his body language is realistic.

Nithya Menon complimented Dhanush exceptionally well. It is sad that Nitya Menen is not getting such powerful roles in Telugu. She got excellent scope to perform and as a good friend of Dhanush, she expressed herself and emoted in a beautiful manner. Nitya Menen and Dhanush's chemistry took the film to another level. Prakash Raj as the father of Dhanush came up with a powerful performance. Bharatiraja is good in the role of grandfather. Raashi Khanna and Priya Bhavani Shankar got limited scope to perform. Others performed according to their roles.

Anirudh Ravichander's music is good. Songs are situational and one song is beautifully shot on Dhanush and Nitya Menen. The song's choreography is also beautiful. He gave a natural feel to the proceedings with his background music. Editing of Prasanna could have been better especially in the second half where the pace dipped considerably. Om Prakash's cinematography is captivating with a natural and realistic feel. Production values are good.

Dhanush, Nithya Menon

Performances

Cinematography

Disadvantages

Routine Elements

Second Half

Rating Analysis

Dhanush's Thiru (Thiruchitrambalam) directed by Mithran starts off promising a novel screenplay with interesting narration. Mithran emerged successful for most of the first half with exceptional performances from Dhanush and Nithya Menon. But he loses the plot a little bit in the second half and from then on it turns out to be a routine journey. Mithran's story is quite routine and the direction is ok. The film is saved by the performances of the actors, especially Dhanush and Nitya Menen. Considering all these points, Cinejosh  goes with s a 1.5 rating for Thiru.

Cinejosh - A One Vision Technologies initiative, was founded in 2009 as a website for news, reviews and much more content for OTT, TV, Cinema for the Telugu population and later emerged as a one-stop destination with 24/7 updates.

Contact us     Privacy     © 2009-2023 CineJosh All right reserved.    

Gulte Telugu news

Movie Review – Thiru

Article by Satya B Published by GulteDesk --> Published on: 11:00 am, 20 August 2022

Cast : Dhanush, Raashi Khanna, Nithya Menen, Priya Bhavani Shankar, Prakash Raj Director : Mithran R Jawahar Producer : Kalanithi Maran Music : Anirudh Ravichander

Post his divorce, Dhanush is in no mood to slow down. He is doing films in multiple languages and is having back to back releases. His latest film, Thiruchitrambalam has been dubbed in Telugu and was released on a silent note. Mithran Jawahar directs this film which also stars Nithya Menon and Raashi Khanna as female leads. Anirudh has scored the music.

Thiru(Dhanush) is a college dropout who works as a delivery boy. His life is complicated as he shares a close bond with his grandfather(Bharatiraja) but hates his dad(Prakash Raj). Thiru’s only go to person is his childhood friend Shobana(Nithya Menen). A simple feud with his father leaves Thiru’s life in a big mess. Upon this, he keeps getting rejected in love by girls played by Raashi Khanna and Priya Bhavani Shankar. How Sbohana changes Thiru’s life and makes things work is the basic plot of the film.

Performances :

When it comes to playing boy next door roles, Dhanush is a pro and gives a settled performance. He goes through a series of emotions and showcases them through his impressive expressions. Prakash Raj as the strict father who later falls ill is very good and adds depth to the proceedings. Legendary director, Bharatiraja plays a key role and is the major asset. The comedy, drama, and emotional outbursts are evoked through him and the veteran completely kills it in his role. His scenes with Dhanush are heartwarming.

Nithya Menon plays the role of a selfless girl and gives the best. She appears mostly in every scene and holds the film until the end. Raashi Khanna does not have much to do but to appear in a few scenes. The film majorly becomes watchable because of the solid performance of the lead cast.

Technicalities :

The film has endearing music by Anirudh. The songs sound superb in Tamil but are lost in translation when it comes to Telugu. The Chennai setup and the middle class ideologies are established properly. The editing has a few lags in the last half an hour as scenes are dragged for no reason. Director Mithran has written the plot and there is nothing novel he is trying to tell about. But the sensibilities he has chosen to evoke drama between the key characters is what makes the difference here. Camerawork is not that great.

Thiru is a family drama that has a very predictable premise. You have seen Dhanush in such a middle class setup in films like Raghuvaran Btech. But the sensibilities are different and so is the conflict in Thiru. Director Mithran sets up the issues between three mature men and tries to evoke conflict between father and son. The grandfather plays the truce and this angle looks quite endearing in the film.

Apart from this, the romantic angle of films like Oh My Friend is also brought in to engage the audience through Nithya Menon’s character. But the best part is that the romance is not forced on the audience. The hero falls in love with two women at different stages of his life but fails to realize that his real love lies in his close friend played by Nithya Menon. This aspect is nicely established and the director should be appreciated for not creating a rebound for the hero due to the rejections he faces though the film ends on a predictable note.

The father and son drama starts on a very gripping note and is also highlighted during the break point. But once the interval starts, things are diluted and the story shifts to another angle. This aspect of emotional conflict between the father and son should have been elevated more to give the film an edge. The film is predictable and one knows what the climax is going to be all about. But director Mithran takes his own time and gives every character a proper conclusion.

Even though things feel slow, by the end of the film, one surely gets connected to the characters. Finally, Thiru has a familiar premise and predictability. But what makes the difference is the mature star cast which breathe life into the narration. The story will seem similar but the emotions will surely make you shrug of the demerits of the family drama.

Bottom Line – Sensible Family Drama

Tags Dhanush Recommended Thiru

Click Here for Recommended Movies on OTT (List Updates Daily)

• Program Guide
• Sports News
• Streaming Services
• Newsletters
• OTTplay Awards
• OTT Replay 2023
• Changemakers

Home » Review » Thiruchitrambalam movie review: A fantastic Nithya Menen and a likeable Dhanush star in an endearing rom-com »

Thiruchitrambalam movie review: A fantastic Nithya Menen and a likeable Dhanush star in an endearing rom-com

A simple storytelling style and a largely true-to-life storyline are among the many factors that keep Thiruchitrambalam engaging.

• S Subhakeerthana

Last Updated: 09.51 PM, Aug 18, 2022

Story: There have only been a bunch of memorable films in Tamil about friendships and love because very few filmmakers devote time and effort to perfecting a genre that has been done to death. Thiruchitrambalam weaves an upbeat tale about Thiru aka Pazham (Dhanush), his best friend (Nithya Menen), cop-father (Prakash Raj), and grandfather (Bharathiraja).

Review: When a Dhanush film is about to be released, one can feel the overall good vibes from the carefully-crafted promos to the songs. I must say that the experience lived up to the hype. While there's no denying that epic superhero adventures and thriller stories make for compelling viewing, a nice slice-of-life film can equally do the trick. Case in point: Thiruchitrambalam.

Directed by Mithran Jawahar, this one gives you the feeling of home, a sense of comfort and familiarity. Thiruchitrambalam works because it’s a universe we recognise and belong to.

We get a typical Chennai middle-class set-up. There's a colony, and we see contrasting people. It has been more than ten years since Pazham and Neelakantan spoke. (I'm not going to tell you why.) Their relationship is anything but normal. Yet, slowly, their deep and abiding love for each other is shown. 

Mithran Jawahar's cinematic world mirrors the little joys and struggles that are the stuff of everyday life in the middle-class lane. His characters are real, and not overambitious. They are ordinary like Pazham. Most of Thiruchitrambalam feels real like we are watching people from right behind them. Every spoken line is casual yet loaded with meaning. It is this approach to the material (a blend of drama and conventional romantic and emotional tropes) that helps Thiruchitrambalam sustain a steady rhythm. No overly jarring notes interrupt its flow.

On the other hand, we are shown the dynamics that Pazham and his grandfather share. But, it is Pazham's friendship with his neighbour and best friend Shobana that drives the story forward. It's amazing how quickly we invest in their friendship as if it were ours. We own their happiness, laughter, misunderstandings and tears. It is ultimately our empathy for these characters that compels us to stick with Thiruchitrambalam , even when it appears to be painfully generic, sometimes.

It's refreshing to see Dhanush, a well-established star, choose a script like Thiruchitrambalam that relies on honest, simple and bittersweet storytelling. Yes, it's the same old story with the same old characters and emotions. But a fun-filled and fairly realistic screenplay makes the treatment fresh and entertaining.

For Dhanush, Thiruchitrambalam is a tailor-made role. With his unkempt hair, and scraggly beard, the actor has the body language of a frustrated young man in love and confusion. Obviously, he's got the gift of the gab and a flair for comedy. He is, as always, effortlessly on the ball!

Bharathiraja has some solid screen-time in Thiruchitrambalam , and has made good use of it. There was a time in the 1990s when rom-coms were extremely common and every other week, a film in that genre would hit the big screen. It is no longer true, but it makes sense for writers to pay more attention and compile something that ticks the boxes for the millennial crowd just like team Thiruchitrambalam . It's far superior to relying on the same old tropes and hoping against hope that a new lead pair and an unoriginal characterisation idea will help them hit the jackpot.

The Dhanush-starrer gets many things right: friendships, relationships, loss, grief, understanding, forgiveness, acceptance and more. The film is funny, but does not trivialise the serious concerns at hand. Even as I type this review, I hum the infectious Thaai Kelavi. I can’t get this song out of my mind. It is simply a vibe! (Notably, Thiruchitrambalam marks the return of the Dhanush-Anirudh combo after 2015’s Thanga Magan. )

In Thiruchitrambalam, Dhanush and Nithya Menen exhibit the type of chemistry that is often missing in this genre. What’s remarkable is that the duo could find the sync seamlessly. Watch them gracefully dance to Anirudh's tunes in Megam Karukatha... Both display a splendid performance, which ensures that eyes well up without notice and the smile refuse to fade away.

Thiruchitrambalam reminded me of Velaiilla Pattadhari, Pa Paandi and Oh My Kadavule in bits and pieces , for obvious reasons. Like Raghuvaran, Thiruchitrambalam can be anyone—you or me. And, that's the strength of the film. Dhanush settles into his role beautifully; not a single moment is overplayed. 

First, he's interested in Anusha (Raashii Khanna)—that doesn't work. He's sad for a couple of days, of course; then forgets. Next, it's Ranjani (Priya Bhavani Shankar). This fails, too! Thiruchitrambalam doesn't stalk them or get creepy. He moves on. Thanks to Ilaiyaraaja! We get a medley of the maestro's evergreen songs, as a surprise package that lends a definitive tone to the narration. 

The climax is thoroughly predictable, which is a blazing disappointment because the premise of Thiruchitrambalam is refreshing... By the time you're nearing the end, you've got to wonder what was the point of making it! Still, I'd say, those flaws are forgivable. 

At no point does Nithya Menen look unsure of her screen presence. She's adorable and steals the show with her acting chops. There are many obvious truths that Thiruchitrambalam throws light on—how it’s both easy and hard to forgive someone we love—how no normal life is free of drama, heartbreaks, and how good, bad, ugly and everything in between, co-exist. 

I mumbled to myself, "Vairam ondrai kaiyil vaithu, yengae thedi alaindhaayo!"

After Yaaradi Nee Mohini, Kutty, Uthamaputhiran, Dhanush and Mithran Jawahar, make the magic happen with Thiruchitrambalam, again! Every character is chiselled with care. There is nothing put on. Most of the scenes will stay with you long after the credits roll. Here's some pleasant laugh-inducing romantic fare for you, if you're in the mood for something funny, something cool!

Verdict: Thiruchitrambalam is another example of a familiar story, making a decent watch simply because it's been made differently. It is the screenplay which notches up the top place, even if the second half gets predictable. It’s the trio of a measured Bharathiraja (no one else could have become the wholesome senior Thiru), an outstanding Nithya Menen, with her close-ups of lingering pain (perhaps, her most refined role yet, this year) and an unassuming Dhanush, who are the heart and soul of the film.

• New OTT Releases
• Web Stories
• Streaming services
• Latest News
• Movies Releases
• Cookie Policy
• Shows Releases
• Terms of Use
• Privacy Policy
• Subscriber Agreement

• Entertainment
• Life & Style

To enjoy additional benefits

CONNECT WITH US

‘Thiruchitrambalam’ movie review: Dhanush and Nithya Menon are charming in this cuddly slice of life drama

Mithran r jawahar puts a delightful spin on the velai illa pattadhari template. yet, this is a film that has a charming innocence at its core.

August 18, 2022 02:02 pm | Updated 02:39 pm IST

A still from the movie | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

There is something sombre and lifeless about the rose-tinted frames of Mithran J Jawahar’s Thiruchitrambalam that screams sorrow and grief. That is what the film is about: suppressed emotions. Yet, the film is not as painfully sad as you might think. It is, in fact, the opposite and brims with life and laughter. This is a film that has a charming innocence at its core. Speaking of which, Dhanush plays the titular role and he is constantly referred to as Pazham, which often means someone who is innocent in Tamil. And who in Indian cinema can sell innocence as sweetly as Dhanush? When the actor plays an innocent, good for nothing guy, there is something austere about the way he does it. We have seen that in Polladhavan . Aadukalam . VIP . Raanjhanaa . Vada Chennai . In many films. There is Nithya Menon, of course, who can equally sell innocence. And they are in a movie together. How great is that? The answer to that is ‘Megham Karukkatha’, where they dance like two butterflies.

Firstly, Mithran R Jawahar puts a delightful spin on the Velai Illa Pattadhari template. This film still follows VIP ’s structure and perhaps borrows a few highpoints and Anirudh’s score, but the similarities end there. In fact, it is hard to say if Thiruchitrambalam is a rom-com or a slice of life drama on domestic life. Perhaps it is both. It has the garb and language of a rom-com because it is Dhanush with three heroines. Yet, it is also a slice of life drama about letting go, powered by a terrific Bharathiraja and Prakash Raj.

The “rom-com” is just a layer and never at the forefront. It is, in fact, remarkable how Mithran writes these characters and the respective worlds they inhabit. Pazham tries to pursue his highschool sweetheart Anusha (Raashi Khanna) in the present. He works at a food delivery company and she comes from what looks like the upper class. Then comes Ranjani (Priya Bhavani Shankar) who comes from Thiruchitrambalam’s own village, where she remains firmly committed to her roots. In both these cases, Thiruchitrambalam becomes the beautiful middle guy who cannot climb atop nor down. He is neither here, not there. And there is Shobana (A terrific Nithya Menon. Well, when has she ever not been terrific?) who is just there . Mithran uses Anusha and Ranjani’s background not as an excuse or to make a statement. He just uses it to highlight this: “What you like and what you want are different.”

Thiruchitrambalam

Forget about taking itself seriously, this film doesn’t even think big; its aspirations are the size of the colony where Pazham and Shobana live. That in itself is a great blessing for a film full of life…the fact that it is strongly anchored through emotion. Thiruchitrambalam is also one of those rare rom-coms that maintains an even tone throughout its duration. And for every tense moment, we get a subversion from the characters.

Take for instance the scene where Pazham dresses up to meet Anusha for a date, not knowing she is going to break his heart in a later scene. And the film swiftly subverts this with a cheeky moment with Shobana saying, “Why are you dressed like a server?” We laugh. Not at the expense of the characters but the absurdity of their very nature. In essence, the joyous mood is maintained all through. Even the terrific scene where Pazham is shown his place in a world alien to him, when he is tipped by someone, we get a delightful subversion. This lack of judgement, this ability to laugh at your worst times with someone who has your back, is what makes Thiruchitrambalam closer to life. Sure, there are bumps in the tone especially for a portion in the second half. I, in fact, felt nervous for an old wound that comes back in the form of a fight sequence. But even the “fight” is still within the framework of the screenplay. We don’t see Thiruchitrambalam fighting a bad guy in that scene. Instead, we see him beating himself and his inner demons of suppression. This is remarkable screenwriting.

Mithran has so many chances to go wrong. But for every landmine that comes in the form of cinematic cliches — childhood friends, unrequited love; a hero who is a consistent failure and has daddy issues and a buddy grandfather — the director keeps throwing in surprises by doing a few corrections (inventions?) here and there. For example, take the scene where Pazham feels the weight of guilt, watching his father paralysed. Mithran doesn’t immediately go into the sentimental zone. Instead we get a fantastic dialogue from Bharathiraja: “Unnaku avan appa, enakku avan pulla da.” I wept. This is a director who knows what not to do. There are so many fulfilling moments in Thiruchitrambalam that made me sob, take a pause, and laugh in the same breath, like a method actor in an artsy film.

Somewhere in the last quarter you kind of guess where the film is headed. You don’t mind that actually. You root for Dhanush and Nithya Menon, nevertheless. You want their characters to be together in a happy marriage, make lots of babies and just be — watch out for Nithya Menon’s reaction, especially what she communicates through her eyes, in that scene on the terrace when Dhanush stutters and swallows his emotion for the first time. There is so much sadness in her eyes yet there is so much hope. It is as if she is saying, “ Please , say it but please don’t.” I was stunned. That is what this film makes you feel. And there is nothing wrong with rooting for childhood friends-turned-potential romantic partners. This is a very basic human emotion and sometimes in movies, the basics are just about fine. Thiruchitrabalam is also that rom-com where you almost get an airport climax. What more do you need, man?

Thiruchitrambalam is currently running in theatres.

Related Topics

reviews / Tamil cinema

Top News Today

• Access 10 free stories every month
• Save stories to read later
• Access to comment on every story
• Sign-up/manage your newsletter subscriptions with a single click
• Get notified by email for early access to discounts & offers on our products

Terms & conditions   |   Institutional Subscriber

Comments have to be in English, and in full sentences. They cannot be abusive or personal. Please abide by our community guidelines for posting your comments.

We have migrated to a new commenting platform. If you are already a registered user of The Hindu and logged in, you may continue to engage with our articles. If you do not have an account please register and login to post comments. Users can access their older comments by logging into their accounts on Vuukle.

• தமிழ் சினிமா செய்திகள்
• தமிழ் விமர்சனம்
• Galatta Features
• Galatta Daily
• Baradwaj Rangan Movie Reviews
• Upcoming Movies
• Corridos Of Power
• Celebrity Fashions
• Short Films
• Galatta Awards
• Tamil Telugu Kannada Malayalam English Hindi

Thiruchitrambalam Movie Review (2022)

• Thiruchitrambalam

Dhanush and Nithya Menen are in top form in Mithran Jawahar's 'Thiruchitrambalam', which is filled with a lovely, low-key charm

Thiruchitrambalam Movie Cast & Crew

Mithran Jawahar's Thiruchitrambalam is named after the lead character played by Dhanush. Thiru liked a girl in school, but he stepped aside because he felt she was out of his league. Later, too, as a grown-up, when he sees her as a woman, he doesn't go up and say hello. It may be low self-esteem. It may be the fact that he did not go to college and he's now a food-delivery guy and he thinks she is still out of his league, given that she lives in a posh flat and orders food worth thousands of rupees. Or it may be it's the fact that there is something broken about him. That is the film's first line, which we hear in Thiru's voiceover: Life is like a piece of glass. Even a small crack makes it break . That small crack in Thiru's life is a tragedy that occurred when he was a boy, and his life stays broken despite the best efforts of his neighbour and best friend, Shobana, played by Nithya Menen.

Thiru and Shobana couldn't be more different, and the reason Thiruchitrambalam works is because of the utterly convincing non-chemistry between Dhanush and Nithya Menen. She is a bundle of energy, filled with positivity and a can-do spirit. Thiru is filled with negativity and a no-can-do spirit. She is brave, bold. He is scared of getting into a fight, even when she is insulted by a bunch of jerks in a movie theatre. He drives a Scooty, while she wants to see him on a more " gethu " bike. Sometimes, we think only about the bad things we perceive about our lives. Oh, my career is shit! Oh, my relationship with my father is shit! Oh, my love life is shit! And we end up full of self-pity. Thiru is that guy. Shobana always cheers him up. She always has his back. And yet, he remains a beer-drinking moper. Dhanush and Nithya Menen sell their characters so marvellously that we don't stop and think why this girl is still friends with this guy. We buy this relationship completely.

The other relationship that works beautifully is the one Thiru shares with his grandfather, who is an older version of Shobana. The old man holds the house together with his humour and practical attitude. Bharathiraja is excellent in this role. He feels like the human equivalent of that old and favourite and super-comfortable tee-shirt that we still wear, that we can't bear to discard despite the holes in it. The scene where he talks about his love life is a cracker - and it's one of many. The other resident of the household is Prakash Raj, who is a cop. He, again, is superb, as is the old couple who play Thiru's maternal grandparents. This is such a well-cast film – and well-shot film, by Om Prakash – that we manage to overlook Raashi Khanna and Priya Bhavani Shankar, the only two actors who give generic "heroine" performances.

Thiruchitrambalam is proof that you don't need a brand-new, groundbreaking, earth-shaking story to make a good, relatable movie. The screenplay is filled with VIP-like clichés, and it works because each cliché is put across so well by this cast. And by the director, who keeps finding new ways to present these old events. He gives us a funny scene with a facepack. He gives us Anirudh's loveliest song, Megam karukkadha , like a dance number from a 1950s Hollywood musical. He gives us the feel of a G-rated Selvaraghavan, his mentor, with closely packed houses and local dance competitions. But most importantly, he gives us a film that has a lovely, low-key charm.

I know. "Low-key" does not sound like a ringing endorsement, but this is exactly the secret strength of Thiruchitrambalam . That Hollywood-style number may not be low-key, but the way it begins, with an event as ordinary as Shobana picking up Thiru, is as low-key as it gets. The way someone says (rightly) that flirting doesn't mean love, the way a tragic flashback is slipped in, the way the interval point steers clear of major melodrama despite a man in a hospital, the way a family meets estranged relations, the way a son casually tells his father (over dinner) about his love failure, the way a woman who is sleeping in the middle-berth of a sexond-class compartment gets down holding the chain and joins her friends – everything is so charmingly low-key, including the film's only fight scene. Anirudh does not pump up the background score. And there is no action "choreography". The people fight like we would, using whatever they can get their hands on, like a stone or a lamppost.

The finest, most beautifully shot scene is a low-key confrontaton between father and son: usually, the camera's focus stays on the person who speaks, but here, it stays on the one who listens with a tear running down his cheek. Even the story's big metaphor - showing a family's paralysis slowly getting cured - is wonderfully low-key. I suppose that's why they wanted that big and very "cinematic" last quarter. It drags on quite a bit, especially given that we know the outcome. The tone of the film is still low-key, but the charm evaporates a little. Even so, by the end, I had tears and the last scene made me smile. When I heard the film had Dhanush with three heroines, I thought we'd get a rom-com. But Mithran Jawahar has given us a charming family drama, or rather, a drama that shows us that friends are practically family.

About Author

Baradwaj Rangan

National Award-winning film critic Baradwaj Rangan, former deputy editor of The Hindu and senior editor of Film Companion, has carved a niche for himself over the years as a powerful voice in cinema, especially the Tamil film industry, with his reviews of films. While he was pursuing his chemical engineering degree, he was fascinated with the writing and analysis of world cinema by American critics. Baradwaj completed his Master’s degree in Advertising and Public Relations through scholarship. His first review was for the Hindi film Dum, published on January 30, 2003, in the Madras Plus supplement of The Economic Times. He then started critiquing Tamil films in 2014 and did a review on the film Subramaniapuram, while also debuting as a writer in the unreleased rom-com Kadhal 2 Kalyanam. Furthermore, Baradwaj has authored two books - Conversations with Mani Ratnam, 2012, and A Journey Through Indian Cinema, 2014. In 2017, he joined Film Companion South and continued to show his prowess in critiquing for the next five years garnering a wide viewership and a fan following of his own before announcing to be a part of Galatta Media in March 2022.

Thiruchitrambalam Movie News

Latest Movie Reviews

Thanks for visiting GALATTA.

Please turn off your ad blocker in order to continue.

Without ads, we can't offer free content to our users.

Thanks again!

• Let me explain
• Yen Endra Kelvi
• SUBSCRIBER ONLY
• Whats Your Ism?
• Pakka Politics
• NEWSLETTERS

Thiruchitrambalam review: A wholesome, enjoyable romcom with Dhanush and Nithya

Mithran Jawahar’s Thiruchitrambalam is a surprising film, especially as it comes in this phase of Dhanush’s career where he’s straddling Hollywood, Bollywood and Tamil cinema with overarching themes of social justice. It’s an ordinary food delivery boy’s story of friendship and love without major dramatic upheavals. His name – Thiruchitrambalam – is a mouthful but his nickname Pazham (fruit) is no better. In local parlance, a ‘pazham’ is someone who is a wuss, and Thiru wears the label with resignation.

So, does ‘pazham’ become a ‘puli’ (tiger) in the end? Does he prove his masculinity and peel off the unflattering name once and for all? This isn’t that kind of film, and I’m relieved that it isn’t.

Most of Thiruchitrambalam is set in a middle class apartment building where the homes spill into each other, and one can hear conversations about whether the gas cylinder was delivered or not in the background. It is here that Thiru aka Pazham stays with his grandfather, Thiruchitrambalam senior (Bharathiraja), and policeman father Neelankandan (Prakash Raj). The three men from three different generations manage the home together. There is something broken about them, a tension in the house that never leaves. Mithran draws an effective portrait of a real, dysfunctional family with anger, frustration and a lot of humour too.

In contrast to where Thiru lives are the swanky apartment buildings where he delivers food. Thiru’s world is different from theirs; he accepts it without rancour. Dhanush is introduced minus fanfare. He’s sleeping head down on his scooter, catching some rest between deliveries. He simply lifts his head and looks at the camera, and… that’s it. It’s Thiru we see on screen, and not the star. Dhanush has that amazing ability to melt into ordinariness despite his towering screen presence and charm. Few actors are capable of looking so vulnerable on screen after they’ve achieved a certain stature in their career. He makes it seem effortless.

Bharathiraja is a delight as Thiruchitrambalam senior. He’s funny, empathetic, frail, wise and irritating – just the kind of grandfather you’d expect in such a setting. How I wish we got to see more of Bharathiraja, the actor, in our movies! Prakash Raj has played the angry Appa in so many films that it’s a marvel the man is still able to bring variations to the role. As the grouchy Neelakandan who struggles with bottled up guilt, he’s every bit convincing.

The heart of Thiruchitrambalam is the lovely Nithya Menen who plays Shobana. She’s Thiru’s bestie from the same building – the only one who actually calls him Thiru and not Pazham. Though I could see that the role was written by a man in the extra chirpiness that Shobana is forced to carry, Nithya’s natural ease on screen makes her adorable rather than annoying. It’s also a good idea to make Shobana Telugu instead of Tamil; it makes the casting choice work better. Shobana speaks Telugu to her parents but Tamil to her brother, reflecting the linguistic equations in many homes where people are multilingual. It’s a small detail that shows the attention paid to structuring the characters.

In his early years, Dhanush built his career on films that appealed to young men without class privilege; films that spoke of their aspirations to climb the social ladder and also win the ultimate ‘prize’ – a fair-skinned, upper class girl. He invented the ‘soup song’, a genre where the hero suffers a heartbreak and blames all of womankind for it. In Thiruchitrambalam , he is rejected twice but there is no misogynistic rant. The ‘arrogant heroine’ trope that Mithran played up in Yaaradi Nee Mohini (also with Dhanush) isn’t so overt here. Raashi Khanna and Priya Bhavani Shankar have small roles but they are well-written. The representation of rich youth, though, is quite stereotypical – they’re shown to be drinking in the theatre and bullying Thiru in a scene that’s designed to evoke pity. It’s Nithya’s performance in the scene and what comes after that makes it forgivable.

The second half has some pacing issues. The plot thread with Stunt Silva is relevant but it’s too rushed and seems forced into the screenplay to complete Thiru’s arc. Did the film need such an intervention? Also, I was hoping for the film to steer clear of some old-fashioned cliches about man-woman relationships that would have made it stand out in the romcom genre. But, I suppose that wasn’t the film Mithran wanted to make.

Anirudh’s background score complements the subtle, unheroic tone of the film. The music director has made a name for himself for the adrenaline pumping scores of star vehicles, but in this film he shows that he can be restrained and mellow when needed. The picturisation of the beautiful ‘Megham Karukatha’ song brought back memories of ‘Vennilave Vennilave’ from Minsara Kanavu .

Though the genre is romcom, there is very little cinematic romance in Thiruchitrambalam . People do go to airports and traverse continents, but they don’t get on an international flight at the drop of a hat with an instant visa in their passport. Also, there are no guitars involved. What a relief to see such a simple, well-told story in Tamil cinema after so long! Nourishing and no fuss, just like a pazham.

Disclaimer: This review was not paid for or commissioned by anyone associated with the series/film. TNM Editorial is independent of any business relationship the organisation may have with producers or any other members of its cast or crew.

Sowmya Rajendran writes on gender, culture and cinema. She has written over 25 books, including a nonfiction book on gender for adolescents. She was awarded the Sahitya Akademi’s Bal Sahitya Puraskar for her novel Mayil Will Not Be Quiet in 2015.

Related Stories

• Web Stories
• Collections
• #Vishwak Sen To Activate & Deactivate His Instagram
• #Trailer For Maruthi Nagar Subramanya
• #Song “Kya Lafda” Is A Slow
• February 24, 2024 / 02:03 AM IST

Thiruchitrambalam

• Dhanush (Hero)
• Nithya Menen (Heroine)
• Raashii Khanna (Heroine)
• Mithran R. Jawahar (Director)
• Anirudh Ravichander (Music Director)
• Kalanithi Maran (producer)

“Thiruchitrambalam” is a 2022 Indian Tamil-language romantic comedy drama film directed by Mithran R. Jawahar and produced by Sun Pictures. The movie stars Dhanush in the lead role, with Nithya Menen, Bharathiraja, Prakash Raj, Raashii Khanna, and Priya Bhavani Shankar in supporting roles.

The film was initially announced in December 2019 under the working title D44, signifying Dhanush’s 44th film as the lead actor. The official title was revealed in August 2021. Principal photography began the same month, primarily taking place in Chennai and Pondicherry, and concluded in early-October 2021. The movie features music by Anirudh Ravichander, cinematography by Om Prakash, and editing by Prasanna GK.

“Thiruchitrambalam” hit theaters on August 18, 2022, receiving positive reviews. Critics praised the performances of Dhanush, Nithya Menen, and Bharathiraja, as well as the music, cinematography, script, and direction. The film was both a critical and commercial success, grossing ₹110 crore worldwide. It emerged as one of the highest-grossing Tamil films of 2022 and Dhanush’s highest-grossing film worldwide up to that point in his career.

More Details

Director	,
Story	,
Screenplay	,
Dialogues	,
Cinematography
Editor	Prasanna GK
Music
Producer
Cast	, Munishkanth, Mithran R. Jawahar
Release Type	Theatre
Language	Tamil
Production	Sun Pictures
Box Office	110 crore
OTT Platform	Prime Video

Latest News on Thiruchitrambalam

Mahesh Babu says that “Raayan” is a must-watch film

Earnings Of Raayan On Its First-Day

Raayan Movie Review & Rating!

The Trailer For “Raayan” Is Intense

Triptii Dimri Will Star Opposite Dhanush

Upcoming celebs birthdays, upcoming movies.

Shivam Bhaje

Veeranjaneyulu Viharayathra

Double Ismart

Raghu ThaTha

Maruthi Nagar Subramanyam

Saripodhaa Sanivaaram

• Click on the Menu icon of the browser, it opens up a list of options.
• Click on the “Options ”, it opens up the settings page,
• Here click on the “Privacy & Security” options listed on the left hand side of the page.
• Scroll down the page to the “Permission” section .
• Here click on the “Settings” tab of the Notification option.
• A pop up will open with all listed sites, select the option “ALLOW“, for the respective site under the status head to allow the notification.
• Once the changes is done, click on the “Save Changes” option to save the changes.

• Top Listing
• Upcoming Movies

Thiruchitrambalam

3 /5 Filmibeat

• Cast & Crew

Thiruchitrambalam Story

Thiruchitrambalam cast & crew.

Thiruchitrambalam Crew Info

Director
Story
Cinematography
Editor
Music
Producer
Production	Sun Pictures
Satellite Rights	Sun TV
Budget	TBA
Box Office	57.00 Cr
OTT Platform	Sun NXT
OTT Release Date	2022-09-23
Addtional Info
Lyrics
Singers
Art Direction
Stunt Choreography
Dance Choreography
Costume Design

Thiruchitrambalam Critics Review

Thiruchitrambalam trailer.

Thiruchitrambalam Videos

Thiruchitrambalam Songs

• Thaai Kelavi Singers: Dhanush Lyricist: Dhanush 3.2
• Megham Karukkatha Singers: Dhanush Lyricist: Dhanush 3.8
• Life of Pazham Singers: Anirudh Ravichander Lyricist: Vivek (Lyricist) 3.8
• Thenmozhi Singers: Santhosh Narayanan Lyricist: Dhanush 3.5

Thiruchitrambalam News

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Thiruchitrambalam

In this Thiruchitrambalam film, Dhanush , Raashi Khanna played the primary leads.

The Thiruchitrambalam was released in theaters on 18 Aug 2022.

The Thiruchitrambalam was directed by Mithran R Jawahar

Movies like Meiyazhagan , Viduthalai Part 2 , Andhagan and others in a similar vein had the same genre but quite different stories.

The Thiruchitrambalam had a runtime of 133 minutes.

The soundtracks and background music were composed by Anirudh Ravichander for the movie Thiruchitrambalam.

The cinematography for Thiruchitrambalam was shot by Om Prakash .

You can watch the Thiruchitrambalam movie on Sun NXT,.

On 23 Sep 2022 Thiruchitrambalam was released on the Sun NXT, platform.

The movie Thiruchitrambalam belonged to the Comedy,Romance, genre.

Thiruchitrambalam User Review

• Movie rating

Disclaimer: The materials, such as posters, backdrops, and profile pictures, are intended to represent the associated movies and TV shows under fair use guidelines for informational purposes only. We gather information from social media, specifically Twitter. We strive to use only official materials provided publicly by the copyright holders.

Celeb Birthdays

Movies In Spotlight

Video Title

• Don't Block
• Block for 8 hours
• Block for 12 hours
• Block for 24 hours
• Dont send alerts during 1 am 2 am 3 am 4 am 5 am 6 am 7 am 8 am 9 am 10 am 11 am 12 pm 1 pm 2 pm 3 pm 4 pm 5 pm 6 pm 7 pm 8 pm 9 pm 10 pm 11 pm 12 am to 1 am 2 am 3 am 4 am 5 am 6 am 7 am 8 am 9 am 10 am 11 am 12 pm 1 pm 2 pm 3 pm 4 pm 5 pm 6 pm 7 pm 8 pm 9 pm 10 pm 11 pm 12 am

• Paris Olympics 2024
• Union Budget 2024

• Telugu News
• Movies News

Thiru review: రివ్యూ: తిరు

Thiru review: ధనుష్‌ కీలక పాత్రలో నటించిన ‘తిరు’ సినిమా ఎలా ఉందంటే?

Thiru review; చిత్రం: తిరు; నటీనటులు: ధనుష్‌, నిత్యామేనన్‌, ప్రియా భవానీ శంకర్‌, రాశీఖన్నా, ప్రకాశ్‌రాజ్‌, భారతీరాజా తదితరులు; సంగీతం: అనిరుధ్‌ రవిచందర్‌; సినిమాటోగ్రఫీ : ఓం ప్రకాశ్‌; ఎడిటింగ్‌: ప్రసన్న జీకే; నిర్మాత: కళానిధి మారన్‌; రచన, దర్శకత్వం: మిత్రన్‌ ఆర్‌.జవహర్‌; బ్యానర్‌: సన్‌ పిక్చర్స్‌; విడుదల: 18-08-2022

క‌రోనా త‌ర్వాత ధ‌నుష్ సినిమాలు ఎక్కువ‌గా ఓటీటీ వేదిక‌ల్లోనే విడుద‌ల‌య్యాయి. దాదాపు ఏడాదిన్న‌ర త‌ర్వాత ఆయన నటించిన ‘తిరు’ థియేట‌ర్ల‌లో విడుద‌లైంది. త‌మిళంలో తెర‌కెక్కిన ‘తిరు చిత్రాంబ‌ళం’కి అనువాదం ఇది. 2019 నుంచే ప్ర‌చారంలో ఉన్న ఈ సినిమా అంచ‌నాల మ‌ధ్య ప్రేక్ష‌కుల ముందుకొచ్చింది.  మ‌రి చిత్రం ఎలా ఉంది? ధనుష్‌ పాత్ర ఏంటి?

క‌థేంటంటే: తిరు ఏకాంబ‌రం అలియాస్ పండు (ధ‌నుష్‌) ఫుడ్ డెలివ‌రీ బాయ్‌. చిన్న‌ప్పుడు హుషారైన‌, తెలివైన కుర్రాడే. కానీ, త‌న జీవితంలో జ‌రిగిన ఓ సంఘ‌ట‌న‌తో మధ్య‌లోనే కాలేజీ మానేస్తాడు. భ‌య‌స్తుడిలా మారిపోతాడు. త‌న తండ్రి (ప్ర‌కాష్‌రాజ్‌), తాత సీనియ‌ర్ పండు (భార‌తీరాజా)తో క‌లిసి జీవిస్తుంటాడు. చిన్న‌ప్ప‌ట్నుంచీ స్నేహితురాలైన శోభ‌న (నిత్య‌మేన‌న్‌) కుటుంబం కూడా అదే  అపార్ట్‌మెంట్‌లో కింద పోర్ష‌న్‌లో ఉంటుంది. ఒక‌రి గురించి ఒక‌రికి బాగా తెలిసిన ఆ ఇద్ద‌రి మ‌ధ్య దాపరికాలంటూ ఏమీ ఉండ‌వు. అనూష (రాశిఖ‌న్నా), రంజ‌ని (ప్రియ భ‌వానీ శంక‌ర్‌)ల‌పై తిరు మ‌న‌సు ప‌డ్డాడ‌ని తెలుసుకున్న శోభ‌న ఆ విష‌యంలో సాయం కూడా చేస్తుంది. మ‌రి తిరు చివ‌రికి ఎవ‌రిని ప్రేమించాడు? అత‌ని జీవితంలో చోటు చేసుకున్న సంఘ‌ట‌న ఏమిటనేది మిగ‌తా క‌థ‌.

ఎలా ఉందంటే: మ‌ధ్య త‌ర‌గ‌తి యువ‌త‌రం జీవితాల్ని ప్ర‌తిబింబిస్తూ సాగే ఓ ప్రేమ‌క‌థ ఇది. ఈ క‌థ‌, నేప‌థ్యం కొత్త‌దేమీ కాదు. కానీ, ద‌ర్శ‌కుడు తెలిసిన ఆ క‌థనే కొత్త‌గా, ఆస‌క్తిక‌రంగా భావోద్వేగాల్ని మేళ‌విస్తూ తీర్చిదిద్దారు.  ప్ర‌థ‌మార్ధం తిరు పాత్ర‌, కుటుంబ నేప‌థ్యం ధ‌నుష్ ఇదివ‌ర‌కు చేసిన ‘ర‌ఘువ‌ర‌న్ బి.టెక్‌’ని గుర్తు చేస్తుంది. ఈ క‌థ‌లో స్నేహం, ప్రేమ వంటి విష‌యాలు ‘నువ్వే కావాలి’ని కూడా పోలి ఉంటాయి. స్నేహితురాలైన శోభ‌న‌తో క‌లిసి చేసే ప్ర‌యాణం... అనూష‌పై ఆక‌ర్ష‌ణ త‌దిత‌ర స‌న్నివేశాలు ఆస‌క్తిని రేకెత్తిస్తాయి. ప‌క్కింటి అబ్బాయి, అమ్మాయి జీవితాల్ని చూస్తున్న అనుభూతి క‌లుగుతుంది. తిరు త‌న తాత సీనియ‌ర్ పండుతో క‌లిసి చేసే హంగామా న‌వ్విస్తుంది. క‌థానాయ‌కుడు త‌న త‌ల్లి గురించి భావోద్వేగానికి గుర‌య్యే స‌న్నివేశాలు ఫ్లాష్ బ్యాక్‌పై ఎప్ప‌టిక‌ప్పుడు ఆస‌క్తిని రేకెత్తిస్తుంటాయి. ఫ్లాష్‌బ్యాక్‌లో ఏముందో అనే ఆత్రుత క‌లుగుతుంది.

అక్క‌డ పెద్ద క‌థేమీ ఉండ‌దు కానీ, అది సినిమాపై చాలా ప్ర‌భావం చూపిస్తుంది. చిన్న చిన్న విష‌యాలు కూడా జీవితంపై ఎంత ప్ర‌భావం చూపిస్తుంటాయో ఆ స‌న్నివేశాల‌తో చెప్పిన తీరు మెప్పిస్తుంది.   ద్వితీయార్ధం సినిమాలో భావోద్వేగాలపై మ‌రింత ప‌ట్టు ప్ర‌ద‌ర్శించాడు ద‌ర్శ‌కుడు. అక్క‌డ తిరు, రంజ‌ని ప్రేమ‌క‌థ కీల‌కం. పల్లెటూరి నేప‌థ్యంలో సాగే ఆ స‌న్నివేశాలు అక్క‌డ‌క్క‌డా న‌వ్విస్తాయి. తిరు, శోభ‌న బంధం నేప‌థ్యంలో వ‌చ్చే స‌న్నివేశాలు ప‌తాక స‌న్నివేశాల్ని ఉత్కంఠ‌గా మార్చేస్తాయి. ఆ స‌న్నివేశాలు ఒక ద‌శ‌లో ‘తొలిప్రేమ‌’ని గుర్తు చేస్తాయి. కానీ, ద‌ర్శ‌కుడు వాటిని సినిమాటిక్‌గా కాకుండా, స‌హ‌జంగా తీర్చిదిద్దారు. ధ‌నుష్‌లాంటి ఓ పెద్ద స్టార్ ఉన్న‌ప్ప‌టికీ ఎలాంటి హీరోయిక్ స‌న్నివేశాలు లేకుండా... కొన్ని జీవితాల్ని ద‌గ్గ‌ర నుంచి చూసిన అనుభూతిని పంచేలా ఈ సినిమాని తీర్చిదిద్దిన విధానం మెప్పిస్తుంది.

ఎవ‌రెలా చేశారంటే: ధ‌నుష్, నిత్య‌మేన‌న్ పాత్ర‌లు సినిమాకి ప్ర‌ధాన‌బ‌లం. వాళ్లిద్ద‌రి మ‌ధ్య స్నేహం,  ఆ నేప‌థ్యంలో పండే వినోదం, భావోద్వేగాలు సినిమాకి కీల‌కం. ఎక్క‌డా నాట‌కీయత‌న క‌నిపించ‌కుండా,  ఆ ఇద్ద‌రూ పాత్ర‌ల్లో ఒదిగిపోయారు. భావోద్వేగాల విష‌యంలోనూ ఇద్ద‌రూ పోటీప‌డిన‌ట్టు అనిపిస్తుంది. ప్ర‌కాష్‌రాజ్ - ధ‌నుష్, భార‌తీరాజా - ధనుష్  మ‌ధ్య స‌న్నివేశాలు కూడా ఆక‌ట్టుకుంటాయి. త‌మ అనుభ‌వాన్నంతా రంగ‌రించి ఈ పాత్ర‌ల్లో ఒదిగిపోయారు భారతీరాజా,  ప్ర‌కాష్‌రాజ్‌. రాశిఖ‌న్నా పాత్ర ప‌రిధి త‌క్కువే. ప్రియ భవానీ శంకర్ పాత్ర కూడా చిన్న‌దే.  సాంకేతికంగా సినిమా ఉన్న‌తంగా ఉంది. అనిరుధ్ సంగీతం చిత్రానికి ప్ర‌ధాన‌బ‌లం. పాట‌లు, నేప‌థ్య సంగీతంపై త‌న‌దైన ముద్ర వేశారు. నిర్మాణం ప‌లు ప‌రిమితుల మ‌ధ్య  సాగిన‌ట్టు అనిపిస్తుంది. ప్ర‌కాష్‌రాజ్‌, నిత్య‌మేన‌న్‌లాంటి న‌టులకి వేరొక‌రితో డ‌బ్బింగ్ చెప్పించ‌డంతో ఆ పాత్రల్లో స‌హ‌జ‌త్వం కోల్పోయిన‌ట్టు అనిపిస్తుంది. ద‌ర్శ‌కుడు ఒక సాధార‌ణ‌మైన క‌థ‌ని ప్రభావవంతగా తీయ‌డంలో స‌ఫ‌లమ‌య్యారు. మాట‌లు బాగున్నాయి.

బ‌లాలు

+ న‌టీన‌టులు

+  భావోద్వేగాలు

+  క‌థ‌లో మ‌లుపులు

బ‌ల‌హీన‌త‌లు

- ద్వితీయార్ధంలో కొన్ని స‌న్నివేశాలు

చివ‌రిగా: భావోద్వేగాలను పంచే పక్కింటి కుర్రాడు... తిరు

గమనిక: ఈ సమీక్ష సమీక్షకుడి దృష్టి కోణానికి సంబంధించింది. ఇది సమీక్షకుడి వ్యక్తిగత అభిప్రాయం మాత్రమే!

• Nithya Menen
• Priya Bhavani Shankar
• Raashi Khanna
• Movie review
• cinema review

గమనిక: ఈనాడు.నెట్‌లో కనిపించే వ్యాపార ప్రకటనలు వివిధ దేశాల్లోని వ్యాపారస్తులు, సంస్థల నుంచి వస్తాయి. కొన్ని ప్రకటనలు పాఠకుల అభిరుచిననుసరించి కృత్రిమ మేధస్సుతో పంపబడతాయి. పాఠకులు తగిన జాగ్రత్త వహించి, ఉత్పత్తులు లేదా సేవల గురించి సముచిత విచారణ చేసి కొనుగోలు చేయాలి. ఆయా ఉత్పత్తులు / సేవల నాణ్యత లేదా లోపాలకు ఈనాడు యాజమాన్యం బాధ్యత వహించదు. ఈ విషయంలో ఉత్తర ప్రత్యుత్తరాలకి తావు లేదు.

రివ్యూ: బ్లడీ ఇష్క్‌: అవికా గోర్‌ సినిమా థ్రిల్‌ చేసిందా?

రివ్యూ: ‘రాయన్‌’.. ధనుష్‌ 50వ చిత్రం ప్రేక్షకులను మెప్పించిందా?

రివ్యూ: పురుషోత్తముడు.. రాజ్‌తరుణ్‌ ఖాతాలో హిట్‌ పడిందా?

రివ్యూ: బహిష్కరణ.. అంజలి వేశ్యగా నటించిన వెబ్‌సిరీస్‌ ఎలా ఉందంటే?

రివ్యూ: బ్యాడ్‌ న్యూజ్‌.. విక్కీ కౌశల్‌, త్రిప్తి దిమ్రీ మూవీ అలరించిందా?

రివ్యూ: డార్లింగ్‌.. ప్రియదర్శి, నభానటేష్‌ల కామెడీ ఎంటర్‌టైనర్‌ మెప్పించిందా?

రివ్యూ: భారతీయుడు2.. కమల్‌, శంకర్‌ కాంబో మరోసారి హిట్‌ అయిందా?

రివ్యూ: ధూమం.. ఫహద్‌ ఫాజిల్‌ నటించిన థ్రిల్లర్‌ ఎలా ఉంది?

రివ్యూ: శశి మథనం.. ప్రేమికుడు ఎరక్కపోయి ఇరుక్కుంటే?

రివ్యూ: వెబ్‌సిరీస్‌: మీర్జాపూర్‌ సీజన్‌-3.. క్రైమ్‌, యాక్షన్‌ సిరీస్‌-3 మెప్పించిందా?

రివ్యూ: ‘గురువాయూర్‌ అంబలనాదయిల్‌’.. మలయాళ బ్లాక్‌ బస్టర్‌ ఎలా ఉంది?

రివ్యూ: ‘కల్కి 2898 ఏడీ’.. ప్రభాస్‌ సైన్స్‌ ఫిక్షన్‌ మూవీ ఎలా ఉంది?

రివ్యూ: యక్షిణి.. సోషియో ఫాంటసీ వెబ్‌సిరీస్‌ ఎలా ఉంది?

రివ్యూ: పరువు.. నివేదా పేతురాజ్‌ నటించిన వెబ్‌సిరీస్‌ ఎలా ఉందంటే?

రివ్యూ: హరోం హర.. సుధీర్‌బాబు ఖాతాలో హిట్‌ పడిందా?

రివ్యూ: మహారాజ.. విజయ్‌ సేతుపతి 50వ మూవీ మెప్పించిందా?

రివ్యూ: మిరల్‌.. ‘ప్రేమిస్తే’ భరత్‌ నటించిన చిత్రం భయపెట్టిందా?

రివ్యూ: కల్కి.. టొవినో థామస్‌ యాక్షన్‌ ఫిల్మ్‌ ఎలా ఉంది?

రివ్యూ: మనమే.. శర్వానంద్‌, కృతిశెట్టిల మూవీ ఎలా ఉంది?

రివ్యూ: సత్యభామ.. కాజల్‌ క్రైమ్‌ థ్రిల్లర్‌ మూవీ టాక్‌ ఏంటి?

తాజా వార్తలు (Latest News)

పోలీసులపై వైకాపా శ్రేణుల దురుసు ప్రవర్తన

చివరి విడత తర్వాతే కళాశాలల్లో రిపోర్ట్‌ చేయండి

అరాచక డీఎస్పీ చైతన్యపై బదిలీ వేటు

సినిమాల్లో నిర్మాత.. మోసాల్లో దర్శకుడు

సరయూ నదిలో జనగామ బాలిక గల్లంతు

పవన్‌కల్యాణ్‌కు ఏపీ హైకోర్టులో ఊరట

• Latest News in Telugu
• Sports News
• Ap News Telugu
• Telangana News
• National News
• International News
• Cinema News in Telugu
• Business News
• Political News in Telugu
• Photo Gallery
• Hyderabad News Today
• Amaravati News
• Visakhapatnam News
• Exclusive Stories
• Health News
• Kids Telugu Stories
• Real Estate News
• Devotional News
• Food & Recipes News
• Temples News
• Educational News
• Technology News
• Sunday Magazine
• Rasi Phalalu in Telugu
• Web Stories
• Pellipandiri
• Classifieds
• Eenadu Epaper

For Editorial Feedback eMail:

[email protected]

For digital advertisements Contact : 040 - 23318181 eMail: [email protected]

• TERMS & CONDITIONS
• PRIVACY POLICY
• ANNUAL RETURN

© 1999 - 2024 Ushodaya Enterprises Pvt.Ltd,All rights reserved.

Powered By Margadarsi Computers

Contents of eenadu.net are copyright protected.Copy and/or reproduction and/or re-use of contents or any part thereof, without consent of UEPL is illegal.Such persons will be prosecuted.

This website follows the DNPA Code of Ethics .

Privacy and cookie settings

Thiruchitrambalam Movie Review: An ill-advised end derails this mostly heartwarming film

Rating: ( 3 / 5).

It’s rare to see man-woman friendship in our cinema. It’s rarer still to see it being the central relationship of a film, let alone have the characters, Thiruchitrambalam/Pazham and Shobana, be played by a bonafide hero and heroine in Dhanush and Nithya Menen, respectively. I loved that Dhanush, in many scenes, is happy not drawing attention to himself, and this, among other facets of this relationship, allows the Pazham-Shobana bond to really thrive. In a sense, Pazham feels like a derivative of VIP ’s Raghuvaran. Pazham too is a man-child; he too has a problem with the father; he too has mother-related trauma; he too hopes to rise from lower middle-class misery. In fact, this film too, in a sense, channels the best of VIP . The music is great—and hey, just like in VIP , here too we get a long monologue from Dhanush, as the camera zooms into his face. There, he speaks about the struggles of the middle-class; here, he speaks about the struggles of a single man. I wouldn’t be surprised at all if this film were conceived as a more emotional version of VIP .  Let’s avoid the fights. Let’s avoid a villain. Let’s focus inwards.

Director: Mithran Jawahar

Cast: Dhanush, Nithya Menen, Bharathiraaja, Prakash Raj

It makes sense that Dhanush, at the audio launch, tried to temper expectations by pointing out that ‘mass’ isn’t just about beating up bad guys. In a big scene concerning the mending of a father-son relationship, Pazham must decide whether he wants to help a man get back up. Pay attention to Anirudh’s music, and you’ll see that this decision is interpreted as an act of heroism (it is!). The ‘mass’ in Thiruchitrambalam is in becoming a better person, the heroism is in beating up… personal demons. These are lovely ideas in the film.

While on compliments, how do I not speak of Nithya Menen, who exudes such casual charm, playing Pazham’s friend, Shobana. She talks like you so rarely see heroines do; she laughs without a worry in the world. In fact, in some scenes, I didn’t think she had all that much to laugh about, but it didn’t matter because the actor brings an infectious, cutesy charm to the character—and is, along with Bharathiraja, the oxygen of this film. Watch her flash an unselfish smile at Pazham and his girlfriend in the wonderfully staged ‘ City of Stars ’, sorry, ‘Megham Karukaadha’. Watch her bite back with ‘poda’ and ‘podi’, in a way that’s sure to remind us of those we love. Watch her happily slurp on an ice cream even while casually dispensing serious life advice to Pazham. Nithya’s Shobana comes across as the woman-friend who would make every man better.

In the case of Pazham and his traumatic past, he already has a sister-mother-shaped void in his life, and she fits into these roles perfectly. A scene that comes to mind is of Shobana storming into the room of Pazham’s cop-father (Prakash Raj) and rebuking him for his misbehaviour. Shobana is a proxy-mother, a proxy-sister, in the liberties she takes with Pazham, and in the platonic chemistry, she radiates when with him. My singular prayer was that these two shouldn’t get forced into a romantic relationship. It’s rare that we see such a friendship in our cinema, unpolluted and unburdened by “hormonal problems” as Pazham’s grandfather puts it… And in any case, I didn’t think that Shobana seemed into Pazham, or that the film established any real emotional reason for why she might feel even a sliver of romance towards him. Anyway…

The other important relationship in the film is that of Pazham and his grandfather (a loveable Bharathiraja also named Thiruchitrambalam). They drink together, they engage in banter… The film understands that there can be much love in irreverence, and for that reason, we see many characters taking many liberties with each other. Pazham refers to Shobana as ‘naaye’; the latter meanwhile has no qualms about saying ‘poyaa’ to Pazham’s grandfather. I enjoyed that Bharathiraaja’s character is a bit of a saguni at home. He has much time and noble intentions, and in his own way, wants to repay the home for being a ‘burden’ on them. He also gets perhaps the best dialogue of the film when he says, “Baarama irukardhula kooda oru sugam irukku.”

All this interest in the old—and in how they belong to a family—reminded me of Dhanush’s directorial, Power Paandi . This film also shows a bit of love for Dhanush’s other grandparents. I wish though that the film didn’t subscribe to the sanctimonious, easy philosophy of old people knowing best. For all its irreverence and refusal to subscribe to conventional writing devices, this line of thought seems surprisingly submissive. I also wish that the dysfunctional relationship between Pazham and his father were explored with more nuance. It’s just too easy, too theatrical, that these two characters haven’t spoken in years. What’d be more difficult, more realistic, would be to show them sharing a functional relationship, over a layer of unresolved issues. A medical condition that afflicts Pazham’s father also gets resolved too easily and offers little catharsis. Pazham also problematically seems to justify being beaten up by his father under the label of ‘gethu’.

While on violence, I found it such a relief that the film does away with a ‘villain’. There’s one niggly, external, evil guy, but even that angle isn’t milked for a rousing fight sequence. Instead, we get realistic resistance from Pazham, as he flails his hands about, like a man who has never delivered a single punch. While the stunt choreography is great, the internal transformation of Pazham feels rather hurried—and in any case, I am not sure why the victim of a ghastly accident fears violence more than hospital rooms or traffic. It almost seems strange that Pazham, who suffers from deep trauma due to a road accident, has picked a job that has him spending such a long time on the road. Oh, and I didn’t really care for the film suggesting that riding a Bullet, as opposed to a Scooty, somehow makes one manlier. It makes you wonder what ‘manliness’ really is. Is it being aggressive and imposing? Or is it doing good by those around you?

I liked Thiruchitrambalam for how it mostly resists easy temptation to sink into melodrama. Pazham gets rejected by a girl, and where it would be so tempting to launch into the catchy ‘ Thenmozhi Poongodi’ (this film’s version of ‘Kolaveri Di’ ), it doesn’t. Instead, you get the warm scene of Shobana reassuring Pazham of his value, and even in this scene, she quickly moves on and says she was just joking about his worth. The hint of a smile on Pazham’s face is enough to tell us he knows what’s true and what’s not. These are such wonderful, understated portions in this film—and THIS is really why I don’t get the sudden turn into ill-advised melodrama towards the end. It’s tragic really when a film, on the cusp of excellence, makes a dated choice that ends up leaving a sour aftertaste… And so, to end this review, I have no choice but to go back to the beginning.  It’s rare to see man-woman friendship in our cinema…

• Cast & crew

After graduating from high school without any plans for the future, Isaiah receives a push to start making better life decisions. After graduating from high school without any plans for the future, Isaiah receives a push to start making better life decisions. After graduating from high school without any plans for the future, Isaiah receives a push to start making better life decisions.

• Alex Kendrick
• Stephen Kendrick
• Karen Abercrombie
• Priscilla C. Shirer
• T.C. Stallings

Top cast 23

• Miss Clara Williams

• Cynthia Wright

• Tony Jordan

• Joshua Moore

• Isaiah Wright

• Darren (Driver)

• Grace (receptionist)

• Cody's Mother

• Greyson Lance

• All cast & crew
• Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

More like this

Did you know

• Trivia This is the first Kendrick Brothers film where characters from an earlier film (War Room) appear.
• August 23, 2024 (United States)
• United States
• Movie Website
• Albany, Georgia, USA
• Affirm Films
• Juniper Post
• Kendrick Brothers
• See more company credits at IMDbPro

Technical specs

• Runtime 2 hours 3 minutes

Related news

Contribute to this page.

• See more gaps
• Learn more about contributing

More to explore

Recently viewed.