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Thiruchitrambalam

Farhad Dalal
By-
Farhad Dalal
Rating
4 Star popcorn reviewss

Introduction

Onto the next release of the weekend….the weekend? Yes, we aren’t yet done with the new releases and with that I happened to watch the new Tamil film Thiruchitrambalam yesterday. Now I must admit that I knew nothing about the film so much so that I didn’t even know that there was a film which existed(sorry for my ignorance here, I am usually better than this). It just so happened that a random text by a friend resulted in a plan to watch the film theatrically. And thus after Jana Gana Mana and Sita Ramam, Thiruchitrambalam is the first Tamil film that I have watched in a theatre with English subtitles(discounting all other Hindi dubbed Tamil films). All I knew was that this film had Dhanush in it and it was a safe enough reason to make a trip to the theatre without knowing what to expect. So then is Thiruchitrambalam worth your time, lets find out.

Story & Screenplay

Thiruchitrambalam is the coming of age story of a regular guy who works as a food delivery boy and stays with his grandfather and father. Also his love life is not so successful. Would things work out well for him? The story is a heartwarming and feel good tale which is an absolute rarity in today’s times. The screenplay standing at 135 minutes is about the right length for this film which is just so breezy without any hiccups.

Sometimes it is best to not know what you are getting into which was the case here with me. The opening sequence of an accident with a voiceover painted a picture of this being an action entertainer. But it was anything but that! You are introduced to the protagonist and the people around him in a drama which does unfold like a slice of life film. His equations with various people are so well portrayed that you as a viewer get a clear sketch about every dynamics in the film.

Some parts of the drama reminded me of the Malayalam film Premam, a film which is quite close to my heart and something which is still relatable(the struggle is real if you know what I mean😅). And so the constant search for love only to bump into wrong individuals and be heartbroken was really relatable to witness. The good part being that the writers do not vilify anyone and thus the drama steers clear of it being melodramatic and cliched.

The drama is consistently grounded with a beautiful subplot revolving the father and the grandfather, something which did touch me too. There are instances of the past which do scar us for life only to not realise what we are losing in our current lives is something beautifully portrayed. Another plot point involving getting attracted to your bestie is another ‘Oh So Relatable’ plot point.

The humour and the lighter moments are well measured wherein I did find myself thoroughly enjoying the drama. The final act is layered much like the other plot points and it leaves you with a tingling feeling of warmth at the end. Here I may add that Bollywood was really good at churning such stories with films like Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na and something I do personally miss amidst the brainless Boycott campaign and remakes/adaptations. Overall, the screenplay is extremely well written and very heartwarming.

Dialogues, Music & Direction

The dialogues are conversational, the ones we use in our daily lives but free of all clichés which make them relatable. The music and BGM are excellent and they blend perfectly with the coming of age drama. The production design gives a very young and fresh vibe to the film. Director Mithran Jawahar hits the ball out of the park with his direction here. His storytelling technique is simple but layered and packed with a lot of emotions, making it touch the right kind of strings of your heart.

Performances

The performances are really good here. Priya Bhavani Shankar as Ranjani looks pretty and does a fabulous job despite a limited screen time. Raashi Khanna as Anusha again makes her presence felt in a nice little role. Bharathiraja as the grandfather is such a heartwarming character who is a bridge between his son and grandson. He contributes to some of the best moments of the film including the ones where he gives ‘love’ advice to his grandson which in itself was a hilarious sequence. Prakash Raj as the father is at his usual best and he is simply fabulous to witness. Nithya Menen as Shobhana is that one friend which we all have in our lives who lights up our day, so much so that we don’t appreciate enough. Such a charming performance by Nithya who has such a disarming smile that it does feel like a all the problems in the world are passe. Dhanush as Pazham/Thiruchitrambalam is one of the best actors in the country today who can mould himself in almost any role. He is excellent in dramatic scenes as well as the comedy scenes taking you on a brilliant roller coaster of emotions. This was yet another towering performance by him.

Conclusion

Thiruchitrambalam is a heartwarming and feel good tale which will leave you with that tingling feeling of joy in your heart by the end of it. Available in a theatre near you and Highly Recommended!

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