Etharkkum Thunindhavan review: Suriya returns to big screen with a bang
Unabashedly, Suriya’s ET review plays to the gallery, peppered with the usual formulaic elements. Yes, the film is largely predictable, but it’s the sensitive theme and some scintillating scenes that make the film a winner.
Director Pandiraj has rightly handled a sensitive theme, offering much-needed hope to women. Tamil films usually lecture women on how they should safeguard themselves from predators, but here in a welcome change, both Pandiraj and Suriya have sent out a powerful message: it’s only abusers who should get ashamed, while victims must develop strength and confidence to take the ugly masks off criminals.
A doting son, Kannabiran (Suriya), takes up law as a profession to help his family and friends. The first half of the film is filled with light-hearted moments with Suriya and his parents (Sathyaraj and Saranya Ponvannan) and a romantic angle with Aadhini (Priyanka Arul Mohan).
Without any delay, Pandiraj also introduces his formulaic villain Inba (Vimal), who uses his political and monetary clout to unleash terror in the village where women mostly fall prey to his vicious web. The rest of the story is very simple — how Kannabiran unmasks the underworld crime of Inba and brings justice to the victims in his way.
Though Pandiraj’s story is tried and tested, he peppers his script with intense emotional sequences in the second half. Especially, a particular scene featuring Priyanka is one of the boldest and most significant moments in Tamil cinema. Pandiraj deserves accolades for the way he deftly used Priyanka’s character to deliver some hard truths. And a box-office climax to end with!
Etharkkum Thunindhavan is tailor-made for Suriya, excelling in comical and action sequences. Pandiraj elevates Suriya’s image in multiple scenes, satisfying the appetite of his fans, who have waited for more than two years to celebrate their matinee idol on the big screen.
Also read: Etharkkum Thunindhavan: When an elated Suriya hugged director Pandiraj
Priyanka comes across as the typical Tamil heroine in the first half, but in an emotionally demanding scene, which will be another big talking point of the film, she just delivers. Among the rest of the actors, Sathyaraj and Saranya Ponvannan play their parts to perfection, While Vinay looks stylish, his character is poorly written without any layers,
Rathnavelu’s visuals look grand on the big screen, editor Ruben and Pandiraj’s idea to start the film with the climax also works well. The editing is crisp with a perfect runtime of 150 minutes. Imman’s songs are enjoyable and so is his BGM.
Overall, Etharkkum Thunindhavan has a few flaws here and there but it still ends up as an effective mass entertainer because of the core message and Suriya’s powerful screen presence.
