Director: Mithran R. Jawahar
Cast: Dhanush, Nithya Menen, Bharathiraja, Prakash Raj, Raashi Khanna, Priya Bhavani Shankar
Language: Tamil
The last time I saw Dhanush was when he came on my Netflix screen as Lonewolf, the ruthless assassin in The Gray Man. It is no secret that Dhanush’s acting repertoire has phenomenal range. And Thiruchitrambalam, his latest association with director Mithran Jawahar, easily adds to his accomplishments.
We never get to see relatable romantic dramas in Tamil cinema. It is either stalker-ville or guns blazing down in the name of love. Thiruchitrambalam is a refreshing take on the oft-told love story, and what sets it apart is the relatability of the script and the superb casting.
Thiruchitrambalam or Pazham (Dhanush) is a middle-class Chennai man working in a food delivery service. A tragic past robs him of a normal college life, and he is at loggerheads with his father Neelakandan (a fantastic Prakash Raj). The two haven’t spoken to each other in 10 years and the bridge between them is Pazham’s grandfather Sr. Thiruchitrambalam (Bharathiraja). Shobana (Nithya Menen) is his best friend and neighbor who helps him navigate his personal life with the right dose of optimism and friendly banter. With Pazham’s love life down in the drain, he soon comes to realize that maybe the answer to his problems was in front of his eyes all along.
Nithya Menen takes the cake in Thiruchitrambalam. With her bubbly nature and completely open demeanor, she plays the role of the best friend to the T. There is no wariness or weirdness between Pazham and Shobana, and that is visible when you look at Dhanush and Nithya on the screen. The scenes where he casually enters her bedroom or even the way they talk to each other about embarrassing situations, is dealt with superbly with the right amount of laughter and outright teasing, just like we usually encounter in real life.
As for Dhanush, as I saw the trailer I did think this might be one of his ‘in-between-big-films’ projects, but it is anything but that. He aces the role of a scared simpleton easily and his scenes with Prakash Raj and Bharathiraja make us tear up many a time. One of the most moving scenes in the film is when Prakash Raj struggles in the aftermath of a heart attack and struggles to get up from the floor. Dhanush, who is just a few feet away from giving him a hand, struggles with his hatred for his father versus helping his father stand up. Finally his conscience wins, and he helps his dad. Those few seconds of internal struggle are beautifully acted out by Dhanush and we feel for Pazham and his life. Thiruchitrambalam has many such lovely low-key scenes throughout and Anirudh’s music surely gives it all a good lift.
Bharathiraja is the quintessential cool grandfather who has a beer with his grandson. This time around, he gets a good load of quirky and fun dialogues and we crack up every single time. Prakash Raj is the typical proud police father who is just stubborn enough to not show his vulnerability.
Special mention to Mithran Jawahar for bringing to us a lovely relationship drama that ekes out sensitivity and strength. Also a hat tip to the casting director of Thiruchitrambalam for casting the perfect person in every single role. From Nithya Menen to her mom, from the cab driver to Revathi, all characters fit their roles very well.
Ultimately it is the easy and comfortable best-friend relationship that wins us over. It is the kind that warms our hearts and we can’t help but relate to it. As I walked out of this feel-good family entertainer, I had a smile on my face and a light-hearted happy feeling of having watched a wholesome film.
Rating: 3.5/5
