Thani Oruvan Review
Director: Mohan Raja
Cast: Jayam Ravi, Arvind Swami, Nayanthara
Powered by a staggering performance from Jayam Ravi and Arvind Swami, director Mohan Raja does a good job of creating a taut, intelligent, and deliciously twisted action drama that delivers so much more than your average thriller.
Battle between the good and evil is a tried and tested formula in Indian cinema but what makes Thani Oruvan, an enjoyable watch is its, original screenplay, the smart presentation and excellent characterization.
A 15 year old Pazhani aka Siddharth Abhimanyu (Arvind Swami) born with a criminal mind willingly accepts committing a crime that he has not done so that his innocent dad, Sengalvarayan(Thambi Ramaiah ) becomes an MLA, which would pave way for a life he dreams of. On the other hand our protagonist, Mithran IPS (Jayam Ravi) meticulously follows all the crimes in the city to choose his suitable opponent and even sketches a plan to arrest all of them.
At one point of time, Mithran finds out that Siddharth Abhimanyu is not an eminent scientist as celebrated by the government; he is a cunning criminal who can’t be clobbered easily. Mithran gets defeated in each and every move because Siddharth is always one step ahead of him. Does our protagonist get a chance to win? Watch the cat and mouse game between the two on the big screen.
Easily, Thani Oruvan is one of the best films from ‘Jayam’ brothers. Right from the word go, the film’s crisp narrative seldom loosens its grip. You are on the edge of your seat for virtually the entire film and there are no compromises when it comes to unwanted romance, item numbers or comedy tracks. On the whole, Thani Oriuvan is a stylish action thriller, a rare genre in Tamil cinema.
Subha’s dialogues are super sharp, especially the lines like “Your choice of friend will show your character, your choice of enemy will show your capacity” and the scene where Arvind Swamy says “Love at first sight… Kill at first betrayal” are gems.
An ensemble of fine actors is assembled to breathe life into the film’s terrific plot, and each is integral in their own way, despite the length of their parts. Thambi Ramaiah is a scream as Sengalvarayan. It is note-worthy that a commercial heroine like Nayanthara, is well-utilised instead of just using her as a glam doll, who lusts after the hero like in all action movies. Her cute yet important role as a forensic expert who is crucial to the story is refreshingly natural. And the actress has portrayed it sensibly with respect and sensuality.
Refreshingly real, the conversations between Ravi and Nayan as they write and express their love on board as Arvind Swami has bugged the former is absolutely endearing. Also, the conversations between Arvind Swami and Thambi Ramiah are hilarious, there are many such winsome moments in the film and it shows the effort and detailing that the director has put in penning the script, kudos!
The film benefits big time from a top-notch performance from Jayam Ravi and he sinks teeth into the strong headed- determined Mitran. His physique and dialogue delivery as the honest IPS officer makes you root for him. With minimal dialogues, Arvind Swami leaves a lasting impression as Siddharth Abhimanyu and is undeniably the show stealer. With his cool attitude and swag mannerisms, the actor takes the film to a different level, easily one of the well sketched and portrayed baddie roles in Tamil cinema. The rest of the actors including Nassar, Mugda Godse and Ganesh Venkatraman have also done commendable job.
Technically, Ramji’s cinematography is top notch as he has used different colour tones according to the mood of the film. Colours like Brown, green and sea blue is used in each shot. Hip-Hop Aadhi’s background score is a major plus for the film and overall, Thani Oruvan is an engaging cinema that deserves your time.
