Produced by-Bayview Projects LLP & Zee Studios
Written and Wielded by-H.Vinoth
Cast-Ajith Kumar, Manju Warrier, Samudrakani, John Kokken, Mohana Sundaram, Bhagavathi Perumal, G.M.Sundar etc
Censor Rating-U/A
Running Time- 146 Minutes
Rating-***
No doubt, Ajith Kumar, the car/bike racer cum actor has a lot of guts that which has propelled him to glory in all the three chosen arenas (No Guts No Glory is the film’s tagline)! While the actor-director combo’s outing in 2022, Valimai showcased the actor’s riding and driving skills, this Pongal 2023 release-Thunivu-projects him as a dare-devil action hero adept in handling pistols and guns as well as his ability in physical combat!
Rightly so, he is being referred to as Dark Devil reflecting his dare-devil kind of agility in stunt sequences!
With his salt and pepper hairdo and beard, Ajith scores well as a protagonist virtually carrying the entire film on his shoulders while the others in the cast walk along with him as a support system!
What a powerhouse performer Manju Warrier is, is something too well known to be deliberated upon! Such being the case, what is she doing here, in this flick, is indeed a billion dollar question! A waste of talent! It is a challenge even to recollect a scene where she delivers a full-length dialogue! Not to speak of the other young couple who are shot to death at the start of their marital life, the flashback sequences involving them all is far from convincing!
The character design of Ajith reminds one of Vikram’s role in the recently released Cobra-the similarity starting from the point that they both commit crimes outside the country, wide across the length and breadth of the globe, and no sooner the task is done, they simply walk out scot free, fleeing from the scene of crime with the authorities concerned not knowing what to do!
Yet another similarity that is strikingly significant is the scene in Shankar’s Indian wherein the senior Kamal Haasan gains access into a television station, locking up the accused and making him confess to all his crimes in chronological order over a live telecast! Ajith does almost the same here using a News Channel and Mohana Sundaram who plays the reporter of that News Channel in question deserves definite mention for his worthwhile one-liners that unfold the functioning of News Channels and the attitudes of its bosses!
Samudrakani is given a very big ‘built-up’ as the cop in charge but does he do anything noteworthy to nab the criminals in question is something one needs to ponder over! He walks rigid and talks smart, nothing more, nothing less!
A private banker, Krish (John Kokken) who also solicits other modes of investment- all with a hidden agenda of raising funds from the public and writing them off in books for his personal gains, plans a pseudo robbery at his own premises the process intervened by another bigwig hailed as Dark Devil (Ajith Kumar) who too has his own hidden agenda.
Finally, Dark Devil and his trusted lieutenant, Kanmani (Manju Warrier) walk out, rather swim out of the scenario into international waters giving a slip to the authorities concerned, after having accomplished their agenda!
The film deliberates on the risk elements involved in mutual fund investments besides throwing light on the adverse effects when credit card payments are defaulted!
Nirav Shah’s camera work warrants praise.
Ghibran’s background score helps keep up the film’s tempo!
The first half of the film is thoroughly enjoyable, punctuated further by the antics of Ajith, especially, that moon walk popularized by Michael Jackson, who is also referred in the proceedings!
But the same cannot be said of the second half!
A must see film for all those hard core fans of Ajith!