Acclaimed Tamil actor-filmmaker duo Dhanush and Karthik Subbaraj’s gangster drama, Jagame Thandhiram had skipped its theatrical release and opted for a direct digital release. Amid high expectations, the film is released on Netflix this afternoon. Let’s analyse it.
Story: A small-time gangster named Suruli (Dhanush) from Madurai leads a happy life by keeping a parotta outlet as an alternative business. One fine day, he gets a contract from a gangster named Peter( James Cosmo) from the UK to take down an Indian don Sivadoss(Joju George). Upon finishing the given task, Suruli comes to know the true intention behind Peter’s act. Later, how will Suruli lands in the UK and goes against Peter? That forms the main USB of the film.
Performances: Dhanush is okay with his screen presence throughout the film as a gangster but his role was not designed in a proper way and disappoints the viewers.
Other supporting roles played by Joju George, James Cosmo, Kalaiarasan, Aishwarya Lekshmi have absolutely no scope to perform in this rushed gangster drama.
Among all the artists, only Aishwarya Lekshmi manages to make an impression as her adorable looks and bring freshness to the scenes involving her and Dhanush.
Technicalities: Songs by Santhosh Narayanan are disappointing as expected for Rakita Rakita none of the songs are engaging in the movie. But his background is definitely an added advantage for the film as the BGM elevates most of the gangster episodes.
Editing work by Vivek Harshan is adequate. The cinematography by Shreyaas Krishna is good as he tried to add a unique texture to the gangster related sequences.
Production values for this high-budget movie are okay.
Analysis: Director Karthik Subbaraj, who is usually known for creating a special setup for his films shockingly surprises with his unworthy work in Jagame Thandhiram as the film has nothing great to offer.
The film kick-starts on typical Karthik Subbaraj’s style by introducing the characters in a decent manner and runs with some template scenes but when the film shifts to the UK everyone expects a fast-paced narration with some good gangster episodes. But sadly, this Karthik Subbaraj’s film runs on a flat note and dilutes the viewers’ interest with dull moments.
Karthik Subbaraj fails miserably in balancing Dhanush’s on-screen image with the scenes he has created for the star in the film. Though a few flashback scenes on Dhanush and emotions showcased during the time are good, the director struggles to maintain consistency in the screenwriting. In one word, Jagame Thandhiram is a half-baked gangster drama that has an unengaging presentation.
Verdict: Underwhelming!!!
Rating: 1.5/5
