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Top 10 Best Tamil Family Drama Movies of All Time

• August 16, 2023 / 12:15 PM IST

Tamil cinema has always excelled in portraying family relationships and emotions with great depth and sensitivity. Family drama movies have been an integral part of the Tamil film industry, captivating audiences with their heartwarming narratives and relatable characters. In this article, we will explore the top 10 best Tamil family drama movies of all time, which have left a lasting impact on viewers and continue to be cherished for their portrayal of familial bonds and values.

Thiruvilayadal (1965)

Directed by A. P. Nagarajan, “Thiruvilayadal” is a timeless classic that revolves around Lord Shiva’s divine interventions in people’s lives to test their devotion. The film beautifully portrays the essence of family bonds and moral values, making it a must-watch for audiences of all ages.

Pasamalar (1961)

A masterpiece directed by A. Bhimsingh, “Pasamalar” narrates the emotional journey of two brothers, played by Sivaji Ganesan and Gemini Ganesan, highlighting the sacrifices made by an elder brother for the well-being of his younger sibling. The film’s emotional depth and stellar performances earned it numerous accolades.

Apoorva Raagangal (1975)

Directed by K. Balachander, “Apoorva Raagangal” is a thought-provoking family drama that explores complex relationships between characters from different age groups. The film is a poignant portrayal of love, ambition, and societal expectations, with Kamal Haasan and Srividya delivering memorable performances.

Moondram Pirai (1982)

Starring Kamal Haasan and Sridevi, “Moondram Pirai” (Sadma in Hindi) is an emotionally charged drama that depicts the bond between a young woman suffering from retrograde amnesia and a caring man who becomes her guardian. The film’s heart-rending storyline and exceptional performances make it a timeless classic.

Kizhakku Vasal (1990)

Directed by R. V. Udayakumar, “Kizhakku Vasal” is a heartwarming tale of a caring brother played by Karthik and his relentless efforts to reunite with his separated sister. The film’s emotional narrative and soulful music resonate with the audience, making it a memorable family drama.

Abhiyum Naanum (2008)

A touching family drama directed by Radha Mohan, “Abhiyum Naanum” portrays the endearing bond between a father (Prakash Raj) and his daughter (Trisha). The film explores the various stages of their relationship, emphasizing the importance of understanding and communication within a family.

Mozhi (2007)

Directed by Radha Mohan, “Mozhi” is a heartwarming drama about a deaf and mute woman played by Jyothika and her journey to find acceptance and love. The film’s portrayal of the significance of empathy and compassion in family relationships struck a chord with audiences.

Thavamai Thavamirundhu (2005)

Starring Cheran and Padmapriya, “Thavamai Thavamirundhu” is a poignant family drama that delves into the struggles of a father to raise his sons and the importance of familial bonds. The film’s emotional depth and powerful performances received critical acclaim.

Vaanathaippola (2000)

Directed by Vikraman, “Vaanathaippola” is a touching drama featuring Vijayakanth as a doting father striving to fulfil his family’s dreams. The film’s emphasis on familial responsibilities and sacrifices for loved ones resonated with the audience.

Kakka Muttai (2015)

A heartwarming comedy-drama directed by M. Manikandan, “Kakka Muttai” is a delightful tale of two young brothers from a slum, yearning to taste pizza. The film brilliantly showcases childhood innocence and the significance of family support, capturing the hearts of audiences worldwide.b

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J.பேபி விமர்சனம்: ஊர்வசியின் ஒன் வுமன் ஷோ; தினேஷ், மாறனின் யதார்த்த நடிப்பு! அரவணைக்கிறாளா பேபி?

பேபியைத் தேடும் பயணம் ஒருபுறம், குடும்பத்தின் சூழல் மற்றும் பிரச்னைகள் மறுபுறம் என நகரும் படத்திற்கு, நிதானமான திரைக்கதையும் நடிகர்களின் யதார்த்தமான நடிப்பும் கைகொடுக்க, எளிதிலேயே படத்தோடு ஒன்றிவிட முடிகிறது.

சென்னை அன்னை சத்யா நகரில் வசித்துவரும் ஜே.பேபிக்கு (ஊர்வசிக்கு) செல்வம் (மாறன்), சங்கர் (தினேஷ்) உட்பட மொத்தம் ஐந்து பிள்ளைகள். பெயின்ட்டரான செல்வத்திற்கும், ஷேர் ஆட்டோ ஓட்டுநரான சங்கருக்கும் காவல் நிலையத்திலிருந்து அழைப்பு வருகிறது. அங்கே சென்ற பின்தான், அவர்களின் தாயான பேபி காணாமல் போனதும், இப்போது அவர் கொல்கத்தாவில் இருக்கிறார் என்பதும் தெரியவருகிறது. குடும்ப பிரச்னையால் சண்டை போட்டுக்கொண்ட இரு சகோதரர்களும் ஒன்றாக கொல்கத்தாவிற்குச் சென்று அவர்களின் தாயைப் பத்திரமாகக் கூட்டி வரவேண்டும் என்று உத்தரவிடுகிறார் காவல் ஆய்வாளர். இருவருக்கும் இடையே என்ன பிரச்னை, பேபி ஊரை விட்டுப் போக என்ன காரணம், இந்தப் பயணமும், கொல்கத்தா நகரமும் அவர்களுக்கு கற்றுத் தரும் வாழ்க்கை பாடம் என்ன போன்ற கேள்விகளுக்குப் பதில் சொல்கிறது அறிமுக இயக்குநர் சுரேஷ் மாரியின் `ஜே.பேபி'.

ஏரியா மக்களிடம் ரகளை செய்யும் இடம், மகன்களின் ஒற்றுமைக்காக அழும் இடம், மன ஒழுங்கின்மையாலும் குற்றவுணர்வாலும் பிதற்றும் இடம், தன் கவலைகளை மறைத்துக்கொண்டு போலியாகச் சிரிக்கும் இடம் என எல்லா காட்சிகளிலும் ஊர்வசி பட்டாசாக வெடித்திருக்கிறார். தன் முதிர்ச்சியான நடிப்பால் அழுத்தமான பேபி கதாபாத்திரத்தைக் கச்சிதமாகத் திரையில் உலாவ விட்டிருக்கிறார். உடல்மொழி, வசன உச்சரிப்பு, உடையைச் சரிசெய்யும் இடங்கள் என நுணுக்கமான விஷயங்களிலும் தன் ஆளுமையைச் செலுத்தியிருக்கிறார்.

குடும்ப பொறுப்பு, வறுமை மீதான கோபம், தாய்ப் பாசம், அண்ணன் மீதான மரியாதை, குற்றவுணர்வு, அது தரும் விரக்தி என உணர்ச்சிக் குவியலான சங்கர் கதாபாத்திரத்தின் இலக்கணத்தை உணர்ந்து, ஆர்ப்பாட்டமில்லாமல்லாத, யதார்த்தமான நடிப்பைக் கண்முன் கொண்டுவந்திருக்கிறார் தினேஷ். அடித்ததற்காக தன் தாயிடம் மன்னிப்பு கேட்கும் காட்சியும், அண்ணன் இருப்பதால் தங்கையின் வீட்டிற்கு வர மறுக்கும் காட்சியும் இரண்டு சோறு பதம்.

உணர்ச்சிகளின் ஏற்றயிறக்கங்களால் அலைக்கழியும் செல்வம் கதாபாத்திரத்தின் கனத்தை உள்வாங்கி, அதை நேர்த்தியாக தன் நடிப்பால் வெளிப்படுத்தியிருக்கிறார் மாறன். ஆங்காங்கே கவுன்ட்டர் காமெடிகளாலும், சேட்டைகளாலும் சிரிப்பைத் தந்தாலும், இறுக்கமான மனநிலையை வெளிப்படுத்தும் தருணங்களில் சின்ன சின்ன உடலசைவுகளால் தன் நடிப்பிற்கு புது முகவரியைக் கொடுத்திருக்கிறார். கொல்கத்தாவில் இவர்களுக்கு உதவும் நபராக வருபவர், பேபியின் இளைய மகள், இளைய மகன் போன்ற துணை கதாபாத்திரங்களும் படத்திற்கு வலுசேர்க்கின்றன.

ரயில் பயணத்தின் நெரிசலுக்கு இடையில் கதாபாத்திரங்களின் உணர்வுகளை ஃப்ரேம்களாலும், கொல்கத்தா நகரத்தின் அமைதியை ஆர்ப்பாட்டமில்லாத கேமரா நகர்வுகளாலும் ட்ரோன் ஷாட்களாலும் திரைக்குக் கடத்தியிருக்கிறார் ஒளிப்பதிவாளர் ஜெயந்த் சேது மாதவன். 'லைவ் லொகேஷன்' காட்சிகளில் மட்டும் கூடுதல் கவனம் செலுத்தியிருக்கலாம். படத்தொகுப்பாளர் தேவையான பங்களிப்பைச் செய்திருக்கிறார் என்றாலும், இடைவேளை காட்சித் தொகுப்பையும், இரண்டாம் பாதியின் தொடக்கத்தையும் கூடுதல் கண்டிப்புடன் கையாண்டிருக்கலாம்.

டோனி ப்ரிட்டோ இசையில், பிரதீப் குமார் குரலில் 'நெடுமரம் தொலைந்ததே' பாடலும், கே.எஸ்.சித்ரா குரலில் 'யார் பாடலை' பாடலும் கதைக்கருவைப் பேசுவதோடு, இதயத்தையும் கணக்க வைக்கின்றன. உணர்ச்சிகரமான தருணங்களில் உயிர்ப்போடும், பேபி சேட்டை காட்டும் இடங்களில் துள்ளலாகவும் தன் பின்னணி இசையை அமைத்துக் கவனிக்க வைக்கிறார். ஆனாலும், இரண்டாம் பாதியில் அந்த வயலினுக்குக் கொஞ்சம் ஓய்வு கொடுத்திருக்கலாம்.

2018-ல் விழுப்புரத்தில் நடந்த உண்மை சம்பவத்தை மையமாக வைத்து இப்படத்தை எழுதி இயக்கியிருக்கிறார் சுரேஷ் மாரி. பேபியைத் தேடும் பயணம் ஒருபுறம், குடும்பத்தின் சூழல் மற்றும் பிரச்னைகள் மறுபுறம் என நகரும் படத்திற்கு, நிதானமான திரைக்கதையும் நடிகர்களின் யதார்த்தமான நடிப்பும் கைகொடுக்க, எளிதிலேயே படத்தோடு ஒன்றிவிட முடிகிறது. பதற்றத்தைக் கூட்டுவதற்காக இடைவேளையில் வைக்கப்பட்ட காட்சிகள் மட்டும் ஓவர் டோஸாக மாற, அதுவரையிலான திரைக்கதைக்கு அடிநாதமாக இருந்த எதார்த்தம் மிஸ் ஆகிறது.

நல்ல பேரை வாங்க வேண்டும் பிள்ளைகளே விமர்சனம்: அடல்ட் காமெடி தான்; ஆனால், எதனால் கவனம் ஈர்க்கிறது?

முதற்பாதியில் ஆங்காங்கே தலை காட்டி வந்த ஊர்வசி, இரண்டாம் பாதியை முழுவதுமாக கையில் எடுக்கிறார். அவரின் சேட்டைகள், காமெடியான பேச்சுகள், மற்றவர்களிடம் வம்புக்குப் போவது, அதனால் அக்குடும்பத்திற்கு ஏற்படும் பிரச்னைகள், அதனால் பேபிக்கு ஏற்படும் குற்றவுணர்வு என்பதாக நீள்கிறது இந்த சீக்குவன்ஸ். ஆனால், பேபி கதாபாத்திரத்தின் உண்மை முகத்தைக் காட்டும் இந்தக் காட்சித் தொகுப்புகளின் நீளத்தைச் சற்றே குறைத்திருக்கலாம். ஏற்கெனவே பார்வையாளர்களுக்குக் கடத்தப்பட்ட விஷயத்தை மீண்டும் மீண்டும் அதே பாணியிலான காட்சிகளால் இழுத்திருக்கிறார் இயக்குநர்.

'குடும்ப பிரச்னைகளைப் பேசும் சீரியலா? இல்லை உறவுச் சிக்கலை உணர்வுரீதியாக அணுகும் படமா?' என சில இடங்களில் குழப்பமும் ஏற்படுகிறது. சில நெகிழ்ச்சியான உரையாடல்கள் மூலமாகவும், சில உயிர்ப்பான காட்சிகள் மூலமாகவும் அந்தக் குழப்பத்தைக் கட்டுப்படுத்தியிருக்கிறார் இயக்குநர். முக்கியமாக, அண்ணனிடம் சங்கர் தன் மனைவியைப் பற்றிப் பேசும் காட்சி, தன் தாயுடன் இருமகன்கள் உரையாடும் இறுதிக் காட்சி, மனநலக் காப்பகத்தில் நடக்கும் காட்சிகள் ஆகியவை ஆழமான எழுத்தால் நம் மனதில் அழுத்தமாகவே பதிகின்றன.

சண்டை போட்டுக்கொண்ட அண்ணனுக்கும் தம்பிக்கும் இடையிலான உரசலையும், தயக்கங்களையும், அவை சரியாகும் தருணங்களையும் மிகையற்று உயிர்ப்போடு காட்சிப்படுத்தியிருப்பதோடு, அவற்றை ஒரு சில காட்சிகளோடு சுருக்காமல், முழு திரைக்கதையையும் கைபிடித்து அழைத்துப் போகும்படி எழுதியது ரசிக்க வைக்கிறது.

திரைக்கதைக்குத் தொந்தரவு தரும் பாடல்களின் நீளத்தைக் குறைத்திருக்கலாம்.பேபியின் இந்தச் செயல்களுக்குப் பின்னால் இருக்கும் காரணத்தைத் தெளிவாகவும் அழுத்தமாகவும் சொல்லாமல் போனதோடு, பேபி கதாபாத்திரத்தை முழுக்க உணர்ச்சிகரமாக மட்டுமே திரைக்கதை அணுகியதும் ஒரு 'அம்மா சென்ட்டிமென்ட்' படத்திற்கான சாயலையும் ஒரு பக்கம் கொடுக்கிறது. இருந்தும் அந்தக் கதாபாத்திரம் மூலம் மனநல பிரச்னைகளை குடும்ப அமைப்பு எவ்வாறு அணுகவேண்டும் என்று சொன்னது சிறப்பு.

"மனித குணமே காயப்படுத்துறதுதான். அது சில நேரம் நல்லதும் செய்யும்" என்ற பேபியின் வார்த்தைகளுக்கு உயிர்கொடுக்க முயன்றிருக்கிறார் இயக்குநர். ஆனால், இரண்டாம் பாதியில் துருத்திக்கொண்டிருக்கும் சீரியல்தனமான திரைக்கதை நகர்வுகள் அதற்குத் தடையாக அமைந்திருக்கின்றன. இருந்தாலும், துளி கூட பாசாங்கற்று பார்வையாளர்களை அன்போடு அரவணைக்கிறார் இந்த ஜே.பேபி.

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Varisu movie review: Predictable family drama that works only due to Vijay's presence

Varisu movie review: it’s a quintessential family drama with all the familiar beats. along with vijay, the film also stars rashmika mandanna, sarath kumar, jayasudha, srikanth, shaam and prakash raj..

It is no surprise that mainstream filmmakers in the south still continue to milk the family drama genre to its last drop. In spite of the myriad iterations of the same story template over the years, it is one genre with a very high success rate. No wonder Vamshi Paidipally plays it extremely safe with Varisu, which marks his maiden collaboration with Vijay. It’s your quintessential family drama with all the familiar beats and it’s largely salvaged by the presence of one man, Vijay , who does all the heavy lifting and makes this a fairly engaging watch. Also read: Vijay’s film is old wine in the most decorative bottle. Watch Varisu trailer

The story is centered around a family that’s headlined by Rajendran (Sarath Kumar), who is one of the biggest businessmen in India. His two sons – Jai and Ajay (Srikanth and Shaam) - look after his business and one among them is hopeful of becoming the heir. One fine day when Rajendran learns that he is suffering from advanced-stage pancreatic cancer, he decides to fulfills his wife’s wish of celebrating his 65th birthday in a grand manner. Rajendran’s youngest son, Vijay Rajendran (Vijay), returns home after seven years for the birthday party at the behest of his mother. He had left home after a disagreement with his father over joining the family business. What happens in the family that forces Vijay to stay back and why does his father makes him the chairman of his group of companies?

Varisu is predictable from the word go but what still works in its favour is the mere presence of Vijay. Having predominantly worked in action films in recent years, it was refreshing to see Vijay have fun in an out-and-out family flick. Here’s a film that taps into Vijay’s comical side in a big way and it works like magic. It’s an effortless performance and one that appeals to even a non-Vijay fan. Every time predictability kicks in, Vijay walks in to distract and entertain with his pitch-perfect performance of a son who becomes the saviour of his family. Apart from Vijay, there isn’t a single factor that makes Varisu what it is. Nevertheless, it’s a film you won’t mind taking your family to this Pongal festival.

The familial moments, especially scenes between Vijay and Jayasudha (who plays the mother) work somewhat in an otherwise largely predictable film. For the family drama angle to have worked even more effectively, the conflict between the brothers should’ve been even more stronger. One thing that the film does manage to get right is deliver exactly what the trailer promised. As a viewer if you had walked in with your expectations in place after watching the trailer, you won’t be disappointed.

Film: Varisu

Director: Vamshi Paidipally

Cast: Vijay, Rashmika Mandanna, Sarath Kumar, Jayasudha, Srikanth, Shaam and Prakash Raj

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சிறந்த குடும்பத் தமிழ் திரைப்படங்கள்

பொதுவாக திரைப்படங்களை அனைவரும் கண்டுகளிப்பர். திரைப்பட ரசிகர்கள் வேறு மொழி படங்களையும் காண்பர். ஆனால், கிராம மக்கள் முதல் நகர மக்கள் வரை அனைவரும் முகம் சுளிக்காமல் குடும்பமாக பார்க்கும் படங்கள் தான் குடும்ப திரைப்படங்கள். இங்கு இந்த பக்கத்தில் அத்தகைய படங்கள் உள்ளன.

Table of content

• கடை குட்டி சிங்கம்
• தெய்வத்திருமகள்
• மாயாண்டி குடும்பத்தார்
• எங்கள் அண்ணா
• சூர்யவம்சம்
• பூவே உனக்காக

விஸ்வாசம் (2019)

கடை குட்டி சிங்கம் (2018)

பாபநாசம் (2015)

சைவம் (2014)

தெய்வத்திருமகள் (2011)

மாயாண்டி குடும்பத்தார் (2009)

பசங்க (2009)

எங்கள் அண்ணா (2004)

சுயம்வரம் (1999)

சூர்யவம்சம் (1997)

பூவே உனக்காக (1996)

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Quarantine curation: 10 finest Tamil films that prove family is everything

On international day of families, we have listed 10 tamil family dramas that you can watch online during the lockdown..

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The outbreak of the novel coronavirus has made most of our lives difficult. With the nation heading into Lockdown 4.0, it is highly unlikely for us to step out of homes for the next few weeks. But then, looking at the brighter side of it, the pandemic has given us a chance to get closer to our families.

These are opportunities for people, who are otherwise busy, to spend some quality time with their parents, kids and siblings and create memories like never before.

On International Day of Families, we have compiled a list of 10 Tamil films that prove family is everything. The good news is, you can watch all these films with your family members and strengthen the bond.

Film: Viswasam (2019)

Viswasam is Ajith's fourth collaboration with director Siruthai Siva. The film follows the story of a village ruffian (Ajith), who travels all the way to Mumbai, only to win back his love (Nayanthara) and reunite with his daughter (Anikha). The script was written in a way that it pleased both the star's fans and family audience. The emotional scenes involving the father and the daughter is something to watch for.

Film: Namma Veetu Pillai (2019)

After delivering back-to-back comedy entertainers, Sivakarthikeyan surprised his fans by teaming up with director Pandiraj for this emotional drama. Arumpon (Sivakarthikeyan), a happy-go-lucky youngster faces various challenges as his lovable sister (Aishwarya Rajesh) gets married to a ruffian, due to unfortunate turn of events. What happens next forms the crux. The film has the right mix of action, emotions and love.

Film: Kadaikutty Singam (2018)

Director Pandiraj is one director who constantly delivers successful films under this genre. Featuring Karthi and Sayyessha in the lead roles, Kadaikutty Singam is a commercial family entertainer set against a rural backdrop. The film is about a small-town farmer who tries his best to keep his big family united despite misunderstandings with each other. There are a lot of dialogues in the film that talk about family values and the importance of relations.

Film: Muthukku Muthaaga (2011)

Five brothers, who wanted to stay together for life, realise that marriage will never let them do so. Directed by Rasu Madhuravan, the film featured Vikranth, Natraj, Arish, Prakash and Veerasamar in the lead roles. Though the film didn't do well at the box office, it managed to win the hearts of the audience a few years later.

Film: Thavamai Thavamirundhu (2005)

Thavamai Thavamirundhu is all about a father's love for his family. The movie revolves around the lower-middle-class family of Muthaih (Rajkiran) and how this doting father takes care of his two sons and wife through the different stages of their lives. Directed by Cheran, the film received a rave response from both the audience and the critics.

Film: Aanandham (2001)

Aanandam is about the bond between four brothers. The two elder brothers get married and with new members joining the family, there's a lot of misunderstanding and drama. How the brotherhood withstands testing times makes up for an interesting watch. Directed by Lingusamy, the film features Abbas, Mammootty and Murali in the lead roles.

Film: Vaanathaippola (2000)

Directed by Vikraman, Vaanathaippola is one of the best family dramas to date. The film tells us the story a doting elder brother, who goes through all sorts of difficulties, only to ensure that his three younger brothers emerge successful in life. Starring Vijaykanth, Prabhudheva, Livingston and Ramesh Khanna, the film won two Tamil Nadu State Film Awards.

Film: Minsara Kanna (1999)

Starring Vijay, Khushbu and Monica Castelino in the lead roles, the film is directed by KS Ravikumar. Kannan (Vijay), a multi-millionaire, falls in love with the younger sister of a self-made entrepreneur, Indira Devi. However, Indira Devi hates men due to a previous incident. So Kannan and his family infiltrate her family disguised as domestic helps in an attempt to earn her trust and marry her sister.

Film: Samsaram Adhu Minsaram (1986)

Samsaram Adhu Minsaram is a family drama revolving around a joint family where a dispute between the father and the son literally splits the house into two. How the daughter-in-law manages to patch things up makes up this critically acclaimed movie. There are also some parallel storylines of other family members through the film. Directed by Visu, the film features Lakshmi, Raghuvaran, and Chandrasekhar in important roles.

Film: Aarilirunthu Arubathu Varai (1979)

Aarilirunthu Arubathu Varai stars none other than Superstar Rajinikanth as a responsible elder brother Santhanam, who takes care of his siblings after the death of their parents. The siblings grow up and reach respectable positions in life but abandon their elder brother and his family. How Santhanam deals with this and takes care of his family makes up this emotional family drama.

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Varisu Movie Review: An in-form Vijay and self-aware writing elevate this conventional family drama

Rating: ( 3.5 / 5).

Right from the posters and trailer to the pre-release interviews, everything about Varisu clearly indicated a formulaic family drama. This would have sounded like a foolproof plan a few years ago. But in 2023, an A-list actor sticking to this template isn't the most exciting idea. But director Vamshi Paidipally and Co have given this age-old recipe a refreshing twist by adding an ample dose of self-awareness and humour. Largely, the film knows when to take itself seriously and when not to. Take, for example, the scene where Meka Srikanth tries to throw a monologue on the divinity of family and love. Before we roll our eyes or take a dig at the cliche, we hear a burst of loud laughter... not from the fans but from the screen. It is Vijay who echoes the mind of the audience, and says, " Edhuku ipo avan kitta sentiment RR music ellam pottutu iruka nee? " Bingo! A potential 'content' for meme creators dodged thanks to the witty writing. 

Director: Vamshi Paidipally 

Starring: Vijay, Sarathkumar, Jayasudha, Rashmika Mandanna, Prakashraj, Shaam, Meka Srikanth

The writers of Varisu don't stop there. They make Vijay mouth dialogues like, " Indha sondhakaranga naale toxic dhaan pa! " in a film that paradoxically talks about the importance of family. Of course, this translates to occasional tonal inconsistencies, but an in-form Vijay and the self-awareness of the film make up for the shortcomings. Throughout the narrative, we see Vijay (who plays... Vijay!) transforming from an ambitious Harvard graduate to a globe-trotter, and then from a start-up founder to a business tycoon. While this arc isn't quite novel for a 'commercial hero', it is exciting to see Vijay slip into these roles with consummate ease. The film is peppered with references from his previous blockbusters. There is the knuckle-busting action from Thuppakki , the thumb-rubbing from Ghilli , and the open-arm entrance from Sarkar . Aside from the obvious call back to Poove Unakkaga , the film also drops enjoyable, quick references to the goat sacrifice scene in Thirupachi , the western-classical dance face-off in Pudhiya Geethai and Oh Baby song from Kadhalukku Mariyadhai .

Interestingly, Varisu which was widely speculated to retain the soul of blockbuster Ala Vaikunthapurramuloo , has its very own riotous boardroom scene, where the hero goes all filmy. But Vamshi does it with a rather tasteful twist. The film provides ample space for Vijay to be at his comical best. Whenever Vijay goes a bit overboard with his antics, Yogi Babu pitches in with his sarcasm, once again turning the stretch into effective humour. 

Known for his onscreen monologues, it is nice to see Vijay move away from sermoning despite playing a messiah again. Instead, Vijay embraces silence and allows his physical performance to do the talking. One particular instance where this facet is pronounced is his confrontation scene with Sarathkumar's Rajendran. In a scene with the potential to become a long-winding exchange of dialogues, Vijay delivers it all with just a look in his eyes and walks away.     However, Varisu isn't completely devoid of the ' Kudumbam na... ' messages, and the film does occasionally become preachy. But, thankfully these stretches aren't painfully long and never come across as moral policing assignments. However, what becomes painful and preachy is the contradictions in the ideologies. At one point, the makers don't judge or gaslight a woman who wants to move out of a marriage with an adulterer. At one other point, the resolution to this broken marriage is conventional, convenient, and contrived. It almost undoes the goodness of the initial pro-choice angle when it came to divorce and separation. Also, there is a fleeting but completely unnecessary body-shaming scene that is distasteful. 

If the novelty of the story is your yardstick to gauge a film, Varisu  might not rank high. It has plot points and ideas liberally borrowed from Chekka Chivantha Vaanam, Ala Vaikunthapurramuloo, Dharma Durai, and more. Despite the narrative being predictable,  it is the conviction of filmmaker Vamshi and the honest performances of the lead cast that elevates Varisu from being just another run-of-the-mill family drama. 

The film in a way is the story of Rajendran, a self-absorbed man seeking redemption and peace; and Sarathkumar ably shoulders the gloominess that comes along with the character, almost making up for his animated performance in the raging sequences. Jayasudha probably can pull off a mother longing for love even in her sleep. But the actor goes on to show why she is still the best fit for such roles. Though the camaraderie between Rajendran and Anantha Padmanaban (Prabhu) helps in making the core want of the protagonist effective, Prabhu has very less to offer otherwise. Similarly, I would have loved to see more of Rashmika Mandanna and definitely more layers to her character in the film. Seeing a female lead without a clear want or a profession is quite unsettling. 

The random appearance of " Indha paadalai paadi kondirupavar ungal Vijay " quote in 1995's Vishnu , is probably one of the oddest yet most memorable fourth-wall-breaking moments of Tamil cinema. Fast-forwarding two decades, we have another V film having a couple of interesting fourth-wall-breaking. The best among them is Vijay casually taking a dig at family dramas while making a confident statement. " Starting nala iruku, ending nala iruku, nadula konjam emotions iruku, avlo dhaan podhum! Kudumbangal kondadum vettri! " Well, it is safe to say that he isn't overconfident!

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Dada on Amazon Prime Video Review: Kavin Is Pitch Perfect In This Fatherhood Drama

Director: Ganesh K Babu

Cast: Kavin , Aparna Das, Harish K, Aishwariyaa Bhaskaran, Bhagyaraj

Ganesh Babu’s Dada has all the ingredients of a templated family drama, one that is usually and carefully choreographed to evoke tears and sentiment — an unplanned pregnancy that shatters families, a bittersweet parting and the bond between a father and a son. But what Ganesh does with these tropes – notoriously known for its melodramatic tendencies – is turn it into a meaningful yet understated coming of age story of a young father. 

And Ganesh is very clear with how he wants to tell this story as early as his film’s first shot. We see a couple sprawled on bed, the woman (Sindhu played by Aparna Das), gently resting her head on her partner’s chest with a profound smile. She lets out a tear, expressing a feeling of fulfilment in her romance. And her boyfriend Manikandan (Kavin) lets out a sigh – not because she’s crying, but because he literally can’t (we get to hear a cute story about how he didn’t even cry as an infant). He goes on to comfort her with a line right out of the nice boyfriends’ handbook — “I’ll make sure that you never shed a tear again,” he says. And just when you lean into your seat to get ready for a cutesy romance montage, the screen cuts to a shot of Sindhu weeping. But this time the tears aren’t as happy. After all, they have an unplanned pregnancy on their hands. 

Dada finds its own such ways to surprise us, leaving behind the stylised touches that often accompany the genre. Take Manikandan and Sindhu’s romance for instance. Theirs is a love that unfolds with essentially no backstory. We are told that they are caught in the throes of wild, young love, and this is made instantly believable by the lived-in and comfortable language of Kavin and Aparna’s chemistry. The couple eventually moves out of their houses and burns bridges with their families, and end up finding comfort in friends. The friends-like-family concept is effortlessly captured in vignettes of conversations between Mani and Amit (a superb Harish K), who go from being infantile men-children who giggle and squirm over diaper changes to sensitive best friends who say ‘I love you’ to each other without any shame. 

Almost every character that populates the universe of Dada has agency and a purpose. Right from the auto driver who gives a disapproving look to a father’s despicable act to VTV Ganesh’s cameo, who ends up pushing the film’s playful take on destiny — the writing is detailed and meaningful. 

But the beating heart of the script is Mani’s voyage into fatherhood, and in turn manhood. Mani isn’t a reckless teenager who sprints at the mention of pregnancy. He is a happy but nervous man in love, who isn’t ready to face such a primal fear so early in life. So, when Mani and Sindhu part ways over an ugly spat, Sindhu does the unthinkable and Mani suddenly finds himself to be a character straight out of a single dad drama. Children and their repartee with adults make for adorable placeholders in films. But this track also often tends to become worn out in films, which inevitably make the kid annoyingly oversmart and mouthy. The bond that Mani shares with his baby boy Aditya, however, is a realistic yet beautiful representation, warts and all (watch out for the scene when he sheepishly speaks about the mother shaped elephant in the room with his dad). “Do you want to know who your mom is,” Mani asks the child, to which he slips under the sheet, deciding to sleep instead of having to face the difficult conversation.

A lot of things are left unsaid in Dada , and it’s a refreshing quality for a film that deals with motherly negligence. Filmmaker Ganesh is careful never to glorify motherhood, nor forcefully shame women who live with the difficult decisions they have made. It instead puts the onus on men, giving them the diapers and ladles to care and cook for their children. 

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J Baby Movie Review: Suresh Mari’s ‘J.Baby’ is a solid drama about a family that has to deal with mental illness, among other things

• 09 Mar 2024
• Release Date: 08 Mar 2024

J Baby Movie Cast & Crew

Here’s how Suresh Mari’s  J.Baby  begins. Senthil and Shankar are brothers, played by ‘Lollu Sabha’ Maaran and Dinesh. They are summoned to the police station, for reasons concerning their mother, named J.Baby (Urvashi). The policeman barks at the brothers: “How long is it since you spoke to her?” One of the brothers says it’s been four days, the other says it’s been a week. The policeman gives them the typical moral-science lecture we expect in our movies: take care of your mother, etc. But these are not your typically uncaring sons. They do care. They are fundamentally good people. But Senthil is a painter. Shankar drives a school van. At a later point, their mother terms their jobs as “ kooli velai ”, which means they don’t earn much. And now, with their meagre savings, the brothers have to travel to Kolkata… for reasons concerning their mother.

This is a solid start – a solid emotional hook – and the film keeps getting better. While we wait for the resolution of the mystery around the mother, we get flashbacks that lay out the many dysfunctions within this family. Why, for instance, would Shankar’s sister ask him to come to her daughter’s coming-of-age ceremony  after  Senthil has left? What is the reason these brothers are at war? Why does Senthil’s wife tell him not to speak to Shankar, while Shankar’s wife tells him to look after Senthil? The thing that Shankar did – has that got to do with why Senthil is a drunk, why Senthil says he feels like dying? After a long time, we have a family with very interesting, very different dynamics. The lines are casual and don’t seem “crafted”, and the dialogues often overlap. All of this keeps the drama real and convincing.

And then, we meet J.Baby And we realise that this mother is not an innocent victim of neglect, but someone who makes it hard for people to live with her. (Her five struggling, grown-up children come off like saints.) There is some mental illness involved, and the screenplay treats it a little too casually. And this is probably because of the actor playing J.Baby. Urvasi can play both comedy and drama, and both aspects are put to good use by the character-writing as well as the actor’s performance. But perhaps for commercial reasons, the comedy side comes through far better than the dramatic side. Yes, we do get scenes like the one where a son beats J.Baby, and we sense his utter frustration at that moment. But a subsequent scene, where she visits his home, tilts the balance back in her favour.

Maybe the casting should have taken care of that: with such a powerhouse performer at the centre, the others, though not bad, needed to measure up equally well. There is a pointed scene where Shankar is framed against a poster for mental-health awareness, which says how the general public can play a part. But I wish we had seen more of the other side, too – about what caregivers need to do in order to not lose their minds. When we first meet Shankar and Senthil, we look at them just as brothers who have an issue, but after the mother enters the narrative, we realise she, too, is a big part of the issues the family faces. “ Naa enna pannren-nu enakke therila ,” J.Baby says. It’s a line that makes you feel for her, and also for the family around her.

The film also talks about the life of a woman after the death of her husband. Your children are now grown-up and they are busy trying to make a living. Whom do you talk to? How do you transition from living in your own home to being dependent on your children? The needless songs could have been axed for more meat in addressing these points. Shankar could have been less of a saint, more of a mere human being. The repeated images of motherhood – from Ma Durga to suckling puppies to pregnant women – could have been toned down. But despite all this obviousness, all this loudness,  J.Baby  is that rare thing in Tamil cinema: an involving family drama that gives us a glimpse of everyone involved. Even Senthil’s wife, who gets two scenes, registers because of a small smile at the end. And yes. If male-oriented scripts can be made to over-showcase the hero, who can blame the director for wanting to over-showcase a heroine who’s every bit of a screen presence as a hero!

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• 09 Feb 2024

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• 22 Feb 2024
• About The Author
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Baradwaj Rangan

National Award-winning film critic Baradwaj Rangan, former deputy editor of The Hindu and senior editor of Film Companion, has carved a niche for himself over the years as a powerful voice in cinema, especially the Tamil film industry, with his reviews of films. While he was pursuing his chemical engineering degree, he was fascinated with the writing and analysis of world cinema by American critics. Baradwaj completed his Master’s degree in Advertising and Public Relations through scholarship. His first review was for the Hindi film Dum, published on January 30, 2003, in the Madras Plus supplement of The Economic Times. He then started critiquing Tamil films in 2014 and did a review on the film Subramaniapuram, while also debuting as a writer in the unreleased rom-com Kadhal 2 Kalyanam. Furthermore, Baradwaj has authored two books - Conversations with Mani Ratnam, 2012, and A Journey Through Indian Cinema, 2014. In 2017, he joined Film Companion South and continued to show his prowess in critiquing for the next five years garnering a wide viewership and a fan following of his own before announcing to be a part of Galatta Media in March 2022.

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Top 7 Tamil family movies that guarantee wholesome moments; Peranbu to Dada

Tamil family movies are often known for their wholesome content and for making the characters relate to everyday life. So here are some of the best you can stream and watch right now!

Tamil family movies are often known for providing some of the best experiences for the audience, especially craving some feel-good content. These movies are suitable for any age and can be enjoyed on weekends, spent with your family.

So here’s a list of some wholesome family movies from Tamil which are bound to be memorable moments in your life.

Top 7 Tamil family movies to watch with your loved ones right now

1. peranbu (2018).

• Cast: Mammootty, Anjali, Sadhana, Anjali Ameer, Lizzie Antony, Vadivukkarasi, Livingston, Aruldoss
• Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video
• IMDb Rating: 8.7/10

A Tamil family movie that manages to touch everyone’s hearts is the Mammootty , starring Peranbu directed by Ram. The film focuses on the tale of a dejected single father who was abandoned by his wife, leaving him alone to take care of their daughter suffering from cerebral palsy.

Leaving him confused about the upbringing of his child, Amudhavan has to face a lot of challenges from society, which shapes up a beautiful, heartwarming film of a father and daughter.

2. Veetla Vishesham (2022)

• Cast: RJ Balaji, Sathyaraj, Urvashi, Aparna Balamurali, K.P.A.C. Lalitha, Visvesh, Shivani Narayanan, Seema
• Where to watch: Zee 5
• IMDb Rating: 6.9/10

A comedy-drama movie that one can surely enjoy together as a family is the RJ Balaji starrer Veetla Vishesham. The film, co-directed by the actor himself with NJ Saravanan, features the story of a young biology school teacher, Ilango.

Living in a traditional middle-class family, his life is turned upside down when his mother gets pregnant. The rest of the humorous tale sets up the rest of the movie. The movie is the official Tamil remake of the Hindi language flick Badhaai Ho, starring Ayushman Khurana.

3. Saivam (2014)

• Cast: Nassar, Sara Arjun , Luthfudeen Baashaa, Twara Desai, Suresh, Shanmugarajan, Vidya Pradeep, George Maryan
• Where to watch: Disney+ Hotstar
• IMDb Rating: 6.8/10

Saivam tells a sweet and sentimental dramatic tale of a joint family headed by the patriarch, Kathiresan, in Tamil Nadu. On a visit to their family temple, an ill-fated incident occurs, leading the members to assume it was because they did not perform a sacrificial ritual to appease the gods.

Owing to everyone’s claims, the family decides to sacrifice their pet rooster for the upcoming ritual, but suddenly, it goes missing. The rest of the film focuses on how the rooster went missing and how it manages to change everyone’s lives, also making it a film about family bonds.

4. 36 Vayadhinile (2015)

• Cast: Jyothika, Rahman, Abhirami, Nassar, Siddhartha Basu, Amritha Anil, Delhi Ganesh, M. S. Bhaskar
• Where to watch: Aha Video

36 Vayadhinile, led by Jyothika in the lead role, tells the tale of Vasanthi, a UD clerk and a typical housewife who leads a mundane lifestyle. Though her life seems to be going in its own cyclic manner, everything starts to change when the President of India wants to meet her.

Though their meeting ends up with a disastrous result and leads to her being a laughing stock in society, her life changes for the better, re-discovering her forgotten identity.

5. Dada (2023)

• Cast: Kavin, Aparna Das, Master Ilan Arjunan, Baby Nalan Premkumar, K. Bhagyaraj, Aishwariyaa Bhaskaran, VTV Ganesh, Pradeep Antony
• IMDb Rating: 8.1/10

Dada, starring Kavin in the lead role, presents a touching family story of a young college student, Mani, who accidentally gets pregnant with his girlfriend. Disowned by his parents, the former starts to make a living for himself doing menial jobs.

However, Mani starts to mistreat his girlfriend over time and does not pay attention to her. This eventually leads her to abandon him and his child, which becomes a turning point in his life, leading him to become a single father who conditionally loves and cares for his son.

6. Dharma Durai (2016)

• Cast: Vijay Sethupathi, Tamannaah Bhatia, Aishwarya Rajesh, Srushti Dange, Radhika Sarathkumar, M. S. Bhaskar
• IMDb Rating: 7.5/10

Vijay Sethupathi starrer Dharma Durai features the story of a heartbroken doctor who is a village drunkard and often becomes the reason for his family’s embarrassment in society. After things turn sour for him in his hometown, Dharmadurai leaves his home and eventually meets his former classmate from his college days.

When the latter comes to know about his reasons for alcoholism, she starts to rehabilitate him, which forms a romance between them and urges a second chance at life for him.

7. Abhiyum Naanum (2008)

• Cast: Prakash Raj, Trisha Krishnan, Aishwarya, Ganesh Venkatram, Prithviraj Sukumaran, Thalaivasal Vijay
• IMDb Rating: 7.6/10

A Tamil family film filled with comedy and drama is the Prakash Raj starrer Abhiyum Naanum. Based on the American film Father of the Bride, the movie focuses on the tale of Raghuram, who leads a simple life running an estate in Ooty.

Upon seeing a young man, Sudhakar, with his daughter, Raghuram starts reminiscing about his own daughter Abhi. The rest of the film takes us on a coming journey and how the father transitions through various phases as his daughter grows up.

All the above-mentioned movies are some of the best family movies in Tamil you can enjoy with your loved ones anytime. Besides the ones mentioned, several more movies are bound to be considered one of the best among Tamil family films.

ALSO READ:   Popular star kid: Meet Sivakarthikeyan's 10-year-old daughter Aaradhana who is a singer and child prodigy

Goutham S is a native of Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. A writer for a few years now, particularly following Indian

Goutham S is a native of Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. A writer for a few years now, particularly following Indian films and Entertainment. A cinephile at heart, a writer by passion finds company in mostly poems, stories, music and mindless scrolling through the Internet, along with some very close people. 

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Top 10 Family movies in Tamil

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Singapore saloon (சிங்கப்பூர் சலூன்), margazhi thingal, are you ok baby, black n white, vaan moondru, luv ki arrange marriage (लव की अर्रंजे मैरिज), dedh bigha zameen (डेढ़ बीघा जमीन), yaariyan 2 (यारीआ 2), luv you shankar (लव यू शंकर), patna shuklla (पटना शुकला), badhai ho beti huee hai (बधाई हो बेटी हुई है), tera kya hoga lovely (तेरा क्या होगा लवली), troy the bharat putra (ट्रॉय - भारत पुत्र), khichdi 2 (खिचड़ी 2), diamond singh aam aadmi, malli pelli, anni manchi sakunamule, organic mama hybrid alludu, writer padmabhushan, kalyanam kamaneeyam, andaru bagundali andulo nenundali, swathi muthyam, pellikuturu party, ante sundaraniki, ashoka vanamlo arjuna kalyanam, bilu rakkhosh (বিল্লু রাক্ষস), puratan (পুরাতন), punormilone, mlan jochna, karna subarner guptodhon, aay khuku aay (যায় খুকু যায়), sesh chithi, pappachan olivilaanu, madanolsavam, khali purse of billionaires, maheshum maruthiyum, momo in dubai, aanandham paramanandham, shefeekkinte santhosham, kaatera (ಕಾಟೇರ), orchestra mysuru, selfie mummy googl daddy, nam annayya, ragpicker ramaiah, mommaga bandanu thathana manege, katha sangama, londonalli lambodara, popular tamil movies, the greatest of all time (தி கிரேட்டஸ்ட் ஆஃப் ஆல் டைம்’), mazhai pidikatha manithan (மழை பிடிக்காத மனிதன்), raayan (ராயன்), raghu thatha (ரக்து தாத்தா), thangalaan (தங்களால்), weapon (வெப்போன்), maharaja (மகாராஜா), indian 2 (இந்தியன் 2), garudan (கருடன்), guardian (கார்டியன்), mudhal nee mudivum nee, sabhaapathy, family star (ఫామిలీ స్టార్), the great indian kitchen, chithirai sevvaanam, jurassic attack, tik tik tik, exit (എക്സിറ്), naane varuvean, saani kaayidham, aranmanai 3, gowdru hotel, jigarthanda.

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Aarilirunthu Arubathu Varai (U)

14/sep/1979.

• Director: Muthuraman S.p.
• Music Director: Ilaiyaraja
• Genre: Family Drama
• Cast: Rajinikanth , Phataphat Jayalaxmi, Cho Ramaswamy

Reviews Counted - Critics: 0 | Users: 28

Storyline: Santhanam gives the best education to his siblings and takes care of all their basic needs. However, More

21/Dec/1979

• Director: Durai
• Music Director: Shankar Ganesh
• Cast: Shobha , Delhi Ganesh

Reviews Counted - Critics: 0 | Users: 9

Storyline: Manian, a cycle-rickshaw puller, is a road-side dweller along with his wife Valliamma and their seve More

Per Sollum Pillai (U)

16/jul/1987.

• Cast: Kamal Haasan, Radhika , Manorama , Vijaya K.r.

Reviews Counted - Critics: 0 | Users: 4

Storyline: Rajalakshmi has raised Ramu ever since he was a child. She refuses to get her daughter married to hi More

Dharmathin Thalaivan (U)

23/sep/1988.

• Genre: Family
• Cast: Rajinikanth , Nassar , Prabhu Ganesan, Suhasini Ratnam

Reviews Counted - Critics: 0 | Users: 6

25/Nov/1988

• Director: Balu Mahendra
• Cast: Archana , Bhanu Chander

Storyline: A dramatic-story depicting the difficulties of a lower middle class family trying to build a new hou More

11/Jan/1991

• Director: Ananthu
• Music Director: S. P. Balasubrahmanyam
• Cast: Balasubrahmanyam S.p., Radha , Rekha , Anand Babu, Ramya Krishnan

Reviews Counted - Critics: 0 | Users: 5

Storyline: A genius music director, Damodaran, sinks into depression when his wife dies and his son, Krishna, t More

Dharma Dorai (U)

14/jan/1991.

• Director: Rajasekar
• Genre: Drama Family
• Cast: Rajinikanth , Gouthami Tadimalla

Reviews Counted - Critics: 0 | Users: 8

Storyline: Dharmadurai, a simple villager, helps his brothers financially against his father's wishes. He also More

Marupakkam (U)

04/oct/1991.

• Director: Sethumadhavan K.s.
• Music Director: L Vaidyanathan
• Cast: Sivakumar , Jayabharathi, Radha

Reviews Counted - Critics: 0 | Users: 7

Storyline: An estranged son visits his ailing father and tries to figure out the reason behind the latter's sil More

Chinna Gounder

15/jan/1992.

• Director: Udayakumar R.v.
• Genre: Crime Family
• Cast: Vijaykanth , Sukanya , Senthil , Goundamani , Manorama

Reviews Counted - Critics: 0 | Users: 10

Storyline: The story is about Thavasi, who is a Village panchayat president (Arbitrator) as all his forefathers More

12/Jan/1996

• Director: Agathiyan
• Music Director: Deva
• Genre: Love Family
• Cast: Ajith Kumar, Swathi Reddy

Reviews Counted - Critics: 0 | Users: 3

Storyline: Krishna belongs to a middle-class family and his father does not have a very good reputation. Krishn More

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'Rathnam' Movie Review: What's Good, What's Bad; Find Out From Viewers' Words

After 'Thaamirabharani', and 'Poojai', director Hari of 'Singam' fame has teamed up with Vishal Krishna for 'Rathnam'. The movie has Priya Bhavani Shankar in the female lead.

Samuthirakani, Ramachandra Raju, Gautham Vasudev Menon, Yogi Babu, Mohan Raman, Vijayakumar, Tulasi and others in the supporting cast. The film has Devi Sri Prasad's music, TS Vijay's editing and M Sukumar's cinematography.

Like his earlier movies, Hari's latest movie too is an action packed commercial entertainer. The promos have indicated that it will be yet another fascinating story that revolves around a lawless thugs and an angry youngman.

Haris films always pack a punch, except for Seval and Swamy Square. Theyve got that special repeat value…. Hoping #Rathnam lives up to the same standard pic.twitter.com/PyGGaCQwT2 — Swathiiii 🌸 (@Swathi_Prasad96) April 25, 2024

Rathnam (played by Vishal) works for an MLA (portrayed by Samuthirakani) and their alliance is built on a unique set of morals. Their brand of rowdyism is aimed at serving the greater good of the people.

The MLA takes pride in the understanding between his henchmen and the police, believing it allows them to work together for the community's benefit. One fateful day, Rathnam encounters Mallika (played by Priya Bhavani Shankar), who is preparing to take her NEET exam. He soon learns that she is being targeted by a group of thugs.

Rathnam is known for his willingness to assist women in distress, but his decision to help Mallika is motivated by more than just his usual sense of duty. Mallika reveals that her family is embroiled in a conflict with the Rayudu brothers over a piece of land that rightfully belongs to them. As Rathnam delves deeper into the situation to uncover the truth, he finds himself entangled in a dangerous game. Who are the Rayudu brothers, and what lengths are they willing to go to in order to get their way?

The movie has piqued a lot of interest. Will it live up to the viewers' expectations? Find it out from the viewers' words below:

Sai Satish: #Rathnam - Puratchi Thalapathy @VishalKOfficial's one man show. Action blocks are a feast for Mass fans, and emotional scenes worked well. 💯 Director #Hari once again amazed us with his racy screenplay, showcasing his flair for blending action with family drama. He masterfully steers the narrative, keeping us engaged throughout👍

Rockstar: @ThisIsDSP delivers trendy tunes and a powerful BGM that elevate the action sequences to another level. @priya_Bshankar steals the show with her striking screen presence 😍 Finally, the Hat-trick combo delivered a 𝑴𝑨𝑺𝑺ive blockbuster

Siddarth Srinivas: #Rathnam Interval: Speedy show so far. Hari delivers what he said, a fine commercial entertainer that comes up with an engaging screenplay after the first 30 minutes. The action sequences are the highlight particularly the interval block, emotionally good too. @ThisIsDSP BGM 👌

Cinema Madness 24*7: Hari sir science fiction teesthadu anukune valu dooram undachu. Template commercial cinema with good fights - characters - music - camera angles with a different conflict point is what I typically expect from a Hari film. Decent enough. 👍🏻 #Rathnam

Rajasekar: #Rathnam first half is racy . Hari is back with his template story powered with engaging screenplay. All the action blocks and sentiment sequences are working well so far! It's a regular Hari film upgraded in the way the action sequences are shot with emotions at the right places ! @VishalKOfficial looks fresh and energetic, he effortlessly pulls off action sequences. Well written characters for @priya_Bshankar and @thondankani @ThisIsDSP elevates the scenes with his pulsating score. Good first half 👍

Prabu AK😎: #Rathnam solid entertainer 💥👍 Action blocks elam tharam🔥gud racy action entertainer with some gud emotions💯✌️ Vishal action la maratitapla🔥and gud role for PBS🤩hari mams oda gud action movie 💯👍👍

V2Cinemas: #Rathnam -3.25/5 Full of action packed entertainer from HARI. This time @VishalKOfficial performance is top notch 💪. Mother sentiments works. @priya_Bshankar has a excellent role and with good performance. @ThisIsDSP BGM is good 👍 " Action packed entertainer "

Citizen_thinkss: Good Action Entertainer 👍. Comedy, Emotional scenes works well✨.Had few lags in 2nd half.Action sequence came out very well🔥.Camera work💥.Songs,BGM ok🤗.Good one from Hari after Poojai🙌. #Rathnam #RathnamReview #Rathnam

Amrutha Bharathi: #Rathnam [#ABRatings - 3.25/5] - Hari's usual story line with his full package ✌️ - Action Blocks, Interval, Few emotional scenes worked well💯💥 - Vishal & PriyaBavani both had equal scope and done well👌 - Initial few mins & some lags in second half are the drawbacks - Montage songs of DSP & BGM throughout the first half was good🥁 - Had few hangover of his Poojai film Overall A Pakka commercial movie from Hari, which would work more for his Fans & Families🤝 Pure commercial packed Action Drama in Hari style🤝 The movie won't Disappoint.....will be a treat for Commercial movie lovers and Families

#Rathnam First half - Above Average🤝 - First 30 mins was little slow to establish characters !! - After that movie get into the racy screenplay & goes fully engaging 🔥🔥 - Interval block was Veriii🥵 - Equal scope for both #Vishal & #PBS💫 - 4 Solid Action blocks with a single shot Action sequences was very executed well👌 - Rocking BGM from DSP🥁 A solid commercial Hari Film so far...into second half✌️

Tharani ᖇᵗк: #Rathnam : Good First Half 🤝 A Trademark Dir #Hari Screenplay 👍🏻#Vishal Acting 🔥 Massive Three Action block's Especially pre interval Action Sequences🥵🩸Single take Chasing scenes Superb & @ThisIsDSP BGM & "Don't Worry" Song Semma vibe🔊💥😎👍🏻

Waiting for second half..✌️

Tha Cinema: #Rathnam First half - Above Average🤝 - First 30 mins was little slow to establish characters !! - After that movie get into the racy screenplay & goes fully engaging 🔥🔥 - Interval block was Veriii🥵 - Equal scope for both #Vishal & #PBS💫

Yoagandran Raako: #Rathnam Director Hari is back to form. Everything from @iYogiBabucomedy , Amma sentiment to high octane action sequences worked well to make it an engaging Masala entertainer. Good to watch with family. Another hit for @VishalKOfficial

Raghav917252: Blockbuster #Rathnam Fans show completed 🔥🔥🔥 Hari sir great direction Vishal Anna acting peaks 3.5/5

#Rathnam Early reviews from the industry people, those who watched the movie🔥 Looks like a pakka commercial Entertainer loading from Dir Hari🤩 pic.twitter.com/uSLE3RXBsS — AmuthaBharathi (@CinemaWithAB) April 25, 2024

Azeem Jaffer: #Rathnam - 2/5 A generic mass masala action drama that doesn't work as expected. Surprisingly, DSP's songs are the only soothening element in this otherwise loud, outdated bloodbath & sadly, Dir. Hari still needs a proper comeback film.

Verdict: Forgettable fare.

Tharun Kumar: #Rathnam 1 st half 😒 Outdated making, bgm is not worth Not an engaging movie so far..

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Family Drama

A dysfunctional family, a serial killer on the loose and when both the worlds meet, it topples many lives . A dysfunctional family, a serial killer on the loose and when both the worlds meet, it topples many lives . A dysfunctional family, a serial killer on the loose and when both the worlds meet, it topples many lives .

• Teja Kasarapu
• Pooja Kiran
• Shruthi Meher
• 8 User reviews
• 7 Critic reviews
• (as Anusha Nuthala)
• Family friend

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• Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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User reviews 8

• meenaal-600-474953
• Nov 7, 2021
• October 29, 2021 (India)
• Chashma Films
• Noothana Bharathi Films
• See more company credits at IMDbPro

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• Runtime 2 hours 12 minutes

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Stream It Or Skip It: ‘Arthur the King’ on Starz, a Sports Drama That Stages an Epic Scruff-Off Between Mark Wahlberg and a Very Cute Dog

Where to stream:.

• Arthur the King

Kelly Ripa Claims That Mark Consuelos “Looks Like A Rottweiler” On ‘Live’: “You Know I’m Right”

Channing tatum is flopping his way through summer 2024 — but why, stream it or skip it: ‘inside the mind of a dog’ on netflix, the canine-brain documentary that’s as fascinating as it sounds, will smith plugs ‘bad boys: ride or die’ on ‘hot ones,’ where he talks about everything but his infamous oscars slap… including the surprising co-star he tried to adopt .

On the surface, Arthur the King ( now streaming on Starz , in addition to VOD services like Amazon Prime Video ) is a BOATS ( Based On A True Story ) about an adventure racer and his dog. But subtextually? It’s a world-class scruff-off between Mark Wahlberg and a heart-melting mutt. Wahlberg plays a somewhat fictionalized version of athlete Mikael Lindnord, whose adventure racing squad was joined by a bedraggled stray pooch in the midst of a typically grueling multi-leg pain-is-your-friend competition. Lindnord’s experience inspired him to write a book which inspired a movie which hopefully inspires us all to Embrace Life And All The Selfless Loving Sad-Eyed Fluffballs We Meet. Or maybe it won’t. The movie, I mean. Dogs always deserve the best we can give them, and they’re always inspiring, especially if they’re cute, but even more especially if they’re ugly, but that doesn’t mean all movies featuring dogs are the best. Now let’s determine if this particular dog movie is good or just, you know, a dog.

ARTHUR THE KING : STREAM IT OR SKIP IT?

The Gist: If you want to learn about the ins and outs of adventure racing, go read Wikipedia, cuz you’re not getting it here. The movie gives us the bare basics – adventure racing teams consist of four or so people who run and bike and hike and paddle and climb and zipline and do whatever it takes to get from start to finish during a five-day endurance test. It’s kind of an -athlon, but seems to be more grueling than any other -athlon. From the looks of things I’d call it a murder athlon, and you almost certainly have to be a maniac to do it. Michael Light (Wahlberg) does it, and we meet him in the middle of a race and THIS BETTER NOT BE A MOVIE WHERE THE DOG DIES AT THE END. The thought occurred to me very early on, well before Michael even meets the dog. We meet Michael as he leads his crew to spectacular failure, so he gives up the adventure-racing life to work for his father’s real estate company and even though he has a supportive wife and an adorable daughter and what looks like a million-dollar house in Colorado with a spectacular mountain view, he’s not happy. A dog would probably help with that, especially if the dog LIVES TO SEE THE END CREDITS. You hear us, movie? Don’t DO this to us. Please. 

Three years after Michael’s final crash-and-burn was documented on Instagram by teammate Leo (Sim Liu) for the world to ridicule, he decides to piece together another team for a race set in the Dominican Republic. Between scenes in which Michael recruits badass rock climber Olivia (Nathalie Emmanuel), rouses old pal with a bad knee Chik (Ali Suliman) and sort of buries the hatchet with Leo, we get scenes of a mangy Benji-ish woofer scrounging and surviving on the streets of Santo Domingo. This dog. Good grief. He looks like a dust mop mated with Santa’s Little Helper. Devastating animal, positively devastating. Michael delivers a rousing, more than slightly angry speech to a boardroom full of potential sponsors trying to scrape up money for the race, and Poor Sad Pathetic But Spirited Nameless Dog scrapes up something to eat out of a garbage can. Dog and man couldn’t be farther apart – or closer together in their feelings of desperation. This is that thing called irony. 

After being dots following a dotted line on a map for a while, Michael and Team Broadrail are in 17th place. They stop for a rest and as Michael rips open a package of freeze-dried meatballs, he notices this amazing, shabby creature sad-eyeing him. He’s bleeding, the pup. Michael gives him a meatball and we’re all like NO YOU NEED THE PROTEIN BRO but as these things always go, now the dog is ready to jump in front of a herd of wayward zeppelins to save him. The team sets off and the dog watches them go and after they take a shortcut and blow by a sign that reads PELIGRO and subsequently have some harrowing adventures, they stop to chill in the jungle and – well, there’s the dog. How the hell did he get there? Chik jokes that he has wings. They name him Arthur, and Arthur is their inspiration. If he got over and around and through this insane terrain, with an ugly oozing wound and a bad leg, then they surely can, right? Hell, they might even win this thing, because teams without dogs are obviously inferior than those with. And that’s a fact.

What Movies Will It Remind You Of?: Arthur the King is like Channing Tatum vehicle Dog meets Marley and Me meets Strays meets any number of semi-generic sports movies meets any number of semi-generic Mark Wahlberg BOATS movies (see: Father Stu , Joe Bell , Patriots Day , Deepwater Horizon and/or Lone Survivor , in which he plays essentially the same type of earnest-guy character). 

Performance Worth Watching: Arthur is played by a pup named Ukai, who wins this accolade because, as always, dogs > humans. 

Memorable Dialogue: Michael’s angry pitch to potential sponsors: “I learned that I could embrace pain. BUCKETS of it. I learned that suffering is a skill, and I could suffer more than anyone else.”

Sex and Skin: None.

Our Take: I’m happy to report that Arthur the King is not buckets of pain. Sure, it indulges ajll the cliches of sports movies and sad-animal movies and Mark Wahlberg BOATS movies, and it’s sometimes sullied by awful dialogue, and it shamelessly jerks us around and piles on until you want to yell STOP MANIPULATING MY FRAGILE EMOTIONS at the screen, but hey, nobody’s perfect. This is a totally acceptable movie that didn’t “inspire” me as much as it probably wanted to, but it made me feel warm and good about things. Life is pain, but life is also a wonder, and you sense the wonder when you look into the eyes of an intensely unconditional-loving creature, and those eyes belong to my cat. Or my other cat. Or the dog in this movie. Or maybe Baby Yoda. You’re not going to find that feeling just anywhere, you know.

And director Simon Cellan Jones knows that. All too well, it seems. When the movie doesn’t quite seem to be fleshing out its characters or piecing together elements of disparate genres, it cuts to the dog’s hungry-adorbs hang-dog look, which distracts our brains by flooding them with buckets of emotional gloosh . Wahlberg holds the movie together with the persona we’re thoroughly familiar with by now – tough on the outside, mooshy on the inside, quick with the line deliveries, ever and always almost convincingly sincere – albeit with facial hair that’s meticulously designed to mirror Arthur’s damp mange. There’s a bit where Michael looks at the pooch and wonders aloud, “Whaddaya think he went through before he met us?” Good question, but because he’ll never really know, what truly matters is, what’s going to happen to him now? NO SPOILERS of course, but it better not be a trip to the pet cemetery. One Old Yeller is enough for this world, thank you.

Our Call: STREAM IT. You could do worse than Arthur the King , which offers approximately zero surprises, but enough cute-dog shenanigans to make it worthy of family movie night.

John Serba is a freelance writer and film critic based in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

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Vivek Athreya on ‘Saripodhaa Sanivaaram’: I did not want my protagonist (Nani) to be a killer 

Basking in the success of ‘saripodhaa sanivaaram’, writer-director vivek athreya talks about subverting cliches, avoiding violence, and inspirations ranging from batman to mani ratnam.

Updated - September 11, 2024 03:53 pm IST

Vivek Athreya with Nani on the sets of ‘Saripodhaa Sanivaaram’

In its second week, director Vivek Athreya’s Telugu film Saripodhaa Sanivaaram continues to be warmly received by the audience. At his office in Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad, Vivek Athreya confesses, “Post release, I have been catching up on (lost) sleep and spending time with my seven-month-old son.” He says it was a race to the finish line for the action entertainer starring Nani, SJ Suryah and Priyanka Arul Mohan.

When the release date (August 29) was announced in February, only 20% of the film had been completed. Since considerable portions had to be filmed outdoors, shooting in June and July proved to be challenging. The climax, planned to be filmed over 12 days, took 20 days due to rain. The film involved several actors, managing their different schedules was tough. In hindsight, Vivek thinks he could have smoothened out a few rough edges if not for the time constraints.

Considering his earlier films — Mental Madhilo, Brochevarevarura, and Ante Sundaraniki — many were sceptical that he could pull off an action thriller. Vivek sees Saripodhaa ... as a reflection of the star-led masala entertainers he had grown up enjoying, alongside family and social dramas.

Sidestep cliches

When he began writing Saripodhaa ..., about a protagonist taught by his mother to channel his anger, and an antagonist who unleashes his rage on hapless people, Vivek wanted to subvert a few cliches of mainstream cinema.

“I have always loved drama. While writing Saripodhaa… . I tried to conceive rousing theatrical moments by keeping the drama intact. For instance, many viewers have appreciated the twist in the pub scene involving the clock. In an earlier scene, as Ajay Ghosh speaks, we subtly focus on the clock. Given the volume of information in the initial portions, I knew that the audience could forget this detail. So when a twist involving the boy and the clock happens, it comes as a surprise.”

Vivek was clear that he wanted a hero who was restrained. “Sunday to Friday, he is a normal son to his father, a doting brother to his sister, and works as an insurance agent but on Saturday, he explodes. The mother’s story (Abhirami as Chaya) serves as an emotional anchor. I did not want a hero who could do anything and get away with it. We see how Nature selects the day on which he can express his anger and that creates a strong foundation.”

The unfinished conversation between the mother and son defines the hero’s evolution. Vivek explains, “We often view anger in a negative connotation. I thought if anger can be channeled, it can serve a purpose. The hero learns that nijamaina kopam (true anger) should give people hope rather than instilling fear.”

Vivek wanted to avoid the trope of a saviour hero. “The idea was to show that a vigilante hero can rise from one among us.” A reference point while writing Nani’s character (Surya) was Batman. “He is one of the most grounded superheroes. He has his fears (of bats) but he has to overcome his shortcomings and measure up.”

The presence of the sister ( Aditi Balan as Bhadra) in the later portions also comes close to a stereotype that gets subverted. “In an initial draft, I wanted the sister also to be present during the climax. But both Nani and I felt it would not make sense if the hero remained silent while his sister, whom he now considers a mother figure, is roughed up. So we opted for the hospital scene for the sister.”

The supporting cast

The casting — Abhirami as the mother, Aditi Balan as the sister and Sai Kumar as the father — gave the characters an edge. “Abhirami was magical as the mother; when she was on the screen, I found it tough to notice anyone else.” Vivek requested her to sport a large bindi and loosely tie her hair. “Even though she is supposedly ailing, I did not want to explain her illness. Her children only remember the mother as a healthy woman, who never showed her vulnerable self.”

Sai Kumar and Vivek Athreya on the sets of ‘Saripodhaa Sanivaaram’

While Abhirami is shown as the strong mother who stands up against domestic abuse, the inspiration for the father’s character, Sankaram, came from Kamal Haasan’s role in Mahanadi. “In this film, we see Sai Kumar constantly doing something — making dosas, sorting out clothes and vessels or checking his son’s activities to ward off trouble. My brief to Sai Kumar was that the father character should not carry the pain of the mother’s absence. Sai Kumar was terrific in delivering the fun lines and portraying a concerned father.”

Avoid the flashback

Vivek reveals that he wanted S.J Suryah to play an unpredictable antagonist without going overboard. The trigger for the character was the Sathankulam incident in Tamil Nadu involving police custodial deaths. “Daya (SJ Suryah) is the film’s most important and tricky character. He can instil fear even when he is beaten up. He shares a comical equation with his brother Kurmanand (Murali Sharma) and turns into a monster in Sokulapalem. I had to strike a balance between making Daya entertaining and menacing.”

The villain’s introduction scene which unexpectedly opens up his backstory has been appreciated. Vivek intended to avoid a flashback. “I enjoyed writing that scene, as well as the coffee-tea tug of war between the brothers.”

The protagonist and antagonist are a study in contrast. Both have anger and sibling issues. While the hero’s anger is kept in check by his family, the antagonist’s rage wreaks havoc.

Surya and Thalapathi

Nani in ‘Saripodhaa Sanivaaram’

Ask Vivek if the inspiration for naming the protagonist Surya and the undercurrent of anger comes from Mani Ratnam’s Thalapathi and he concurs with a smile. “I always wanted to name one of my protagonists Surya. It is a powerful name. I even considered naming the antagonist Deva (Mammootty in Thalapathi ).” 

As for the mother’s influence and a piece of her red sari that remains with the hero, Vivek explains, “In each frame where the mother is present, there is an element of red, which later gets extended to Surya. In contrast, we used dark green for Daya and pastel greens for Kurmanand.”

The names Surya, Bhadra, Chaya (mother) and Sankaram (father) are also an ode to the Sun God’s family.

A childhood scene involving the mother and son on a sandy beach, perched on a wooden log, is also a nod to Mani Ratnam’s Kannathil Muthamittal . “It was definitely a reference point,” Vivek acknowledges. “Some of those images made me want to be a filmmaker.”

An action musical

No brutality, please.

Unlike recent action entertainers defined by brutal violence, Vivek says he did not want his protagonist and the people of Sokulapalem to end up as killers. He also avoided showing a close-up shot of a child falling over a knife (kathi peeta); in another scene, he avoided showing the heroine getting slapped by Daya. “It was sufficient to convey the impact without explicitly showing the violence.”

Discussing the performances, Vivek says the team knew that SJ Suryah had the author-backed part filled with histrionics. For Nani, the brief was to keep it subtle and explode only in crucial moments. “Rather than clenching his fist to control his anger, I wanted my hero to refer to the story of how Krishna and Satyabhama came together to slay Narakasura.” Later, this is also turned around to encourage people to stand up against evil rather than look for a saviour.

Abhirami’s character works as the emotional anchor for the story

Writing an action drama with several characters and subplots, says Vivek, involved a fair amount of editing to contain the length. “Sometimes I wonder why I deal with so many layers. But that is what makes the narrative unique.”

The box office success has brought in cheer, especially after Vivek and Nani’s earlier collaboration Ante Sundaraniki , drew critical acclaim but did not set the box office on fire. “Nani said the success of Saripodhaa… validates our collaboration for Ante… and I agree. Today, some people say they liked Ante… better than Saripodhaa.. . Similarly, some people liked Mental Madhilo more than Broche.. . These opinions are bound to be there. I think the climax of Saripodhaa… could have been better. With the script of Ante… , I have no such issues.”

Vivek is now on a break before announcing his next film. He and Nani hope to collaborate again, this time for a full-fledged comedy film.

Published - September 11, 2024 03:19 pm IST

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