Dharmadurai
Reviews
timesofindia
The opening minutes of Dharmadurai bring to mind Seenuramasamy's previous released film Neerparavai (the film that he shot after that, Idam Porul Yeval, is still lying in the cans and even gets referenced here). Like the hero of that film, the protagonist of this one, too, is an alcoholic. The first time we see Dharmadurai (Vijay Sethupathi, solid), he is at a local bar, and the director shows us how his oafish behaviour is a constant source of embarrassment to his brothers (each one named after the Pandavas of the Mahabharata), who even plot to harm him grievously to stop him from maligning them further. His mother, Pandiyammal (Radikaa), is the only one who stands up for him, and we get the sense that there is some reason behind Dharmadurai's alcoholism. But the director holds on to that for quite a while, instead choosing to narrate the college days of Dharma. We see his gang of friends, which includes Stella (Srushti Dange) and Subhashini (Tamannaah, who does a commendable job dubbing for herself), and the two pine for him, the former openly, and the latter in silence. Then, there is their saintly professor Dr Kamaraj (Rajesh), who keeps urging them to treat the profession as a service and work in the villages. And finally, we get the reason for Dharma's need to seek solace in alcohol. We are introduced to Anbuselvi (Aishwarya Rajesh), a worker, whom Dharma falls in love with, and we learn how, despite his do-gooder nature, the romance ends in tragedy because of the greed and regressive attitude of his brothers. Dharmadurai has a great central conflict — how even a person with good intentions can become a liability for someone else because of those around him — but Seenuramasamy's resolution of this conflict feels unsatisfactory. The director takes too long to get into the story, and uses a framing device about a bag of cash that Dharmadurai mistakenly takes along with him when he leaves home, which gets his family into trouble. This adds some tension to the initial scenes, but soon, it is side-lined for the campus scenes, which come across as artificial. And the redemption angle is resolved midway into the second half, and we do not have anything else to care for after that. The director fills the remaining time with a less involving sub-plot centred around Dharma and Subha, and brings in the matter of the money again through developments that do not feel organic. But the film does have genuinely affecting moments, and actors like Aishwarya Rajesh (once again typecast as a poor woman), Radikaa (confident), MS Bhaskar (subtle) and Rajesh (fantastic) enhance the ordinary writing in many of the scenes. The repeated stressing of the need for altruism gets tiring at times, but in these cynical times, it does leave you with a warm feeling. There are quite a few moments (like the entire segment involving Anbuselvi) that convey what this director is capable of, but the synthetic sub-plots pull the film down and prevent it from becoming the emotional roller coaster that it should have been.
Movie Recommendation
Vikram Vedha2017-07-21A notorious gangster Vedha surrenders himself to encounter specialist Vikram whom he challenges every step of the way by narrating his life events in the form of riddles that needs to be solved in order to capture him.More...
Naanum Rowdydhaan2015-10-21Pandian, the son of a cop and a wannabe rowdy, falls in love with Kadambarai, a hearing-impaired girl, who wants him to take on Killivalavan, a gangster-politician who has murdered her parents.More...
Rekka2016-10-07A young man haunted by his actions in the past gets caught in the rivalry between two gangsters.More...
Sethupathi2016-02-18Sethupathi, an inspector, investigates the murder of a cop and finds that Vaathiyar, a big shot, is responsible for the killing. He arrests Vaathiyar, but an unfortunate incident that has a connection to the case he is investigating, puts his career in jeopardy.More...
Meendum Oru Kadhal Kadhai2016-08-26A Hindu boy falls in love with a Muslim girl. Naturally, this romance faces problems.More...
Oh My Kadavule2020-02-13Arjun is conveniently married to his best friend Anu and their marriage turns out to be a nightmare since he is not really in love with her. When things get tough Arjun gets a second chance in life that could change his path and perspective altogether.More...
Iraivi2016-06-03Three men try to overcome the problems in their lives not realising the impact their efforts are having on the women in their lives.More...
Massu Engira Maasilamani2015-05-29A conman gains the power to see and communicate with ghosts and decides to use it to make money. His happy-go-lucky lifestyle goes for a toss when a ghost who is his look-alike approaches him with an offer.More...
Now You See Me 22016-06-02One year after outwitting the FBI and winning the public’s adulation with their mind-bending spectacles, the Four Horsemen resurface only to find themselves face to face with a new enemy who enlists them to pull off their most dangerous heist yet.More...
Avengers: Infinity War2018-04-25As the Avengers and their allies have continued to protect the world from threats too large for any one hero to handle, a new danger has emerged from the cosmic shadows: Thanos. A despot of intergalactic infamy, his goal is to collect all six Infinity Stones, artifacts of unimaginable power, and use them to inflict his twisted will on all of reality. Everything the Avengers have fought for has led up to this moment - the fate of Earth and existence itself has never been more uncertain.More...
Annihilation2018-02-22A biologist signs up for a dangerous, secret expedition into a mysterious zone where the laws of nature don't apply.More...
Saw VI2009-10-22Special Agent Strahm is dead, and Detective Hoffman has emerged as the unchallenged successor to Jigsaw's legacy. However, when the FBI draws closer to Hoffman, he is forced to set a game into motion, and Jigsaw's grand scheme is finally understood.More...
Wreck-It Ralph2012-11-01Wreck-It Ralph is the 9-foot-tall, 643-pound villain of an arcade video game named Fix-It Felix Jr., in which the game's titular hero fixes buildings that Ralph destroys. Wanting to prove he can be a good guy and not just a villain, Ralph escapes his game and lands in Hero's Duty, a first-person shooter where he helps the game's hero battle against alien invaders. He later enters Sugar Rush, a kart racing game set on tracks made of candies, cookies and other sweets. There, Ralph meets Vanellope von Schweetz who has learned that her game is faced with a dire threat that could affect the entire arcade, and one that Ralph may have inadvertently started.More...
The Empire Strikes Back1980-05-20The epic saga continues as Luke Skywalker, in hopes of defeating the evil Galactic Empire, learns the ways of the Jedi from aging master Yoda. But Darth Vader is more determined than ever to capture Luke. Meanwhile, rebel leader Princess Leia, cocky Han Solo, Chewbacca, and droids C-3PO and R2-D2 are thrown into various stages of capture, betrayal and despair.More...
Avengers: Endgame2019-04-24After the devastating events of Avengers: Infinity War, the universe is in ruins due to the efforts of the Mad Titan, Thanos. With the help of remaining allies, the Avengers must assemble once more in order to undo Thanos' actions and restore order to the universe once and for all, no matter what consequences may be in store.More...
The Edge of Seventeen2016-11-18Two high school girls are best friends until one dates the other's older brother, who is totally his sister's nemesis.More...
Doctor Strange2016-10-25After his career is destroyed, a brilliant but arrogant surgeon gets a new lease on life when a sorcerer takes him under her wing and trains him to defend the world against evil.More...
Skyscraper2018-07-11Framed and on the run, a former FBI agent must save his family from a blazing fire in the world's tallest building.More...
The Meg2018-08-09A deep sea submersible pilot revisits his past fears in the Mariana Trench, and accidentally unleashes the seventy foot ancestor of the Great White Shark believed to be extinct.More...
Incredibles 22018-06-14Elastigirl springs into action to save the day, while Mr. Incredible faces his greatest challenge yet – taking care of the problems of his three children.More...