Vijay Sethupathi has a special talent for making any character he plays connect easily with the audience through his distinctive acting. He has enhanced the character of Pathavachalam, known as baththa through his performance and body language. Vijay Sethupathi convincingly portrays baththa not only as a physically intimidating man but also as someone who is rough and aggressive in his mannerisms. When the character becomes trapped in a difficult situation and struggles to find a way out, he effectively conveys the fear and helplessness he experiences.
Sai Prithviraj, who plays Sabari, a school student, scores equally well alongside Vijay Sethupathi. His conversations and scenes with Vijay Sethupathi are particularly impressive and are likely to receive considerable appreciation.
Lijomol Jose, who plays Vijay Sethupathi’s wife, is a fitting choice for the role and delivers a convincing performance.
Sahasra, Arjun Chidambaram, Hari Krishnan, Sandy Balachandar, Vishnu Govind and Balamurugan, who appear in the other roles, have also performed their parts effectively.
Cinematographer Selvakumar S.K. has used colours and lighting appropriate to the 1980s setting. His visuals successfully transport the audience into the period in which the story takes place.
The songs and background score by Sai Abhyankkar bring life to the story and its scenes, while adding strength to the characters’ individuality, emotions and actions.
Although the first half of the film may feel somewhat slow, editor R. Kalaivanan succeeds in keeping the audience engaged by making the story of the rowdy and the boy, along with its emotional incidents, the film’s key strengths.
Though the premise is relatively simple, director Balaji Tharaneetharan has handled the screenplay and character development very effectively. Through the conversations between Vijay Sethupathi and the young boy, he conveys a wide range of emotions to the audience.
Director Balaji Tharaneetharan has interestingly portrayed how the realities of everyday life, human nature and social events within a community take on a different form in the world of children. He also emotionally conveys the idea that people who are consumed by arrogance can suddenly find their circumstances changing, leaving them broken in ways they could never have imagined.
With a compelling premise, an engaging screenplay and actors who effectively bring out the emotions in every scene, director Balaji Tharaneetharan has delivered an excellent film.
