Déjà vu review: Arulnithi-starrer investigative thriller checks all the boxes and never wastes audience's time

Déjà vu review: Filmmaker Arvind Srinivasan's directorial debut boasts of some smart twists. The thriller predominantly works due to its focused storytelling.

Arulnithi, who has quietly carved his own space with his unique choice of films, has evolved as the go-to actor for thriller-based subjects in Tamil cinema. His latest release Déjà vu, by debutant filmmaker Arvind Srinivasan, is a decent investigative thriller that boasts of some smart twists and predominantly works due to its focused storytelling. The film manages to check all the boxes that one usually associates with a watchable thriller.

Déjà vu directed by Arvind Srinivasan, stars Arulnithi Tamilarasu.

The film opens with a novelist (Achyut Kumar) storming into a police station in the middle of the night, completely drunk, to file a complaint about harassment calls. He claims that the characters from his latest work are coming to life and calling and threatening him. He files a written complaint but given his drunk condition, the police officials don’t take him seriously.

Next morning, police rush to the writer’s house and take him into custody on the basis of a call to the control room from a woman the previous night who claims that the writer has something to do with her kidnapping. Upon further investigation, it is revealed that the Deputy General of Police’s (Madhoo Shah) daughter is missing and the police believe it could be the same person who called the control room. Clueless about how to handle the case and to ensure her emotions don’t overtake her decision, the DGP appoints special officer Vikram Kumar (Arulnithi) to investigate the case.

At just about two hours long, Déjà vu never wastes a minute and that really works in the film’s favour as it keeps audiences hooked till the very last minute. Its taut narration is one of the major highlights and this works even when the story takes a few predictable turns to eventually impress with the big twist towards the end. This is one of those rare films with no heroine and this saves the viewers from any silly romantic subplot. The novelist’s premonition angle works very well in creating suspense from the very first frame. It’s an original idea that’s built well and weaved into the story seamlessly to make the proceedings as gripping as possible.

Arulnithi as the investigative officer is a smart pick, and he plays his part quite convincingly. Madhoo gets a meaty part and her character goes through a very interesting transformation phase which most can’t see coming. As far as a thriller goes, Déjà vu manages to impress to a large extent and leaves hardly any room for complaints.

Déjà vu

Director: Arvindh Srinivasan

Cast: Arulnithi, Madhoo, Achyuth Kumar and Kaali Venkat