Gautaman Bhaskaran’s Review of Siruthai

Check out the reveiw of Tamil film Siruthai, starring Karthi and Tamannaah and directed by Shiva.

Siruthai
Cast: Karthi and Tamannaah
Director: Shiva
Rating: *1/2

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Once, Tamil actor Karthi was refreshing as the protagonist in his debut work, Paruthiveeran in 2007. The film was a critic’s delight, and clinched for him the Filmfare Award for Best Actor. His later movies – Aayirathil Oruvan, Paiyaa and Naan Mahaan Alla -- while placing him firmly on the pedestal of the Tamil film industry, clearly indicated that Karthi was no exception. He was beginning to ape his elder brother, Surya, by playing clichéd characters, stuffed with anger and anguish in their extreme forms.

Gautaman

In his latest, Siruthai, Karthi essays two men, who look alike (but are not twins or related). One is a patriotic police officer, Ratnavel Pandiyan, who swears to die with his uniform on, with a smile on his lips. He wants to be seen twirling his moustache as he breathes his last. Never mind if that does not happen. The other guy is Rocket Raja, a petty thief, who humours men and women into parting with their precious goodies. Again, never mind if he succeeds in fooling all the men all the time.

It is then that Raja enters the scene to make a fool of the don and a mockery of the police forces. He does this through often juvenile wit that a 13-plus boy or girl today may find it hard to believe.

There are two subplots running along. One about Shweta (a silly Tamannaah that no modern girl will like to copy), and the other about Pandiyan’s little daughter. While Shweta’s behaviour is boringly irritating, the girl manages to pull the emotional chord in you.

One really wonders why an actor like Karthi has let himself degenerate into this. He did show an awful lot of promise in the beginning.