Not as sharp as Thuppakki, but nowhere near the mess of Sarkar or Darbar, Madharaasi lands somewhere in between, leaving you wishing for more.
Cast: Sivakarthikeyan, Rukmini Vasanth, Vidyut Jammwal, Biju Menon, Shabeer Kallarakkal, Vikranth
Director: A.R. Murugadoss
Language: Tamil
Music: Anirudh
Length: 2hr 48 mins
Madharaasi Movie Synopsis:
An NIA officer exploits the condition of a young man suffering from delusional disorder to take down a crime syndicate attempting to introduce gun culture in Tamil Nadu.
First Half
A pacy start gets us into the vibe, even if a few moments lean on clichés. There are some emotionally connected love scenes, and SK–Rukmini’s performances are nice. But the romance feels scattered—just a few scenes here and there, never fully established—so there isn’t a proper love arc.
Interval Block
A proper A.R. Murugadoss–style peak interval moment. with a predictable twist.
Second half
Filled with logical loopholes, excessive fights, and inconsistent character arcs, though Vidyut Jammwal steals the show. The sub-par climax leaves the film ending on a weak note.
Mild Spoiler Ahead
What’s Good in Madharaasi
- Engaging Opening: The movie kicks off strong with a gripping, pacy start that pulls you in.
- SK’s Performance: Sivakarthikeyan delivers a solid performance and carries the film despite its flaws.
- Story Exists: Unlike many recent commercial films, Madharaasi actually has a story, thanks to Murugadoss’ knack for weaving an interesting plot.
- Vintage Commercial Elements: The film brings flashes of old-school commercial Tamil cinema with a few emotional beats and mass moments.
- Commercial Entertainment: A vintage-style mass entertainer that works as an escape from reality — not every film needs to be rooted in realism.
- Interval Block: A well-executed, high-energy sequence that peaks the first half and keeps the excitement alive.
- Vidyut Jammwal: A strong presence in the second half who nearly steals the spotlight.
What’s Bad in Madharaasi
- Songs & BGM: Anirudh disappoints big time — with lackluster songs and an average background score that drags the film down.
- Lazy & Unrealistic Writing: Logic takes a backseat as the film often feels like an “escape from reality” attempt rather than a grounded thriller.
- Character Inconsistencies: Sivakarthikeyan’s arc feels off — especially post-interval. He reacts intensely when the villain threatens Malathi’s life, but in the second half he slips back into a goofy, love-struck mode, doing little to proactively save her. This inconsistency weakens the emotional stakes.
- Rukmini’s Role: Reduced to making questionable decisions just to create forced tension and move the story ahead.
- Second Half Decline: Slows down with too many fights, logical loopholes, and mindless sequences that undercut the engaging start.
- Missed Potential: Madharaasi could have been a sharp psychological thriller but ends up a wasted opportunity.
- Climax: The ending fizzles out with a sub-par payoff, leaving the overall experience underwhelming.
Final Opinion
Could have been a gripping psychological thriller, but Madharaasi settles for average commercial fare. With stronger writing, Raghu’s character arc from a goofy, love-struck boy with a horrific past—could have evolved into something far more impactful. Rukmini Malathi leaving and returning for flimsy reasons is just plain Lazy writing.
Adding to this, her questionable actions like sending Raghu to fetch medicines during a high-octane NIA sequence make her character feel absurd. Rukmini Vasanth, despite her talent, ends up as a wasted potential.
With more layered writing, nuanced characterization, and a properly built emotional curve, Madharasai could have been the next Ghajini. Instead, it lands somewhere in the middle entertaining at parts, but never reaching the heights it could have.
Madharaasi isn’t perfect, but it’s not a storyless mess either. It entertains as a massy thriller, though with flaws that keep it from being truly memorable.
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