After quite a longtime wanted to write. Why not on independence day after watching thalaivar twice with in span of 24 hours?
I’m not someone who usually writes movie reviews. I’ve seen how much effort it takes for a filmmaker to take what’s on a bound script, make it happen on set, and bring it to the big screen for crores of people to watch. That’s no easy job.
So, think of this less as a “review” and more as my own thoughts—what I connected with, what didn’t quite work for me. I’m not here to tell Lokesh Kanagaraj what he should have done to match my taste.
---
What Worked for Me
Casting Choices – Spot-on, except for Aamir Khan, who felt a little out of place.
Young Sathyaraj’s Voice – Whoever worked on this nailed it. It fit perfectly.
Young Deva’s Picturisation – Honestly, this was blockbuster-level stuff.
The Powerhouse Liquor Scene – Both the past and present versions gave me full-on goosebumps.
Upendra’s Screen Presence – Even though he was there for just a few minutes, he was towering—sharing the frame with Rajinikanth in the mansion was like watching twin towers.
Kalyani’s Twist – Casting her was a masterstroke. She starts off looking like the perfect “family girl,” but when the switch happens, she turns into a villain with such ease. Brilliant.
---
What Could Have Been Better
Music & Background Score – Could have packed more punch to elevate key moments.
Second-Half Train Sequence – Personally, I’d have trimmed it to start where Kalyani was already there. The extended fight and chase could have been skipped.
Sathyaraj’s Family Angle – His relationship with his three daughters deserved more emotional depth.
Deva & Kalishaa’s Flashback – This part could have been stretched to really show why corporations feared Deva so much.
---
Overall
I walked out loving the movie. I’m not here to talk about box office numbers—cinema isn’t charity. If you spend hundreds of crores, you expect returns, and knowing this production house, they’ll definitely make back more than what they put in.
As for Rajinikanth—at 74 years old, how is he still doing this? I was reminded of Abbas’s line in Padayappa: “What a man!” Back then, he was 26 years younger, and yet today the same aura, the same fire, is still there.
He is the Superstar. The leader of the masses.
Salute, sir. 🙏
If you haven’t yet, watch Coolie in theaters. Only then will you truly experience Devaraj.
