Madharaasi Movie Review: A watchable spy thriller

Madharaasi is a partly engaging spy thriller powered by Sivakarthikeyan’s charm and stylish action, but dragged narration, weak thrills, and underwhelming music dilute AR Murugadoss’s ambitious take on Tamil Nadu’s gun culture.

Hyderabad: AR Murugadoss returns with Madharaasi, a high-octane action drama that sets its stage in Tamil Nadu’s underworld. The story follows Virat (Vidyut Jammwal) and Chirag (Shabeer Kallarakkal), who partner with a syndicate to spread gun culture in the state. NIA officer Premnath (Biju Menon) steps in to stop them but fails, only to cross paths with Raghu Ram (Sivakarthikeyan), a broken man ready to end his life. As Premnath ropes him into his mission, questions arise: why is Raghu on the edge, how is Malathi (Rukmini Vasanth) tied to his past, and will Premnath’s risky plan succeed?

The film begins on a promising note with a gripping backstory for Sivakarthikeyan’s character, giving us a reason to root for his quirks. The first half moves with some energy, balancing emotion and action. However, as the story progresses, the screenplay starts to lose steam. The second half feels stretched and predictable, with repetitive sequences that take away from the thrill. While Madharaasi aims to deliver a social message about the dangers of gun culture, it doesn’t hit as hard as expected.

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Performance-wise, Sivakarthikeyan shines throughout, carrying the film with his natural charm. His ability to inject humor even in tense moments is a major relief, and his chemistry with Biju Menon works well. Rukmini Vasanth does a neat job, though her role could have had more depth. Vidyut Jammwal, despite his screen presence, ends up as a routine villain without much freshness.

On the technical front, the movie scores with its stylish action blocks, well shot by cinematographer Sudeep Elamo. The stunts look slick on the big screen, though they lack strong buildup. Editing, unfortunately, is a weak link, as the film could have been tighter. The biggest disappointment comes from Anirudh Ravichander’s music—both songs and background score feel underwhelming, especially considering his past chartbusters.

In the end, Madharaasi entertains in parts but doesn’t live up to its potential. Sivakarthikeyan’s stellar performance, fun moments, and a few stylish action sequences stand tall, but the dragged narrative, lack of thrill, and predictable writing pull it down. Action lovers may find some value, but as a whole, this is just an average watch.