Sowmya Rajendran reviews
43 reviews of Indian films, average rating 2.9/5.
Kochadaiiyaan is an experiment in many ways, not in the least because it's a new way for Rajinikanth to entertain his ever-hungry fans. Has Soundarya pulled it off? Not quite.
Read the full reviewParvathy is brilliant as a nurse caught in a dangerous conflict zone.
Read the full reviewAmong the different stories that make up Thiagarajan Kumararaja's 'Super Deluxe', Vijay Sethupathi's performance as trans woman Shilpa is the most heartbreaking.
Read the full reviewThe plot examines the relationship between religion, politics, gender and individual ambitions. It’s a complicated mix, but director Mahesh Narayanan steers the screenplay expertly.
Read the full reviewNeither Parvathy nor Urvashi allow you to remember for a moment that they’re playing roles. Much of the plot of ‘Ullozhukku’ – directed by Christo Tomy – progre
Read the full reviewMaking death threats for a film review is neither veeram (bravery) nor vivegam (prudence).
Read the full reviewA mother discussing workplace sexual harassment with her son is among the rare moments in the second half of the film that works.
Read the full reviewDespite its lengthy runtime, the film manages to hook you till the end with a gripping screenplay.
Read the full reviewTarak has managed to play each of the three roles distinctly.
Read the full reviewFrom the colourful curses of the street to each of the characters, the film gives us a very real glimpse of gang wars.
Read the full reviewIndia’s first space film looks convincing but is in desperate need of good writing.
Read the full reviewApart from a couple of unnecessary fights and a brief romance, this is a faithful remake of 'Pink'.
Read the full reviewMohanlal is all mass but the film lacks a strong script and depends too much on stylized shots and background music to do the job.
Read the full reviewOther than Suriya, nobody in the SPG looks like they’ve even slow jogged on the treadmill, let alone performed miraculous high security ops.
Read the full reviewBy titling his film 'Asuran', Vetrimaaran defines the perspective from where he’s narrating the story – through the eyes of those who are beaten back for daring to ask for more.
Read the full reviewConceived as a two-part film, Gautham Vasudev Menon’s film has all the familiar material that you expect from a gangster film but also a few departures and inclusions that keep things engrossing.
Read the full reviewWhat a relief to see such a simple, well-told story in Tamil cinema after so long! Nourishing and no fuss, just like a pazham.
Read the full reviewMithran’s script is so overstuffed with ideas that none of them has the space to grow. Is this a movie about capitalism? Is it about environmental exploitation? Why make a film in the style of a pamphlet?
Read the full reviewThe villain’s dialogue from the film, ‘That speech was more educational than emotional’ just about sums up this preachy attempt.
Read the full reviewIs it glorifying violence? 100%. What part of the story is original? 0%. But the whole thing is staged in such an entertaining way that I was simply having a good time with my popcorn.
Read the full reviewVignesh Raja’s Por Thozhil does come with a ‘message’ for the audience, but it isn’t spelt out in neon. It’s subtle and allows us to arrive at the realisation instead of drilling it into our brains.
Read the full reviewSivakarthikeyan has certainly grown as an actor, and the action choreography in the film is its highlight.
Read the full reviewAfter touring Eastern Europe in 'Vivegam', Siva brings Ajith back to Tamil Nadu and it proves to be a wise move.
Read the full reviewThe film has all the elements of a mass entertainer and is also earnest in its attempt to break away from some cast-iron stereotypes.
Read the full reviewSuriya is in fine form, switching between angry young man to conflicted son, romantic husband and cussing businessman.
Read the full reviewWith his lithe body, Dhanush is every bit convincing as a martial arts practitioner, while Sneha gets a substantial role in which she excels.
Read the full reviewIt's Rajinikanth's trademark swag that keeps the scenes alive in a predictable film.
Read the full reviewThe film's willingness to respect the audience's intelligence is charming.
Read the full reviewI know you want to ask the question — is it worse than 'Lingaa', worse than 'Darbar'? PACHAKILI, what do I tell you? Absolutely.
Read the full reviewThe film does not try to amplify any aspect of the novel unnecessarily to fit a narrative that might be the flavour of the season. In fact, it downplays the praise that Kalki lavished on the Chola dynasty.
Read the full reviewNelson tries to be imaginative and break out of cliches but he keeps using the oldest tricks in the book whenever he runs out of ideas.
Read the full reviewBoth Shraddha and Nani are terrific together, portraying two guilt-ridden people who don’t know how to bridge the widening gap between them.
Read the full reviewSai Pallavi is the show-stealer, performing a role that's tailor-made for her.
Read the full reviewDirector Mohan Raja seems to have been torn between his instincts to make a solid political thriller and the compulsions to pander to his leading man’s fanbase.
Read the full reviewIt is puzzling how director Koratala Siva managed to achieve this casting coup with such a tedious storyline.
Read the full reviewThe Kerala Story, directed by Sudipto Sen and produced by Vipul Shah, is essentially similar to the ‘brainwashing’ pill that its characters swallow to turn into zombies, and the dawn it desires is the zombie apocalypse.
Read the full reviewShah Rukh Khan has had a phenomenal year with ‘Pathaan’ and ‘Jawan’. Interestingly, in ‘Dunki’ too, he plays a patriot, a fouji who will neither let his country
Read the full reviewAllu Arjun is immensely likable on screen and that keeps Pushpa going despite its lengthy runtime of three hours.
Read the full reviewSandeep Reddy Vanga’s movie has the kind of writing you’ll find in BDSM erotica like ‘Fifty Shades of Grey’, but presented with the same earnestness of “pure lo
Read the full reviewDive into the explosive sequel, Dhurandhar: The Revenge, where Hamza's bloodthirsty mission clashes with Dhar's controversial narrative.
Read the full reviewPakistani politics, which was at the heart of Part 1, becomes a minor plot point; Lyari is largely forgotten. Narendra Modi’s elevation to Prime Minister and demonetisation take centrestage instead.
Read the full reviewDespite Rajkummar Rao's affable performance, 'Srikanth' is unconvincing.
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