Thalaivan Thalaivii – A Quirky Family Drama That Works in Bits
Movie Name: Thalaivan Thalaivii
Release Date: July 25, 2025
Starring: Vijay Sethupathi, Nithya Menen, Yogi Babu
Director: Pandiraj
Music: Santhosh Narayanan
Cinematography: M. Sukumar
Editing: Pradeep E. Raghav
Producers: Sendhil & Arjun Thyagarajan
Story Overview:
Agasaveeran (Vijay Sethupathi), who runs a family-owned tiffin center, marries Arasi (Nithya Menen). Their relationship begins on a sweet note but quickly devolves into chaos over petty, bizarre disagreements. When a major incident intensifies their rift, the story transforms into a reflection on marital dysfunction and emotional burden. Do they find a way back to each other — or is separation inevitable?
Plus
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Lead Performances: Vijay Sethupathi and Nithya Menen’s chemistry anchors the film. Their back-and-forth dynamic adds weight even when the writing falters.
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Emotional Beats: A standout scene just before the climax showcases Vijay’s acting prowess, striking a balance between restraint and release.
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Natural Humor: The subtle, situational comedy feels organic and occasionally provides much-needed relief.
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Score: Santhosh Narayanan’s background music adds emotional grounding, particularly in dialogue-heavy sequences.
Minus
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Thin, Repetitive Plot: The central conflict lacks variety, and the non-linear timeline feels unnecessary.
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Overstuffed with Characters: Many side roles exist without consequence. Yogi Babu, in particular, is criminally underused.
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Grating Melodrama: The shouting matches become excessive, especially in the second half, making the narrative feel more tedious than real.
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Pacing Issues: The film drags in key stretches, particularly post-interval, and could’ve used tighter editing.
Technical Aspects:
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Direction: Pandiraj’s intent is clear, but his execution is uneven. The film needed a stronger emotional arc and less repetition.
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Music: Santhosh Narayanan’s score does the heavy lifting emotionally. Songs, however, aren’t particularly memorable.
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Cinematography: M. Sukumar’s visuals are serviceable but uninspired.
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Editing: Pradeep E. Raghav could’ve trimmed the film’s second half to improve flow.
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Production Values: Standard. No technical brilliance, but nothing distracting either.
Verdict:
Thalaivan Thalaivii has its heart in the right place, but falters due to a repetitive screenplay and excessive melodrama. The film is saved — at least in parts — by strong lead performances and subtle humor, but it doesn’t quite land as a compelling family drama.
Watch it only if you’re a fan of the lead pair or enjoy relationship-based domestic stories.
Rating: ⭐️⭐️½ (2.5/5)
