Writer: Ramesh

Writer Ratings:
Overall:
Cast:
Plot:
Effects:
Cinematography:

Watch this if you liked: “Kakka Kakka” and “Ramana”

Following the tremendous success of the release of "Ghajani" in both Tamil and Hindi, A. R. Murugadass is back with another bang for Deepavali, this time, joining hands with Vijay to come up with a commercial entertainer that explores the sacrifices of Indian soldiers in the army.

"Thuppakki" tells the story of Jagdish (Vijay), an army soldier who returns to Mumbai to get engaged to Nisha (Kajal Aggarwal). However, he soon gets entangled in a bomb blast in Mumbai and teams up with his army friends to track down the people behind it. As the investigation goes on, it reveals various syndicates related to terrorist group leader (Vidyut Jamal) who has a bigger plan in mind to trap Jagdish and his team. What unfolds next is a cat-and-mouse game that leads to non-stop action.

Vijay gives a top notch performance here by playing secret agent that resembles James Bond. He is physically fit and young here, which will appeal to his many female fans as well. Kajal Aggarwal looks gorgeous onscreen and does some good comedy acts too. Good-looking villains are rare in Tamil films, but this time we have Vidyuth Jamal who is known for his role in "Billa 2". He fits the bill perfectly as the terrorist leader and gives Vijay a tough competition.

The film also boasts one of the best technical crew line-ups who add value to the film like Santosh Sivan's colourful cinematography and Harris Jeyaraj's energetic music, especially the "Google Google" number. Instead of just depicting heroic acts, director Murugadass makes viewers put on their thinking caps and introduce elements such as 'sleeper cells'. On the other hand, there are some questionable scenes such as why all Jagdish's friends are always in suit when tracking the suspect, and how come nobody knows who they are? How did the dog track down those girls in big city like Mumbai in a short time period? Despite these unexplained logic, "Thuppakki" manages to whip up the right mix of commercial elements that overshadows all of it.

On the whole, "Thuppakki" is an entertaining watch for this Deepavali, as it keeps you glued to the seat until the end with its fast-paced action and intriguing storyline.

Cinema Online, 16 November 2012