Does Sudha Kongara's Parasakthi live up to its Expectations?

Parasakthi is a visually stunning and largely engaging tribute to a pivotal moment in history, but it is hampered by a rushed screenplay and inconsistent music. While Sivakarthikeyan shines, the film feels like a "costly miss" that stays at the surface of a movement that deserved more emotional depth.

While the film clearly banks on our shared love for the language, I found myself questioning whether that love was truly embodied by the characters on screen.

It didn’t quite evoke the emotional resonance that might have deepened my connection to the language itself.

The Anatomy of a Movement

A film documenting a political movement should ideally showcase three things: why it began, the struggles faced, and how the conflict was overcome. While Parasakthi portrays the first two aspects spectacularly, the resolution felt rushed, leaving me wanting more.

Set against the volatile backdrop of the 1965 Anti-Hindi Imposition protests, Sivakarthikeyan plays Cheziyan, the leader of a student army named the Purananooru Padai. The plot tracks his rebellion, the devastating losses he endures, his temporary withdrawal, and his eventual return to the frontlines of the struggle.

Engagement vs. Incoherence

Though the film is largely engaging and beautifully lensed by Ravi K. Chandran, it leaves you with mixed feelings due to Sudha Kongara’s somewhat incoherent screenplay and Sathish Suriya’s rushed editing. Some creative choices raise questions — most notably, why a revolutionary film like this devotes such a lengthy track to romance.

If the love story had advanced the plot the way it did in Soorarai Pottru, it would have been a much stronger outing. That said, as a sucker for cute love stories, I completely bought into it, though it’s certainly not for everyone.

With that being said, perhaps the film would have been even more interesting if Sudha dwelled deeper into the dynamics of Durai (Atharvaa) and Ratnamala (Sreeleela), why they feel the need for this movement, and how it affected them. In fact, I also wanted to see more of how this whole college army came together for this movement, which would amped the emotional value of the film.

Moving on, a choice that piqued my interest was the antagonist, Ravi Mohan, as Thiru. While he plays his part well, the character is neither memorable nor unique. Despite a simple yet strong backstory, which is narrated in one line, I wish Sudha had delved deeper into his societal struggles and how he molded himself into being this terrific cop. Ultimately, he fades into being "just another antagonist."

Evolution and Casting

Twenty-five films in, Sivakarthikeyan has evolved immensely. Following his recent brave choices, this film cements his range as he builds an interesting filmography. He is charming as the lover boy, bubbly as the boy-next-door, and pretty intense as the rebel.

Atharvaa was perhaps the best casting call; he looked the part and performed with high-octane energy. His portrayal of an "all brawn, no brain" engineering student burning buildings and leading protests looked fantastic on screen. Sreeleela, too, makes a great debut; she has a screen presence that goes far beyond just dance, and I hope she continues to pick such roles.

The film also features a few impactful cameos, especially one toward the end that serves as a fantastic callback — the energy that I expected throughout. However, the staging of key sequences often fell short of their potential. Cheziyan’s return, Thiru’s suspension, and the alliance with neighboring states felt underdeveloped. Had these elements been executed with more gravity, the film would have been far more emotionally moving.

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The Missing Note

On the whole, the major letdown was G.V. Prakash’s music. While "Nammakana Kaalam" and "Adi Alaye" are good tracks, the rest added nothing and acted as speed bumps. Even the background score failed to elevate the emotional stakes of the characters.

Ultimately, while Sivakarthikeyan is good, every frame of Cheziyan screamed Michael Vasanth from Aayutha Ezhuthu. It’s easy to see why Suriya was the first choice — the character is tailor-made for him. One can’t help but wonder: would the original envisioned cast of Suriya, Dulquer Salmaan, Nazriya, and Vijay Varma have elevated this into a masterpiece?