Madharaasi: A Gripping Action Drama with a Mad Heartbeat

While veteran directors continue to stumble, A.R. Murugadoss has delivered a jolting surprise with Madharaasi.

This character-driven drama, though built on a familiar template, hooks you even after the plot surfaces in the first 10 minutes: the NIA forms a team to hunt a gun syndicate. Flashes of classic ARM sophistication elevate the script—gun culture, a protagonist with a mental disorder, seamless entry into the core plot, well-timed action breaks, sharp meta-references, and an unrelenting cat-and-mouse chase between protagonist and antagonist.

A.R. Murugadoss has given us some unique protagonists over the years. Be it Sanjay Ramaswamy, Aravind, Jagadish or Kathiresan. They have a unique personality that we remember even after many years, despite their names. Now, i think it's safe to say Raghu, joins this elite list.

Raghu, a delusion syndrome patient has been under medication for 16 years, which keeps him away from the outside world. His characterization and choice of a mental disorder works beautifully as it extracts the best out of the multi-talented Sivakarthikeyan. You can see the character's depth and writing in many scenes. He has a small and impactful flashback, followed by 2-3 efficient scenes that showcase his disorder brilliantly. Driven by the obsession of wanting to die as soon as possible, his character organically crosses paths with the NIA to complete their long-pending mission. With a lot of members already sacrificed for this mission, and the syndicate's plan to infiltrate Tamil Nadu gets higher, every passing minute, Raghu is roped in to complete a suicide mission, which he gladly accepts. This creates multiple interesting scenarios that provide you with tiny laughs and whistle-worthy action blocks. Raghu's character almost draws parallels with a Dog. Be it his loyal nature towards Malathi (Rukmini Vasanth), his helping nature towards everyone, or the animal instinct to sniff out the culprits. The idea of Animal instinct works big, as there is even an impactful dialogue in the film where Raghu says, "Avlo guns, machines, equipment and technology irundhum, yen Yella crime scene layum oru naai vachirukinga?", yena, ungaluku andha Animal instinct thevai." This sums up the character's madness and obsession with getting things done when he makes up his mind. Sivakarthikeyan has played this role beautifully. It's safe to say he has molded himself into a believable action hero. His flexibility in action blocks, showcase of anger and wrath in a complex situation, and his unintentional comic timing in a very serious scene show that he is turning into a versatile performer. Though the emotional scenes don't quite land, and make it a tad bit funny towards the end, you still root for him.

Biju Menon as the head of NIA is again a great casting. His voice and calmness add so much value to this character. As usual, his grounded performance makes him stand tall and impactful.

Coming back after Thuppakki,  as Virat steals the show. He is clearly the coolest character, and his scenes had the most whistles. Almost felt like he never left this industry. His charisma, charm, and ability to instill fear in everyone around him, is so convincing that after a point, you actually start rooting for him. The action block in the warehouse is arguably the best scene in the film, and that scene shows why Vidyut is celebrated so much.

The whole plot revolves around Malathi, but unfortunately is the weakest character in this film. Though Rukmini Vasanth delivers a solid performance, the confused character traits don't quite build the emotional wavelength with the audience. The love portions work in parts, with a few scenes landing so beautifully, while some just feel like they're hindering the pace. A particular scene where Malathi comes to ask Raghu if he is fine after an Earthquake alert is very heartwarming and cements their relationship. This is followed by tiny nuances of how others see Raghu as a mental patient, but Malathi trusts him with everything. Be it a scene where she tells him she likes him, even after knowing his situation, or placing a baby in his hand, after he was denied once by someone else, it leaves you with a bright smile on your face. To an extent, she does heal Raghu and fills the void of his parents. This makes him normal, by not trying to save everyone in a difficult situation (Quite ironic to type, again a nice portion touched up on). But this makes her stop loving him, as it's her favorite quality of his. She believes that if she stays away, a lot of people can benefit through someone like Raghu, as Malathi herself experienced a situation in which she wished she had a Raghu in it. On paper, this is a brilliant idea, but it doesn't quite convey on screen for multiple reasons. Malathi almost comes back to him, for the same reason she left, contradicting herself. This ultimately weakens the script.

Technically, the film is great. The production value, cinematography, and action set pieces are crafted with such care and hard work. Despite guns firing and knives slashing, hand-to-hand combat is what stands out as it's more realistic and pleasing to watch, and this film captures it beautifully. The choice of Camera angles and shots during these action blocks adds more value. The panning of the camera from left to right with each punch makes you feel like you’re actually dodging it.

Also Read: Lokah: Blending Mythology and Modern Superhero Storytelling

While the emotional aspect is hit and miss, the action mostly makes up for it. Surprisingly, Anirudh's score feels like a letdown, with the same background score recurring. The climax feels a little stretched out, but despite all these flaws, Madharaasi offers you enough to enjoy throughout the film, even if it's predictable.

Verdict: Despite emotional stumbles, Madharaasi is a thrilling ride powered by a standout Sivakarthikeyan and vintage Murugadoss flair in parts.