Asuravadham is director - turned - actor Sasikumar's next outing, post Kodiveeran. The film had a promising set of promos and trailer, that hinted at the nature of the film. Asuravadham has come to us now as a rustic action thriller, set in a rural backdrop.
Saravanan (Sasikumar) is haunting Samayan (Vasumithra) by playing spoilsport in his routine life. He kidnaps Samayan and his wife for an important reason. Why is Saravanan behind Samayan and for what reason? Catch the film to know the answer to these questions and here is our review of the film before you do that.
Asuravadham's treatment is fresh, which supplements a good curiosity factor and the tension for the audience. The raw and the rustic flavour of the film is notable, adding the spiciness. The first half of the film has all the intense moments, and engages the audience really well, especially the pre-interval sequence set in the hills. The film doesn't deviate from the plot at any juncture, and there is no big commercial compromise either. Due credits to director Maruthupandian and team for that.
Probably, Asuravadham will be one of those rarest films which had Sasikumar speaking very minimal dialogues. Its mostly action throughout the film, and he doesn’t have any big lines to mouth. The visual medium is used to its potential and it is an appreciable act, put up by the team.
On the downside, the flashback portion in the pre-climax falls flat and puts the expectations down. The makers have dealt with a theme that could touch the human emotions without any intense happenings visually on screen. Having come across all the suspense scenes, this revelation could be disappointing for a set of audiences. The elongated build-up scenes for the hero also tests the patience.
Asuravadham is a usual revenge vengeance drama, but with the good technical support, interesting screenplay and realistic performances, it lives up to an extent. The second half holds the suspense for the initial few minutes, but then, over a point of time, it becomes predictable. A section of the audience might more or less figure out the reason behind Sasikumar's anger over the villain. The Qatar portions lack believability.
For all those who have seen Sasikumar as a mass hero with all the rural flavours, Asuravadham might be a little surprising watch. His makeover in the characterization is interesting to see. He is seen in a subtle yet fierce role, that is not overdone, maintaining the reality.
Nandita Swetha features in an important role that comes only for a very short running time. Vasumithra, who plays the role of Samayan, the antagonist, is very impactful. He has put his heart and soul into the character and has delivered a neat performance.
S.R.Kathir’s visually appealing images are one of the highlights in the movie. His lighting in the night sequences is beautifully done. Govind Menon’s unique treatment in the background score, blends well with the visuals of the movie, suiting to each emotion.
Director Maruthupandian garners attention for his interesting usage of the film language. With a more interesting plot and a perfect execution, Asuravadham could have gone down as one of the notable emotional action thrillers in Tamil cinema.