Certain films are made for everyone but they are finally accepted by a certain section people while the rest finds the treatment to be a little preachy. That is how Samuthirakani’s Thondan is. It has a few social messages for everyone while some appreciate them, some disparage them. It is all in the eyes that you look at it. But one thing is for certain, if Samuthirakani’s recent works had impressed you then Thondan would be a satisfactory ride.
One thing with Samuthirakani is that his intentions are always commendable. You will find a lot of relevant social messages laced with some commercial aspects. When the message part gets a little overdone, the overall feel of the film changes. Samuthirakani has tried to strike a balance between the two but the commercial part doesn’t entertain you as much you would want it to be. Majorly the love segments. Thondan has two parallel love tracks, both look half baked.
You find 100% perfect man only in Samuthirakani’s films. Of course, it is not wrong to design characters like that. It sets an example of how one could lead his life but too much of advice makes you feel that you are in a class to learn how to live a perfect life.
The screenplay has been set in a way that there are few scenes for the masses, time in and time out, but that shift is not so smooth. Thondan talks about a lot of subjects starting from work, society, passion, family, love to Jallikattu, politics and farmers issue. Had the core concept been limited to one or two topics, Thondan would have been a more focused and easily accessible product that would be accepted by majority.
Dialogues have always been a backbone in Samuthirakani’s films. He is a proven writer and his words could inspire many. Vikranth gets to play a pivotal role which he has performed with ease and élan. Soori though comes just for 10 to 15 minutes; he makes a mark with some message-oriented funny one-liners. Ganja Karuppu’s comedy sparks now and then but does not make you laugh wholeheartedly. Technical aspects could have been better, from songs to visuals. It has got the same locations as Appa, and pretty much the same casts as Appa which gives you a déjà vu feel though the content is different.