Raangi is M Saravanan's return to the director's chair after a gap of 7 long years and he is back with a female-centric action film. He aims to give the eternal girl next door an action makeover and fairly succeeds in it. The Tamil audience has embraced Trisha as a character they can relate to over the years. But this relatable character becomes an empowered and gutsy woman in Raangi. This transformative out of box thinking itself deserves a huge round of applause. Kudos to Saravanan and Trisha for making it happen. An A-list heroine delivering big-time without the help of a hero is a treat to watch.

All of us would love to watch our favorite heroine do some kick-ass action. For Trisha fans, this is a rare opportunity to see their leading lady in an action film. This could have easily misfired especially after the high of Kudhavai in Ponniyin Selvan. But Trisha as Thayal Nayagi doesn't falter. She plays her role with 100 percent conviction and authenticity. The voiceover by Love Today fame Raveena Ravi for Trisha gives a sense of familiarity. This film more than makes up for her past slip-ups in female-centric films.

The other characters pale in comparison to Trisha's presence but the actors who play Aalim and Sushmitha play their characters with credibility within their space. Giving a love story angle to an anti-social element was quite fresh and impactful too. The landscape of Libya is beautifully captured through the lens of K A Sakthivel. The dialogues are hard-hitting and make us ponder and look within ourselves. Are people pushed to take up terrorism because they have no other means to fight back? A rather dicey question with no clear answers to justify their deeds. But Raangi attempts to make us empathize by giving us a balanced view of things.

Sathya's music is decent, but not helps much to elevate the film. A bit more effort would have made the sounds appealing to our ears. The shift from action to love might end up disappointing a few if the expectation is for an out-and-out thriller.

A R Murugadoss takes up the writer's baton for Raangi and comes up with a moving story. M. Saravanan does his best to come up with an engaging screenplay to present the story.  The duration too is a big plus and doesn't test our patience.

Around 4 female-centric movies are releasing this week. If you are game for an action love thriller then Raangi could be the perfect pick to end the year.