Viruman movie review: Karthi’s predictable drama creates a festival-like experience

Filmmaker Muthaiya is probably the lone Tamil filmmaker – even after close to a decade since his debut – who still continues to make rural-based stories. He reunites with Karthi in his latest outing Viruman, which has all the predictable beats that you usually associate with his films, but still manages to work; mostly because of the performances and drama. Viruman is no Komban, the last outing from the Muthaiya-Karthi combo, but it’s definitely one of the better rural-based stories to come out of Tamil cinema in recent years. Read more: Karthi confirms Kaithi 2 will begin filming next year

Karthi plays Viruman, who abhors his father (Prakash Raj) for being responsible for his mother’s suicide. Driven by the rage to avenge his mother’s death, Viruman vows to kill his father from a young age. One such incident lands young Viruman in court, which instructs his uncle to take over his custody. Viruman grows up into a fine young man but his hatred towards his father remains intact and he looks forward to opportunities to teach his father a lesson. The rest of the story is about how Viruman wins over his three elder brothers and makes his father pay for his sins.

Walking into a Muthaiya film always feels like being invited to a family wedding which is usually full of people. Here’s a filmmaker, who still strives to tell stories about joint families that are still a big deal in villages. In 2022, joint family is a concept that’s alien to most of us but trust Muthaiya to make us invest in his story and he doesn’t disappoint. Even when the film takes some predictable detours with respect to the story and transformation of characters, the film still manages to entertain, thanks to the emotional moments and the lead performances.

Karthi plays this character effortlessly, making it look like a cakewalk. It’s a character that’s right up his alley, and he delivers a satisfying performance. Be it the action sequences or some of the most tender moments of the movie, Karthi sure knows how to leave a strong impact. Debutante Aditi Shankar plays her part confidently, without ever looking out of place in owning her character. After a long time, Prakash Raj returns to play the kind of negative character which is yet again a proof of his versatility. In the recent past, Tamil cinema hasn’t produced a more vengeful villain.

Viruman is the kind of film you don’t mind overseeing because it creates a festival-like experience that’s best enjoyed on the big screen.

Film: Viruman

Director: Muthaiya

Cast: Karthi, Prakash Raj, Aditi Shankar, Raj Kiran and Saranya Ponvannan

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