Review: Thudarum - Standard but Sincere

 

 

Movie: Thudarum
Rating: 3/5

Cast: Mohanlal, Shobana, Prakash Varma, Binu Pappu, Thomas Mathew, Amritha Varshini,  and Others

Director: Tharun Moorthy

Produced By: Rejaputhra Visual Media

Release Date: April 25, 2025

Story:

Shanmugam, called Benz (Mohanlal), is a middle-class taxi driver who cherishes his black Ambassador car like family. He enjoys a happy life with his wife, Lalitha; son, Pavan; and daughter, Amritha. After an accident, a mechanic uses the car for unlawful activities. Desperate for his livelihood, Benz consults SI Benny, who holds his car in the police station. CI George Mathen intertwines and helps Benz. However, his entry leads to bizarre happenings. Benz drives the officers to a wedding and then to an eerie forest, where a surprise awaits. What shocking thing did the officers do, and how Benz, who unknowingly gets involved in a terrible incident, reacts and brings the wrongdoers to justice is the rest of the story.

Performances:

Mohanlal delivers a sincere and effective performance as Shanmugham/Benz. He effortlessly brings the emotional impact in crucial moments. Shobana is fine, while Prakash Varma and Binu Pappu make a terrific impact as the cruel police officers, with the former being the most effective. Thomas Mathew, Amritha Varshini, and others are apt.

What worked for the film:

After the effective performance of Mohanlal, the film benefits from the sincere narration. Director Tharun Moorthy did not try to make it a great thriller, but he genuinely built the intrigue around the lead character and police officers. The opening sequence and scenes towards the interval work well for the film, and the emotional/heroism moments in the second half, particularly in the last half hour, are impressive. Jake Bejoy's music is also very good. 

What did not work for the film:

The narrative is focused, but it feels repetitive in the second half, as one can expect the main twist and the hero's reaction to that incident. Post-interval, the film feels sluggish, and the drama could have been more subtle. The brutality in the scenes where the police harass the hero's family/women could have been done away with. The Telugu version's dubbing has a major flaw with a misspelled title and multiple spelling mistakes in the opening credits.

Thudarum Review and Verdict:

Thudarum is a well-made family drama/thriller with its share of flaws. The first half sets the tone well, and while the second half has weak spots, it still impresses with emotional and crowd-pleasing moments.