Thodaari movie review: In dire need of some logical connections

Cast: Dhanush, Keerthy Suresh, Radha Ravi, Thambi Ramaiah

Director: Prabhu Solomon

A pantry boy Poochiappan (Dhanush) hops onto a train en route to Chennai from Delhi. The setting is such that the journey itself becomes the centerpiece of the film. This kitchen-assistant comes across a make-up artist -- Saroja (Keerthy Suresh) on this train and instantly falls in love, making for a usual romance.

Even as the story moves forward, a cardiac arrest leaves the train driver dead on his controls, speeding up the big vehicle and leaving it on course to derailment. This in short is the premise of Thodari and it remains to be seen as to whether Poochiyappan (Dhanush) can compose his bewitched mind and save the 700 odd passengers from a looming tragedy.

Directed by Prabhu Solomon, Thodari has a host of characters which lack conviction travelling along on the same ride. One could see what the personnel have tried to achieve here: a romantic thriller that starts on a mid-tempo and only speeds up as time passes. But problems start early.

The plot is often sidetracked by needless curiosities that slow down the pace demanded by such a film. A central minister (Radha Ravi) travels in the same train and his commando (Harish Utthaman) make life hell for Poochi and Saroja, which felt like an ‘oh, these things happen in India’ kind of incident.

Then there are a bunch of funnies between Dhanush and Chandrakanth (Thambi Ramaiah), the pantry manager (that are silly most part of it) that provides relief at times, but at the cost of undermining the intensity of the story. Such faulty lines are a product of an unfinished script, and that’s what Thodari often feels like.

This in turn means that Dhanush’s star presence is underutilized. There’s nothing fresh in his characterization and hence his body language and dialogue delivery look repetitive. Keerthi as his love interest has neither been portrayed as an innocent nor a loosu ponnu. Thambi Ramaiah and Karunakaran are there just for mild laughs in an otherwise serious story. Radha Ravi proves his versatility.

Action sequences and visual effects are unbelievably tacky. While the first half moves at snail’s pace and fails to keep you hooked to the seats, the story picks up momentum in second half.

Imman’s music is okay, but the placement of songs are bad especially the one where Dhanush (from atop a train) and Keerthy sing at a crucial juncture. The storyline is in dire need of some logical connections.