Theeran Adhigaram Ondru

I don't remember when I last saw a fast paced action thriller like this in Tamil. We are thoroughly absorbed in this movie that interval alone indicates that we are at the halfway mark. The only minus point in this movie is the romantic segment, which I personally feel as unnecessary for an action movie like this. So I reduce one star for that. The theme of this movie so unique and original. It's a ghost haunting from the past. The director had cleverly linked the past history to the present fiction. Even though Karthi is a super actor, super heroism, like flying in the air, hitting ten persons in one hit, etc. are minimal in this movie. This is an important plus point in this movie, because it makes you believe that you are actually watching a true story rather than a fiction. Acting by Karthi is excellent, doing his part perfectly without overdoing it. Many scenes in this movie, make you a participant in the ongoing action,than a mere spectator. A real gem among Tamil action movies.

In a seminal scene in Theeran-Adhikaram Ondru, DSP Theeran (Actor Karthi plays an upright police officer endowed equally with brains and rippling muscles) storms into a den of outlaws in the badlands of Rajasthan. He advises his team to stay inside the car as he walks on purposefully, the dusty hamlet is all eyes; it's the territory of Omah Singh, a much-feared highway dacoit responsible for a breakout of murders in rural Tamil Nadu. As the dust motes ripple upward in the desert air, Theeran slams one after the other until Singh sits up and takes notice, his hookah forgotten…

The face-off defines the movie. Can a district police chief trace murders all the way to the North-West, surmount the crippling bureaucracy of multiple governments and bring to book a dacoit gang wreaking havoc on the crime numbers in TN? An emphatic Yes!

H Vinoth, who deftly portrayed the lives and tricks of a gifted conman in Sathuranga Vettai is telling us a cop story this time. The usual clichés are in order: Theeran is transfer magnet, courtesy his sky- high morals and commitment to policing. His stay-at-home wife (Rakul Preet) is content with chiding him now and then about not being home most days. He chooses to go after the criminals when a dilemma presents itself after he gets to know his wife is dying. Even during training days, Theeran shows signs of precocity – he knows how to handle a crime-scene weapon (We are informed the usual handkerchief method of securing it will not protect the prints! Theeran holds it between two fingers at points where the criminal might not have touched the weapon).

Neatly parted hair and a razor-sharp mush and almost-always wearing a dark shirt straining against his chest, Karthi looks every inch the ideal police officer. Assisted by a team of devoted cops, Theeran leads a national hunt for fingerprints that lead them into the history of Indian outlaws with origins in the British era. These huntsmen have no targets but gold, unless you leave out savagery. How Theeran bumps off each one of them form the crux of the story.

Negatives include a bit of drag in the scenes describing the Rajasthani outlaws, or when the action sequences gets a little too long – Theeran beats the villain to pulp in searing Rajasthani heat before dragging him through the desert sands on a horse! Classic. A few songs are plugged here and there in the movie and they pass without causing inconvenience. The background scores for the Dakotas are particularly effective in accentuating their bestiality. Overall, music director Gibran is very good in many parts.

The story itself rests on actual history. Dacoity at homes along the highways was a menace in Tamil Nadu during the late 90s. Apparently, Tamil Nadu had ranked high in taking it seriously and wiping such crimes off its map, although the policemen behind the job had gotten little credit.

True to that, Theeran spends the twilight of his career behind a desk, complaining about a rickety chair not replaced for months. A young officer having known his deeds drops by just to salute him, and Theeran betrays that old glint of uprightness still bright in his eyes.

After all these years? If you are Theeran, You would say "Always."

Theeran Adhigaaram Ondru (2017): Most of the Indian Cop films treat the lead role as a super-hero and has all the extra sensory abilities to find the antagonist without any proper investigation.But Theeram Adhigaaram Ondru is a rare realistic cop thriller where the villain's whereabouts are found only during the climax by one of the most interesting investigations I had seen in Indian Cinema.

Plot: Theeran (Karthi), a police officer, tries to decode a series of cold blood events based on same pattern. Who's behind those ruthless events? How Theeran and team traces them? Did they succeed? forms the story of this crime action thriller. The story is based on true incidents handled by Police department in 1990s.

My Review: "Khakee" deals with the subject of organised bandits and also reveals the history of dacoit gangs in India from the British era to the recent times.Director H Vinoth has done huge research on several tribes of dacoit gangs, their crimes, how they indulge in robbery, how they hide, and their lifestyle.Not only has he done deep research, but has shown all these in the movie, making it more interesting as we involve more into the investigation.

These kind of cop dramas will work only if they have nail-biting scenes and this movie succeeded in providing us such intense experience.The film has full on edge of the seat moments which will keep you hooked till the end.The interval bang and bus chasing sequence in the second half literally gives you goosebumps.Even the scene where Karthi and his team are attacked by the whole village and the pre-climax scene where villain gang attack hero and his team in an abandoned village are shot exceptionally well.

The major drawback with the film is the torturous love track between Karthi and Rakul.The typical "Loose Ponnu" obsession of Kollywood had went overboard here as we get irritated by Rakul's characterization.The first 30 or 40 mins of the movie is just about their clichéd love story which tests our patience.

Director has done a very good job with the film. His detailing with the case is awesome and the way he narrated the film with ample action elements and racy chasing episodes make this film click big time. He keeps the film quite realistic which makes things even more interesting for the audience.Dhilip Subburayan's action scenes especially in the desserts of Rajasthan are superbly choreographed and Sathyan Sooryan's camera work is in sync with the story including the grey tone. Ghibran's music and background score creates the gritty feel.The film, despite its long run time, runs at a pace that makes it hard for one to look away.

Karthi is stupendous in his role as the protagonist cop who will not rest until he nabs the criminals and brings the killings to a halt.He has shown his mettle in the gruelling episodes shot in Rajasthan desert in the second half of the movie.All his team members have played their roles perfectly.Rakul is irritating.

So,Theeram Adhigaaram Ondru is one of the most intense cop-dramas of Indian Cinema but love track is irritating.

My Rating 7.5/10

First half of movie is slow and starts with comedy and all other stuffs. But second part of movie is too good, storytelling is superb. Actually 8.5 out of 10

I've watched Hindi dubbed movie as I don't know south indian language.

I can't remember the last time I was so engrossed in watching a Tamil film!The events leading to catching the criminals are taken so well and keeps you on the edge the whole time. The movie is taken from the police point of view and is refreshingly good! They could've done away with the romance which I felt was unnecessary. Overall,Great movie!!!