Madharaasi review: Sivakarthikeyan is convincing in AR Murugadoss’ template action entertainer

Cast: Sivakarthikeyan, Rukmini Vasanth, Vidyut Jammwal, Biju Menon, Shabeer Kallarakkal, Vikranth, and Thalaivasal Vijay

Director: AR Murugadoss

Music director: Anirudh Ravichander

Rating: 3/5 stars

Exactly a year after Vijay symbolically passed the baton, aka the ‘thuppakki’, to Sivakarthikeyan in The Greatest of All Time, Sivakarthikeyan now reunites with AR Murugadoss in Madharaasi. With the director’s recent outings, especially Salman Khan’s Sikandar, faring poorly, expectations for Madharaasi have been measured. On the other hand, Sivakarthikeyan comes fresh off the massive success of his last two films, Maaveeran and Amaran. The questions, then, are simple: can SK keep up the momentum, and will Murugadoss break his dry spell?

Madharaasi follows the familiar AR Murugadoss template, managing to tick most of the expected boxes. The story begins with NIA officers, led by Prem (Biju Menon), attempting to stop a weapons trafficking syndicate from entering Tamil Nadu and distributing guns. However, Virat (Vidyut Jammwal), the head of the syndicate, intervenes, causing the operation to fail. In the aftermath, Prem is seriously injured and admitted to a hospital, where he meets Raghuram (Sivakarthikeyan), who is there after surviving a suicide bid over a heartbreak. But as Raghu continues to contemplate ending his life, Prem identifies an opportunity to use Raghu to infiltrate the weapons syndicate on a suicide mission. Whether Raghu’s suicidal mission helps the NIA foil the syndicate’s plans forms the crux of Madharaasi.

AR Murugadoss wastes no time setting up the story, opening with an exhilarating action sequence that earns the loudest cheers for Vidyut’s entry — but that feeling doesn’t last long. Soon after, there is a typical hero-entry song for Sivakarthikeyan, bringing the film back into familiar commercial terrain.

The first half swings between tracking the syndicate and exploring Raghu’s backstory, though the cohesion falters occasionally. Raghu has a psychological condition, stemming from past trauma, that compels him to intervene when someone is in danger. While the concept is interesting on paper, the film does not explore it deeply, leaving Sivakarthikeyan to shoulder most of it. Initially, he seems to struggle with it, almost as if he’s carrying the ghost of Major Mukundan.

A few logical hiccups stick out in the first half. Malathi’s (Rukmini Vasanth) reason for breaking up with Raghu feels flimsy and unconvincing, while Virat getting drunk during a crucial operation, despite NIA surveillance, doesn’t quite align with the narrative or the character. Moments like these give the impression that the audience is being taken for granted.

That said, the pace picks up around the midpoint, building momentum, and ending the interval on a high. The second half is when Madharaasi truly takes off. Thereon, action takes centre stage, the plot tightens, and the character arcs finally fall into place. Raghu’s condition, which felt a bit forced earlier, now fits in seamlessly, adding some intriguing plot points to the narrative. The narrative does lag at times, but the fast-paced action and the generous dose of whistle-worthy moments make up for it. The highlight, though, is the final showdown between Vidyut and Sivakarthikeyan, which is a treat to watch.

Sivakarthikeyan, who is less assured in the early romantic and emotional scenes, too, finds his footing in the second half, managing to pull off a role many others may have avoided. Murugadoss gets the best out of his supporting cast: Vidyut Jammwal and Shabeer Kallarakkal impress as antagonists, both getting their own standout scenes. Rukmini Vasanth is given a meaty role instead of the usual commercial heroine role and makes the most of it, while Biju Menon and Vikranth also play their parts well.

The real heroes of Madharaasi are Kevin Kumar, the stunt director, and Sudeep Elamon, the cinematographer. As the saying goes, great action isn’t just about the punches, it’s the emotions and the build-up that make them land, and with Kevin’s touch, Murugadoss gets it right. The second half is full of breathtaking action set-pieces that tap into Raghu’s internal turmoil, his ‘animal instinct’, as the film puts it. Paired with Sudeep’s slick, high-speed frames, the result is a gripping visual ride. Even in dimly lit interiors, the duo delivers a spectacular experience.

The film is further lifted with Anirudh’s now-trademark background score, which complements the narrative. Madharaasi marks the composer’s eighth collaboration with Sivakarthikeyan, and the winning streak shows no signs of breaking. Editor Sreekar Prasad also impresses, keeping the film crisp and on point throughout.

Madharaasi sticks to familiar AR Murugadoss tropes: a protagonist with a unique trait, strong antagonists, and a social message, all wrapped in commercial packaging. A focused first half and deeper emotional layers could have taken the film to another level. Nevertheless, AR Murugadoss succeeds in not letting the ‘thuppakki’ slip away from Sivakarthikeyan's hand.

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