sarvan kumar

Watched the movie Chithaa. One of the most impactful movies I have seen in recent times. Set in the small town of Palani, director S. U. Arunkumar (Pannaiyarum Padminiyum and Sethupathy fame) realistically captures the tragedies and trauma of a small family. The film begins lightheartedly with nice scenes to show the affectionate relationship between the uncle and the niece, including the school gate scene and the auto scene. However, as evident in the trailer, all this lightheartedness has to give way to tragedy. But, unexpectedly, the serious moment has a different victim or victims. The film turns emotional in that phase but becomes a sort of thriller in the second half. But, it is not a conventional thriller with "massy" moments but one with realistic, emotional, and clap-worthy moments. For instance, the tense checkpost scene and the final bus scene. All the characters in the movie are impressive due to their strong characterization and engaging performances by the respective actors. Siddarth gave one of his best performances, and three lying-down or bed-related scenes involving him sum up his character or the character arc. The first one is the scene where the sister-in-law character sleeps alongside her daughter, with Siddarth turning to the other side. The second one is the unshown scene in the mortuary. Finally, the poignant scene in the hospital bed in the climax. The female lead, Nimisha Sajayan, also performed admirably throughout the film, culminating in a breakthrough moment in the climax. There were fine performances by a lot of new actors, particularly the characters of the hero's sister-in-law and the hero's friend/police official. To sum it up, the director, with his well-knit screenplay and staging, presents a moving tale. At first glance, certain decisions of characters might appear illogical, but they are aptly tied up, plus they lead to conflicts. For instance, the child characters' inability to know the correct directions and her fascination with or addiction to mobile phones. It is a technically brilliant film as well, due to top-class cinematography, editing, and background music. As earlier said, it is not a fast-paced thriller but a highly impactful film and a must-watch. P.S.: As the film deals with the sensitive issue of child abuse, I was in a dilemma about whether to take our six-year-old daughter with us. This effective film made her aware of the dangers surrounding her and the precautions she needed to undertake. So, suggesting all parents to take their children, particularly their daughters, to this film. #chithha #moviereview #SuArunkumar #Siddharth

Expected a lot hearing its commercial success. But, an aimless movie without any plot buildup or characterization. A lot of unwarranted stereotypes are there. Stunt choreography is the only saving grace