THEGIDI REVIEW

Production: Abinesh Elangovan, C Senthil Kumar 
Cast: Ashok Selvan, Chakrapani, Govardhan, Janani Iyer, Jayakumar, Jayaprakash, Kaali, Kamalakannan, Madhavan, Pradeep Nair 
Direction: P. Ramesh 
Screenplay: P. Ramesh 
Story: P. Ramesh 
Music: Nivas Prasanna 
Background score: Nivas Prasanna 


The trailer of Thegidi repeatedly announces the professional practice of shadowing and surveillance. It also warns against growing close to the subjects under the scanner. But when our hero doesn’t pay heed to these rules and falls in love with one such subject, he opens a Pandora’s Box full of crime and deceit which, with justified narration, can make for thrilling entertainment and Thegidi ends up as just that.

Thegidi is a film that can genuinely stand to claim that the story is its real hero. Ashok Selvan plays its central character, Vetri, a rookie detective whose first job turns out to be a real baptism by fire. Vetri isn’t exactly a smooth operator and his keen observational skills are challenged by his lack of professionalism. Ashok Selvan tries to balance his performance between looking curiously sharp and being weighed down by the situation at hand. He’s particularly convincing when the palpable tension gets to him.

The film on the whole features a trim and fresh cast with almost every character having an important part to the proceedings. With a prodigious young technical department that includes cinematographer Dinesh Krishnan and editor Leo John Paul, the end product exhibits quality standards.  It is with such a backbone that a relatively low key cast can perform with a degree of confidence, as displayed by the likes of Janani Iyer, Jaykumar, Pradeep Nair, Rajan Iyer and Kaali who plays Vetri’s confidant Nambi. The ever reliable Jayaprakash joins the party as a cop.

Writer-Director Ramesh has his reins tight when his focus is on moving the story forward with suspense and his narration and detailing in these segments give the film its strength. The first half romance however is played out in familiar fashion but the restlessness is saved by Nivas Prasanna’s lively music. The young composer can expect to earn more kudos for his background score, particularly in the climax and the scene where Vetri snoops around for clues in a suspect’s house, the music is atmospheric and engrossing.

Running over just 2 hours Thegidi doesn’t exactly race along, but from the pre-interval scenes Ramesh piles up the suspense well enough to have you glued to your seats and keep you guessing the ‘whos’ and ‘whys’ of the case, which turn out to be driven by an interesting new motive.


Verdict: A well made drama that’s high on suspense

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