<p><strong>Director: </strong>Vignesh Karthick</p>.<p><strong>Cast:</strong> Aishwarya Rajesh, Gokul Anand and Ananya Ramprasad</p>.<p><strong>Language: </strong>Tamil</p>.<p><strong>Platform:</strong> SonyLiv</p>.<p><strong>Rating:</strong> 2.5/5</p>.<p>Vignesh Karthick's latest directorial venture <em>Thittam Irandu</em> is a moderately engaging thriller that works mainly because of its unexpected climax and a sincere Aishwarya Rajesh. It revolves around what happens when the protagonist is asked to investigate the disappearance of a friend, who was once an inseparable part of her life.</p>.<p><em>Thittam Irandu</em> starts off as a routine thriller with a hint of romance but soon transforms into something completely different. Its impact is, however, diluted a bit by the middling execution, especially in the first half.</p>.<p><strong>The thrill is missing</strong></p>.<p>Broadly speaking, a thriller needs a captivating narrative to leave an impact. <em>Papanasam</em>, a remake of Mohanlal's <em>Drishyam</em>, is a case in point. While the film did not really feature a revolutionary plot, it managed to keep fans hooked as the narrative had a sense of urgency.</p>.<p>This is where <em>Thittam Irandu</em> falters as a thriller. The sequences dealing with the murder investigation move at their own pace, making it hard for viewers to invest in the reel action. A key twist towards the intermission is as predictable as can be. Moreover, the otherwise promising romantic track further dilutes the thriller aspect of the narrative.</p>.<p>The makers try to swerve the viewers with a subplot but the effort goes in vain as the so-called twist is quite obvious.</p>.<p><strong>A solid climax and strong message</strong></p>.<p>That said, <em>Thittam Irandu</em> is not a missed opportunity by any stretch of the imagination as it redeems itself with vengeance courtesy the final half an hour, The climax explores a sensitive issue in a mature manner without projecting anyone as the 'villain'. Moreover, the big reveal manages to tie up the loose ends, helping the flick rise above its flaws. The strong message towards the end alone makes this worth one's time.</p>.<p><strong>'Aishu' impresses again</strong></p>.<p>Aishwarya, who shot to fame when she played a young mother in <em>Kaaka Muttai,</em> has never shied away from taking up bold roles. Thittam Irandu continues her tryst with unconventional films.The actor manages to bring out her character's dilemma with her natural performance. 'Aishu', in particular, hits it out of the park in a key scene where 'Athira' has a meltdown. Aishwarya is ably supported by Gokul Anand, Ananya Ramprasad and Jeeva Ravi.</p>.<p><strong>Mixed bag</strong></p>.<p>The songs don't really register, which dilutes the impact of the romantic sequences. The background score feels a bit dramatic at points, watering the realistic nature of the narrative. The other technical aspects have been handled reasonably well.</p>
<p><strong>Director: </strong>Vignesh Karthick</p>.<p><strong>Cast:</strong> Aishwarya Rajesh, Gokul Anand and Ananya Ramprasad</p>.<p><strong>Language: </strong>Tamil</p>.<p><strong>Platform:</strong> SonyLiv</p>.<p><strong>Rating:</strong> 2.5/5</p>.<p>Vignesh Karthick's latest directorial venture <em>Thittam Irandu</em> is a moderately engaging thriller that works mainly because of its unexpected climax and a sincere Aishwarya Rajesh. It revolves around what happens when the protagonist is asked to investigate the disappearance of a friend, who was once an inseparable part of her life.</p>.<p><em>Thittam Irandu</em> starts off as a routine thriller with a hint of romance but soon transforms into something completely different. Its impact is, however, diluted a bit by the middling execution, especially in the first half.</p>.<p><strong>The thrill is missing</strong></p>.<p>Broadly speaking, a thriller needs a captivating narrative to leave an impact. <em>Papanasam</em>, a remake of Mohanlal's <em>Drishyam</em>, is a case in point. While the film did not really feature a revolutionary plot, it managed to keep fans hooked as the narrative had a sense of urgency.</p>.<p>This is where <em>Thittam Irandu</em> falters as a thriller. The sequences dealing with the murder investigation move at their own pace, making it hard for viewers to invest in the reel action. A key twist towards the intermission is as predictable as can be. Moreover, the otherwise promising romantic track further dilutes the thriller aspect of the narrative.</p>.<p>The makers try to swerve the viewers with a subplot but the effort goes in vain as the so-called twist is quite obvious.</p>.<p><strong>A solid climax and strong message</strong></p>.<p>That said, <em>Thittam Irandu</em> is not a missed opportunity by any stretch of the imagination as it redeems itself with vengeance courtesy the final half an hour, The climax explores a sensitive issue in a mature manner without projecting anyone as the 'villain'. Moreover, the big reveal manages to tie up the loose ends, helping the flick rise above its flaws. The strong message towards the end alone makes this worth one's time.</p>.<p><strong>'Aishu' impresses again</strong></p>.<p>Aishwarya, who shot to fame when she played a young mother in <em>Kaaka Muttai,</em> has never shied away from taking up bold roles. Thittam Irandu continues her tryst with unconventional films.The actor manages to bring out her character's dilemma with her natural performance. 'Aishu', in particular, hits it out of the park in a key scene where 'Athira' has a meltdown. Aishwarya is ably supported by Gokul Anand, Ananya Ramprasad and Jeeva Ravi.</p>.<p><strong>Mixed bag</strong></p>.<p>The songs don't really register, which dilutes the impact of the romantic sequences. The background score feels a bit dramatic at points, watering the realistic nature of the narrative. The other technical aspects have been handled reasonably well.</p>