Virundhu Movie Review : Barring Arjun’s Style, This Wannabe Thriller Is Messed Up

Virundhu Movie Synopsis: Two people die within a year under mysterious sequences. Among those, one reveals a secret to an auto driver before dying. Using the clue, the driver joins a team of people trying to find the murderers.

Virundhu Movie Review: John, a businessman dies under mysterious circumstances when he visits his wife’s ex-lover for a business meeting. The film opens with such a sequence where you immediately doubt the wife and her ex-lover. However, in some time, the wife too is murdered. So, is it her ex-lover? Or is it her benign daughter Perly (Nikki Galrani) who seems to have developed a dislike towards her mom? While watching Virundhu, you’re made to question every individual’s motivation. Granted, it could be that the screenplay is cleverly woven to keep you puzzled, but that’s not necessarily the case. We are told so little about this world and even less about each of these characters that we can’t even guess their intentions or motives. However, that’s not even the central problem. All of this suspiciousness is built solely to deceive the viewer so that the twists-loaded second half will leave us impressed. The camera too speeds up and slows down whenever it wishes with no purpose in mind. Such artificiality without an organic touch to the story keeps us away from the film’s world.

For instance, after a crucial death, the film cuts to Arjun Sarja’s sleek introduction sequence where he jumps and punches 10 men, you know, his usual routine. In no time, we are taken back to the dead person’s storyline and the film takes at least another hour or so to re-introduce Arjun. We are left wondering why we should care about Arjun or any of the other characters. In the meantime, we also meet an innocent and empathetic auto driver Hemanth (Gireesh Neyyar). Only here do the makers spend time carving out his character arc, showing us his gentleness and helping tendencies. If the rest of the characters are half-baked, we get to know the auto driver and his family a little too much than required. There is a free auto service, a love story, and a complicated marriage sequence – all of which are staged elaborately only for the characters to never return on screen. These redundant subplots distract us from the central murders.

Unlike the usual pattern in Tamil cinema, Virundhu offers multiple twists and a cleverly designed climax, keeping you hooked throughout the second half. The actual surprises, including the story of a cult group, catch you off-guard. Their motives and routines are also interestingly captured and it’s here you get a glimpse of what the film could’ve been with a better-written screenplay. However, these intriguing threads are revealed too late to leave an impact. And you’re left wondering if the twists were even worth the wait.

Written By: Harshini SV