Movie Name : Madharasi
Release Date : Sep 5, 2025
123telugu.com Rating : 2.75/5
Starring : Sivakarthikeyan, Rukmini Vasanth, Vidyut Jammwal, Biju Menon, Vikranth, Shabeer Kallarakkal
Director : A. R. Murugadoss
Producers : N. Srilakshmi Prasad
Music Director : Anirudh Ravichander
Cinematographer : Sudeep Elamon
Editor : A. Sreekar Prasad
Related Links : Trailer
After disappointing audiences with Sikandar, Star director AR Murugadoss has now come up with the action thriller, Madharaasi. The movie starring Sivakarthikeyan and Rukmini Vasanth in the lead roles has hit the big screens today. Let’s see how it is.
Story:
Virat (Vidyut Jammwal), along with his friend Chirag (Shabeer Kallarakkal), joins hands with a syndicate to bring gun culture to Tamil Nadu. The NIA, headed by Premnath (Biju Menon), tries to stop them but falters in his attempt. During this time, he unexpectedly meets Raghu Ram (Sivakarthikeyan), a man on the verge of suicide, and uses him in his mission. Who is this Raghu Ram? Why does he want to end his life? How is Malathy (Rukmini Vasanth) connected to him? And did Premnath’s plan succeed? This is what the movie is about.
Plus Points:
As promised, the director gives the protagonist an interesting characterization, and Sivakarthikeyan does his best to hold our attention even when the screenplay runs out of ideas. A good backstory in the first half justifies the hero’s peculiar behavior.
The conflict point between the lead pair makes sense, though it could have been explored further. Sivakarthikeyan is in the form of his life, and once again amuses with his performance. The way he generates comedy in serious situations is delightful, and his fun moments with Biju Menon click. Rukmini Vasanth is neat in her portrayal.
The film features well-choreographed, sleek action blocks that look visually impressive on the big screen. Madharaasi is made to cater to the action lovers and the movie offers some enjoyable moments for its target audience. Through the movie, AR Murugadoss attempts to deliver a social message about the harmful effects of gun culture in our country, and his intention is appreciable.
Minus Points:
Despite an interesting and likeable premise, AR Murugadoss couldn’t deliver an arresting screenplay. The film occasionally reminds us of Ghajini and Thuppakki, but Madharaasi doesn’t reproduce the same magic as it lacks thrilling moments.
The neatly designed action blocks don’t pack a punch since they lack proper build-up. It’s not the action alone, but the scenes leading to those high-voltage moments that actually enhance the viewing experience. Madharaasi could have been much better in this aspect. The second half turns predictable, and also gives the impression that the story isn’t moving forward.
Repetitiveness kicks in during the latter hour, and sharper editing was required as the movie feels stretched. Vidyut Jammwal’s characterization is routine, making him come across as a generic villain. The love story lacks spark, and the first half is filled with way too many songs. Most importantly AR Murugadoss couldn’t justify why the movie was titled Madharaasi.
Technical Aspects:
Anirudh Ravichander’s songs and background score are not upto the mark. There isn’t anything memorable about the sound track, which is something that we don’t expect from the music sensation. Cinematographer Sudeep Elamo did an impressive job with neatly executed camera movements during the action set pieces. The editing is below-par and the team could have done away with few scenes.
Compared to recent outings of AR Murugadoss, Madharaasi is somewhat better but it doesn’t satisfy on the whole. While he worked well on the protagonist’s role, more attention was needed on the screenplay. Especially the second half required stronger refinement.
Verdict:
On the whole, Madharaasi is an action-packed entertainer that clicks only in parts. The hero’s characterization, Sivakarthikeyan’s captivating performance, some fun moments, and the well-devised action blocks stand out as the film’s assets. However, the dragged second half with repetitive sequences, and a predictable screenplay without thrilling moments make this film just an okay watch.
123telugu.com Rating: 2.75/5
Reviewed by 123telugu Team