Movie Name : Thalaivan Thalaivii
Release Date : July 25, 2025
123telugu.com Rating : 2.75/5
Starring : Vijay Sethupathi, Nithya Menen, Yogi Babu and Others
Director : Pandiraaj
Producers : Sendhil Thyagarajan & Arjun Thyagarajan
Music Director : Santhosh Narayanan
Cinematographer : M. Sukumar
Editor : Pradeep E Ragav
Related Links : Trailer
Tamil film Thalaivan Thalaivii, starring Vijay Sethupathi and Nithya Menen, hit the big screens today. Directed by Pandiraj, this family drama explores the chaos of mismatched marriages and emotional disconnects. Here’s our review.
Story:
Agasaveeran (Vijay Sethupathi) runs a tiffin center along with his family. He marries Arasi, also known as Perarasi (Nithya Menen), and their married life starts off smoothly. But soon, they begin clashing over trivial and bizarre matters. Their frequent arguments eventually lead to a three-month separation and a divorce application. Things take a sharp turn when a particular incident provokes Agasaveeran, escalating the personal conflict into a full-blown family issue. What triggers their constant arguments? What exactly is the turning point? Do they reconcile or move on for good? These questions shape the rest of the film.
Plus Points:
The strongest aspect of Thalaivan Thalaivii is the pairing of Vijay Sethupathi and Nithya Menen. Their chemistry and command over their roles elevate the film significantly. They convincingly portray a couple constantly caught between affection and friction.
A standout scene comes before the climax, where Vijay delivers a heartfelt performance that captures the pressure of being a responsible husband and son without ever feeling staged.
The comedy, when it appears, works in bursts. It flows naturally from character behavior rather than setup punchlines, and this subtle humour fits well within the world of the film.
Santhosh Narayanan’s background score supports several emotional stretches effectively and gives the drama a grounded tone. These elements collectively help the film retain a few memorable moments, even when the pacing slips.
Minus Points:
The film suffers from a thin and repetitive narrative. Although the non-linear structure might aim for freshness, it only makes the storytelling feel disjointed.
Most of the plot circles around one small conflict, and the screenplay keeps returning to similar types of arguments with slight changes in tone. This repetition quickly becomes tiring.
There are too many characters on screen, but very few of them have narrative weight. Several roles feel like background additions rather than actual contributors. Yogi Babu, while funny in a couple of places, is underutilised and doesn’t impact the story.
The frequent shouting matches and emotional flare-ups, intended to reflect realism, end up feeling excessive and grating. The second half, in particular, loses momentum and makes the story feel stuck rather than evolving.
Technical Aspects:
Director Pandiraj sets out to reflect the reality of troubled relationships, but the execution lacks sharpness. A tighter screenplay and more emotional layering could have made a big difference.
Santhosh Narayanan’s music holds up well, especially the score, which adds emotional depth to several scenes. Cinematography by M. Sukumar is adequate, capturing domestic settings without much flair. m
Editing by Pradeep E. Raghav could have been crisper, particularly in the back half where the pacing slows. Production values are standard.
Verdict:
On the whole, Thalaivan Thalaivii is a rugged family drama that works in moments, mainly due to the strong performances of Vijay Sethupathi and Nithya Menen. However, the film is brought down by a weak, repetitive script and loud, tiring narrative choices. It offers glimpses of honesty and humour, but not enough to make it a consistently engaging watch. You may give it a shot if you enjoy family dramas, but keep expectations low.
123telugu.com Rating: 2.75/5
Reviewed by 123telugu Team