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Manithan is a Tamil comedy courtroom comedy drama film directed by I. Ahmed, starring Udhayanidhi Stalin, Hansika Motwani and Prakash Raj in the leading roles. A remake of Subhash Kapoor's 2013 Hindi film Jolly LLB, the film began production in June 2015.
Critic Consensus
Critical reception for Manithan is mixed-to-moderate, with most reviewers finding it a watchable, crowd-pleasing court drama that works on an emotional level. The film's strongest praise centers on its performances, particularly Prakash Raj and Radharavi, and the intensity of its courtroom climax. However, several critics note it falls short of its Hindi source material, with specific comparisons highlighting weaker lead performances and a slower, less nuanced execution. Structural issues such as a sluggish first half and intrusive songs in the second half were also flagged as drawbacks.
8 rated reviews · 6 positive · 2 negative
AI-generated summary of 10 critic reviews · may contain errors
Report inaccuracyCritic Reviews (10)
Updated“Manithan generally hovers in the hmmm-not-all-that-bad-zone because it's such a crowd-pleasing script.”Read full review ↗
“An honest attempt and a feel good film that is worth a watch!”Read full review ↗
“Manithan works because of the casting and the fact that one lawyer from nowhere decides to fight for justice for the have-nots. It's a feel-good film that has you rooting for the weak and shows you that being a manithan (human) is important.”Read full review ↗
“On the whole, Manithan is watchable and works because it has heart. Make time for it this weekend.”Read full review ↗
“Climax dialogues, especially long ones loaded with sentiment are a sure winner with audience. You will spot a similar closure in this drama. In case of Manithan, if that dialogue had been coupled with convincing judicial aspects, the output could have been even impacfful. Nevertheless, overall an enjoyable fare!”Read full review ↗
“Looking into the major plus of the film is last 15 minutes of the movie that happens in court room with more serious and intense situation. Visuals by DOP Madhi is really outstanding. We get to see Chennai in a different and new perspective. Prakash Raj and Radharavi are the greatest showstoppers. On the flip side, the first half is really slow with unwanted portions and songs in second half hamper the screenplay.”Read full review ↗
“A neat remake of an engaging court drama, Manithan is a job well done from its makers.”Read full review ↗
“While Prakash Raj outshines Irani in the Hindi version with his extraordinarily power-packed dialogue delivery, which greatly enlivens the dramatic events in court, Stalin is no match for Warsi, whose bumbling, dream-driven guy in a black jacket was such a pleasure to watch. And, Radharavi too pales in comparison to Shukla, whose characterisation of a bored judge was so nuanced with hitherto unseen mannerisms that I was floored.”Read full review ↗
“Overall, director Ahmed's Manithan is a rather ordinary remake of a brilliant film.”Read full review ↗
“An interesting satire on the Indian Judiciary system...”Read full review ↗
Cast & Crew
Cast
Director
Screenplay
Story
Music
Cinematography
Editing
Producer
Details
- Release Date
- 29 April 2016
- Runtime
- 2h 26m
- Language
- Tamil
User Ratings & Reviews
2 ratings · 0 with a written review


















