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Manithan backdrop

Manithan

29 April 2016Tamil2h 26m

What critics are saying

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.

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I. Ahmed DirectorI. Ahmed ScreenplaySubhash Kapoor StorySanthosh Narayanan MusicR. Madhi Cinematography

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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

Praised: courtroom climax and performancesCriticised: inferior to Hindi original

AI-generated summary of 10 critic reviews · may contain errors

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Critic Reviews (10)

Updated
Baradwaj RanganTop Critic· The Hindu
Not rated
Manithan generally hovers in the hmmm-not-all-that-bad-zone because it's such a crowd-pleasing script.
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Anupama Subramanian· Deccan Chronicle
6.0
An honest attempt and a feel good film that is worth a watch!
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Latha Srinivasan· DNA India
6.0
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.
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On the whole, Manithan is watchable and works because it has heart. Make time for it this weekend.
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6.0
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!
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CinemaLead Team· CinemaLead
6.0
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.
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MovieCrow Reviewer· MovieCrow
6.0
A neat remake of an engaging court drama, Manithan is a job well done from its makers.
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Gautaman Bhaskaran· Hindustan Times
4.0
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.
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S Saraswathi· Rediff
4.0
Overall, director Ahmed's Manithan is a rather ordinary remake of a brilliant film.
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Raisa Nasreen· BookMyShow
Not rated
An interesting satire on the Indian Judiciary system...
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Cast & Crew

Details

Release Date
29 April 2016
Runtime
2h 26m
Language
Tamil
Genres
Comedy, Drama

User Ratings & Reviews

Users6.52 ratings

2 ratings · 0 with a written review

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