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A cop with a connection to the criminal underworld finds his secret life exposed when he and his partner are caught stealing cocaine from a powerful drug dealer, a move that puts his son's life in jeopardy.
Critic Consensus
Critical reception for Thoongaavanam is moderately positive, with most reviewers finding it a watchable and slick action thriller despite reservations. Kamal Haasan's performance is the most consistently highlighted strength across reviews, with several critics also noting Trisha's work, Ghibran's background score, and the technically polished camerawork. The most common criticism is pacing — multiple reviewers cite the film's slow stretches, a sagging second half, and the sense that it falls short of the taut, nail-biting thriller it had the potential to be. The Hollywood-style treatment and single-location premise drew both praise for novelty and criticism for imperfect adaptation to Indian film conventions.
17 reviews · 8 positive · 2 mixed
AI-generated summary of 17 critic reviews · may contain errors
Report inaccuracyCritic Reviews (17)
"In a role where we are not able to judge whether Kamal is a nallavar or kettavar, the actor simply steals the show. Though he is not the regular one-man army hero, he still packs a punch at the right time. Trisha in an unusual role is a revelation! Way to go Trisha! The stunt sequences by Gilles Conseil and T.Ramesh shot intelligently are laudable."Read full review ↗
"Thoongaa Vanam is a classy thriller, which will definitely satisfy its target audiences!"Read full review ↗
"Watch the film for Kamal Haasan and because it's an action thriller that's much more Hollywood than Kollywood. It's a cracker this Diwali."Read full review ↗
"If one has to complain, it must be about the slight slow pace of the movie. On the whole, Thoongavanam, though looks to be a long night, is a happening one!"Read full review ↗
"...even though the film doesn't come together as effectively as it should have, there are moments that keep us glued."Read full review ↗
"Thoongaavanam is a slick and interesting thriller that has all the elements to keep you hooked. Kamal Haasan and Trisha have come up with fabulous performances, and despite minor flaws, this Hollywood style action thriller is very watchable. Go for it!"Read full review ↗
"Thoongavanam keeps you awake. But the intensity is on the wane as the night progresses."Read full review ↗
"Thoongavanam is a frisky thriller which impresses despite its shortcomings. It has been quite a while since Tamil cinema has belted out a completely serious fight fare, and voila - Kamal Hassan, Rajesh Selva and the team give you exactly what you ask for. Go, catch the fun."Read full review ↗
"Thoongaavanam, which should have been done and dusted in 90 minutes, is dragged to fit the conventional time-expectations of the Indian audience. The French film's script doesn't stick with the three-part film grammar, which is prevalent here. The interval block becomes fatal to the flow of the film."Read full review ↗
"It is remarkable that Kamal continues to unfailingly make films that are different but there is a fundamental fault in many of his recent films: he doesn't respect the intellectual capacity of his audience. He treats them almost like idiots and misjudges the capacity of the audience of today, especially of Tamil films (obviously, he doesn't read reviews of his films either!). At the end of the movie, I felt like saying 'so near and yet so far'."Read full review ↗
"Thoongaavanam is eminently watchable, even if that means keeping awake for a late night show."Read full review ↗
"To mark up the final verdicts, Thoonga Vanam is definitely worth giving a shot to watch out for."Read full review ↗
"Kamal Haasan as CK Diwakar rightly steals the limelight. A tranquil introduction and an even subdued start to his role doesn't really tell the audience what's in store from this evergreen performer. He plays a role that aptly fits his age and makeover. As a narcotics cop and a caring father he juggles between the roles with an affluence that only this man can manage."Read full review ↗
"The roving camera succeeds to an extent in giving us a sense of the live environment, yet it is often set at a documentary mode rather than live mode, robbing us off the sense of urgency. The sounds have been carefully woven into the film especially, the EDM blaring out of the club. Thoonga Vanam has a lot going for it, but it isn't the nail-biting thriller that it could have been."Read full review ↗
"...the intriguing plot, good performances, Ghibran's innovative background score and camera angles of Sanu Varghese make director Rajesh M Selva's Thoonga Vanam worth a watch."Read full review ↗
"With adrenaline-pumping action sequences, and good performances this film is a must watch. Kamal Haasan fans are sure to enjoy this thriller!"Read full review ↗
Cast & Crew
Cast
- Kamal Haasan · CK Diwakar IRS
- Prakash Raj · Vital Rao
- Kishore · Mohan
- Asha Sarath
- Trisha · Mallika
- Sampath Raj · Pedha Babu
- Yugi Sethu
- Madhu Shalini
- Uma Riyaz Khan
- Jagan
- Santhana Bharathi
- Guru Somasundaram
Director
Screenplay
Music
Cinematography
Editing
Details
User Ratings & Reviews
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