Review of the film Pathu Thala: Simbu’s mediocre gangster drama follows a repetitive path
Pathu Thala, directed by Obeli N Krishna, is a substandard adaptation of the Kannada film Mufti, starring Simbu, Gautham Menon, and Gautham Karthik. The gangster drama is comparable to Nayagan, according to our evaluation.
In Short
- Pathu Thala is the official Tamil remake of the Kannada film, Mufti.
- The remake features Simbu, Gautham Karthik and Gautham Menon.
- The gangster drama is directed by Obeli N Krishna
- A bigwig goes missing, so an undercover officer sets out to find a feared mobster in Nagercoil. But, he soon learns that not everything is as it seems.
Pathu Thala Movie Review:
Simbu is returning with Pathu Thala, directed by Obeli N Krishna, after finding success with Vendhu Thanindhathu Kaadu. There was definitely a buzz around Pathu Thala. Simbu was asked to be the primary guest at the Ponniyin Selvan 2 trailer and audio premiere, and hundreds of fans sang “Pathu Thala” to greet the star. How frequently do you see fans supporting a new film at an audio launch? Simbu is one of the fans who benefits from having a large fan base. Check to see whether the anticipation has resulted in a compelling movie.
There is no shortage of films in the South Indian film industry that show the struggle between a fearless mobster and a brave officer. But, the events and occurrences that develop, bringing the spectator closer to the world of the characters, are what really distinguish a movie in this genre. Although Pathu Thala, the official Tamil version of the popular Kannada film Mufti, has several unforgettable moments, its relentless effort to keep the audience interested occasionally comes off as forced.
The narrative follows undercover detective Shakthivel (Gautham Karthik) as he looks into the disappearance of Tamil Nadu’s chief minister (Santhosh Pratap). He suspects notorious mobster AGR (Silambarasan TR) of being responsible. Shakthivel struggles to obtain evidence against AGR due to his dominance in the sand mining industry. Shakthivel discovers disturbing truths that make him question his determination as he attempts to win AGR’s trust.
Like to the original movie, Pathu Thala’s second half is where STR is mostly seen. The plot, however, starts to tighten up and get more interesting at this point. The opening scenes in which Shakthivel discovers AGR’s influence and authority fall short and fail to make an impression on the viewer. But, the post-intermission scenes—in which STR gives a stunning performance—are where the heart of the movie rests.
Even if the cliché of a gangster acting as a decent guy for his neighbours while being a criminal in the eyes of the law isn’t new, the staging and drama in the movie’s second half make it more interesting. As is characteristic of gangster movies, Pathu Thala includes treachery and graphic violence, but it is unable to make an impression or forge a solid bond between the audience and the main characters.
The movie is a reasonably enjoyable gangster movie that will primarily please STR fans despite its shortcomings. The dramatic combat scene is enhanced with an impactful background soundtrack by AR Rahman that connects with the viewer and heightens the impact of the scene. The movie, however, could have done without a song in the second part that features Simbu because it doesn’t significantly advance the plot. As the district collector, Priya Bhavani Shankar gives a passable performance, although her flashback scenes with Gautham Karthik should have had greater effect.
The compelling performances of Silambarasan and Gautham Karthik allow us to ignore some of the writer’s logical errors. In particular, Gautham succeeds in appearing like an undercover police officer. The film’s technical features are fairly effective, with only a few out-of-focus scenes, and Gautham Vasudev Menon gives a strong performance as the Deputy Chief Minister.
For those who have seen the original, Pathu Thala may not be a particularly good movie overall, but it is still worth seeing for the principal performers and a few memorable scenes.
Here’s the trailer of Pathu Thala:
