SIRAI - REVIEW

 Today marks my 25th blog🤍.

Have you ever wondered about the impact of a film that stays with you unreasonably strong even after days, months, or years? It could be that the film made you laugh until your tummy ached or made you cry.

And I admit, it doesn’t necessarily need to be a tragedy or comedy — even a light-hearted or an action film can create an impact, because that’s what cinema is known for. Anyone can feel relatable with anything, and it’s not limited to a particular genre.

But here, I would like to talk about the type of films which rejuvenate you, which make you believe that this earth still has good people, and which make you believe in hope.

I watched such a film today after a hectic exam week. I regret missing the theatrical experience. However, I finally watched a film titled ‘Sirai’, a Tamil film inspired by a real story, directed by Suresh Rajakumari, with the story written by the director Tamil (Tanakkaran).

Moving on to today’s blog, this film revolves around a policeman who escorts a prisoner from Vellore prison to Sivagangai court. In between, we get to know the story of the accused person.And eventually, whether he is given justice or not is the remaining story.

Vikram Prabhu as Kathir seamlessly fits into the role and is just perfect in his part. Akshay Kumar as Abdul debuts through this film, and his innocence steals the show. Anishma Anilkumar as kalai , the aura she carries every time she is on screen makes us laugh and cry with her. One of the best performances from the last year. Other supporting characters also fit into the era and setting.

The first 20 minutes of the film set the tone and take us into the world of the police department and how they function. The later part, when the protagonist is being brought from jail and handed over in court, is nail-gripping.

The love portions are just as pure as a child’s heart. The montages from children to adults showing the growth of their love were just beautiful. With the title being Sirai, we expect it to be a complete police drama, but the surprise is that it’s also a beautiful love story.

One more impressive thing was how religion and the people in the bottom of the social ladder fight everyday is dealt. Especially the scene where they show how one is judged by their religion. A brilliant counter was given to the prejudices.

One of the negative characters may feel a bit irritating and slightly disrupt the narrative. However, these moments don’t last long, as they are balanced out by other strong moments in the film.

The music score by Justin Prabhakaran was mesmerising, perfectly aligning with the subject’s needs.

The climax might trigger the trauma created by films like Mynaa (almost follows the same setup and plot) by Prabhu Solomon. As I already said, the impact of certain films is unforgettable, and this is one such film.

This might be a spoiler, but I would like to share this as it could save you from triggering your anxiety. The wound caused by films like Mynaa with a sad ending is definitely healed by this film.

The duration of the film is one more plus point. This allows the immersion to be even more impactful.

Usually, I critique a film by measuring both positives and negatives. But with this film, I can’t really think of any negatives.

As art is subjective and prone to interpretations, it might vary.

Sirai will make you smile, cry, and think🩷.

So please do watch it you are interested!