Film: Raayan
Director: Dhanush

Cast: Dhanush, Sandeep Kishan, Kalidasu Jairam, Aparna Balamurali, SJ Surya, Saravanan and others

Producers: Kalanithi Maran
Music Director: A. R. Rahman
Cinematographer: Om Prakash
Editor: Prasanna GK

Banner: Sun Pictures
Release Date: July 26, 2024

iQlik Movies Rating: 2.75/5

Kollywood's versatile hero Dhanush marks his 50th film as the hero with Raayan, a highly anticipated movie. He also stars in the lead role along with other actors. Let's delve into the review to see how it meets expectations.

Plot:
The film follows Karthava Rayan (Dhanush), who, along with his younger brothers Muthu Rayan (Sandeep Kishan) and Manikya Rayan (Kalidasu Jairam), and his younger sister Durga (Dushara Vijayan), moves to Anjanapuran in Chennai following a traumatic incident from their childhood. Karthava teams up with Shekhar (Selva Raghavan) in Anjapuram and works hard to ensure the growth of his siblings. Meanwhile, a power struggle ensues between local dons Sethuraman (SJ Surya) and Durai (Sharavanan). The film explores how Karthava navigates this conflict, eventually changing his life course.

Performances:
All the performances in the movie are a major highlight. Dhanush excels as Karthava Rayan, showcasing a range of emotions and powerful action sequences. His portrayal of the character adds depth and intensity to the film. Sandeep Kishan impresses with a natural performance and looks the best of all the actors, apart from Dhanush. Kalidas Jairam delivers a commendable act. Dushara Vijayan, playing Karthava's sister, stands out in her strong performance and impactful mass scenes. SJ Surya and Saravanan shine as the antagonists. Aparna Balamurali's performance is noteworthy, while Varalakshmi Sarath Kumar and Divya Pillai add value to the supporting cast. The rest of the cast is impressive.

Technical Aspects:
The production values of Raayan are commendable, with good care taken in the Telugu dubbing. Rahman's music and re-recording are highlights, enhancing the emotional and dramatic scenes. The cinematography is impressive, effectively capturing the essence of the story while the editing is competent. As for Dhanush's direction, he excels as an actor but falls short as a director in his benchmark film.

Review:
The film is good on the brighter side, but it also has shortcomings. The primary drawback is the lack of a strong, original story. The narrative follows a familiar mass-movie formula, reducing the element of surprise and excitement. Most scenes look repetitive and remind us of some of Dhanush's earlier films. The film also misses out on delivering mind-blowing twists. Dhanush handled the routine storyline well enough to keep it from becoming boring, the screenplay could have been more engaging. His directorial effort, while not exceptional, is adequate for the film. Overall, Raayan, Dhanush's 50th film, offers a mix of positives and negatives.

Plus Points:
Performances
Dhanush
Rahman's Music & BGM

Minus Points:
Predictable & Routine Scenes
Boring Play

Final Verdict: Raayan Shines Bright but with Some Flaws