It has been a ‘blind’ date for film buffs in recent times, what with the protagonists in quite a few films being visually challenged. If there was Oppam (2016) in Malayalam, there was the recently-released Kaabil in Hindi where blind men take on their detractors.
Close on the heels of these films comes Adhe Kangal, where the hero, a blind restaurant owner, lands himself in trouble because of his disability. But apart from the early moments, what is interesting about the film is the portrayl of its character rather than the events that happen in the protagonist’s life.
Kalaiarasan (of the 2014-hit Madras) who has played supporting roles in various films, is protagonist Varun, a visually challenged man. He runs a restaurant that’s popular for the food.
Looking presentable, the actor plays his role with cool efficiency. Varun’s life takes a turn when Deepa (Shivadha), a sales girl at a textile showroom, enters his life. What happens when Varun regains his eye sight and finds Deepa missing forms rest of the story.
The plot shifts from Chennai to Kanyakumari where Varun’s search takes him. There are quite a few twists and turns but some of them are unconvincing.
The hurdles to their search at times seem like contrived moments. Also, midway in the film, the suspense is broken. And though the hero and his cop friend Panju (Bala) remain oblivious to the truth, the audience gets a whiff of what would follow.
The interest wanes in the second half, thanks to sloppy screenplay. Shivadha’s character has various shades, the actor bringing out each with aplomb. And towards the closing scenes, she holds the film with her spirited display of woman power.
Janani plays a journalist, and her character could have been better scripted. Bala peps up the narration with his spot-on humour. Thankfully, there is no comedy track to distract. A suspense thriller, the film could have been shorter towards the second half. The film at best is a promising debut from a first-time maker.