Dharani explores the journey of three characters from humble backgrounds, each with his own aspirations and desires. It tracks each of their lives and their choices bogged down by life’s vicissitudes, which ultimately lead to the death of their dreams.The confidence with which director Guhan Sambandam moves his narration, the sensibility and the sensitivity in his scripting, and the insightful fleshing out of his characters, belies the fact that it is the work of a debutant. The entire cast has performed well, infusing realism into their characters. The film has a fresh appeal with a message — that it's the choice we make in our lives that influences and shapes our destiny and that we are ultimately responsible for our own actions.
Three friends played by Aari, Ajay and Kumaravel have aspirations to make it big in their respective fields. The scenes of each trying to find satisfaction in their current jobs, their frustration and depression are all well brought out by the director. The film has a realistic feel and the lines are thoughtfully penned. Aari aims to rise up in life, hoping that the home products he sells to shops and kiosks will find many takers; Ajay wants to be a top-rung marketing executive, but is reduced to peddling household goods and dolls on the streets; and Kumaravel a junior artiste in films for years, hopes to make it to the top one day. But frustrated with disappointment and rejections, the trio decide to part ways, each carving his own path by whatever means its takes to do so. It's back to his roots for one, a comfortable hedonistic life in a world of deceit for the other and guilt and redemption for the path he had chosen for the third. The narration is focused and has a natural flow.
The first half has a leisurely pace while the tempo increases in the second part. There seems to be a slight disconnect between the two halves. The director had decided to change the narration to a faster tempo and go into the action mode. But both halves are engaging in it's own way. Perfectly cast, the trio sport different looks as their characters evolve. Each gets his individual space and performs his role with intuitive understanding. The film is sans romantic dream songs, inane comedy and overt glamour. The second half has well-arranged intrigue and fight scenes. The director has tries to infuse a local context and culture into the film and the 'Therukoothu' sequences are well integrated with Kumaravel's episode. Go watch it.