‘Siruthai’ (Tamil, Action, 2011)
Director: Shiva
Cast: Karthi, Tamannaah, Santhanam, Avinash, Rajiv Kanakkale, Megha Nair, Rakshan
After doing nearly a handful of films, Karthi essays a dual role for the first time in ‘Siruthai’. He plays a role of a small-time thief “Rocket” Raja, and another of a gutsy police officer, Pandian. The time-tested plot, on the lines of ‘Don’, of a youth taking the place of his look-alike and teaching a lesson to the wrong doers, is a remake of the Ravi Teja-Anushka Telugu hit ‘Vikramarkudu’.
Shiva (brother of actor Bala), who has wielded the camera for many Tamil and Telugu films, and directed a couple of Telugu films too, makes his directorial debut in the Tamil film, ‘Siruthai’.
Reveling in the role of Raja, the lovable petty thief, is Karthi. But it’s the portrayal of the righteous cop that the actor gets to reveal a slightly different dimension to his performance.
Partnered with Santhanam, who is always in his elements, Raja keeps the gags going, some funny and others gross.
The earlier part maintains a racy pace as it follows the antics of the thieving duo. On one such outing, Raja encounters Shweta (Tamannaah) who falls for his glib talk and charm. All goes well, till it’s all spoilt by the entry of a little girl who calls him “dad”. Raja further finds himself pursued by some rowdies out to kill him.
The story then shifts to a small border village in Andhra and to Pandian, a gutsy cop on the run, because he had dared to take on the might of the dreaded Bavuji, his demented son, and their band of ruthless henchmen.
It’s time for Raja to step into the cop’s shoes. High on the energy quotient in all departments, ‘Siruthai’ is a formula-patterned script, with all the ingredients one would expect from a mass entertainer.
On the flip side, the film has a slower second half, and a climax that could have been worked out better.