AMARAN (TAMIL) (2024)

Biopics, especially of army veterans, are an unexplored genre in Tamil cinema. Director Rajkumar Periasamy takes this road less traveled as he narrates the story of Major Mukund Varadarajan who was martyred in Kashmir shortly after celebrating his 31st birthday. 

The unusual casting of leads - Siva Karthikeyan (SK) and Sai Pallavi - has worked exceptionally well as both provide stellar performances. SK undergoes a spectacular transformation in his muscular physicality as well as a controlled performance that is as distant from his usual casual self as snowy Kashmir is from sunny shores of Kanyakumari. Sai Pallavi is once again phenomenal as the emotional anchor to this film. 

Amaran is a fine attempt as it blends the personal life comprising of an affecting love story along with a valorous life of a professional army man with exemplary leadership skills. The director deserves credit for steering clear of the usual pitfalls of loud jingoism and teary melodrama that mire most movies of this genre. 

RATING - 3.5/5

A VERY GOOD WATCH !

PS - Streaming on Netflix