Thudarum

THUDARUM IS THE ULTIMATE BAAAP OF EMPURAAN - and I mean that with full respect! Seriously! I know, comparing this flick to Empuraan is like comparing pizza to pazham pori - totally different leagues, but that pure OG Lalettan kick you get walking out? Had. To. Say. It! This movie? It's a whole vibe, So much to unpack, so many moments that made me wanna whistle and hoot in the theatre. Mad respect to Mohanlal for straight-up owning the director's vision like a total thug.

That ending though - "MOHANLAL THUDRAM" just blazed across the screen, and BOOM! You're walking out like you just won a fight... in a good way! I know "Empuraan" sometimes felt like Lalettan's sheer aura swallowed the story a bit, but here? Total opposite!

"Thudarum," is the perfect fanboy feast - balancing that classy touch with some hardcore mass moments, throwing in hilarious Lalettan references without being cheesy, just hitting that sweet spot. For ex, we can say Pulimurugan, Bhramaram, and Drishyam, and this film got the best of all three, a great family drama with some cool massy thriller moments. Can you believe it? This is Lalettan's 3rd release in just 4 months! After the visual spectcle of Barroz 3D and the epic slow-o Empuraan, he drops Thudarum - and HOLY MOLY, THIS IS THE BOSS LEVEL! Director Tharun Moorthy gave Lalettan the ULTIMATE terrain -mass swag, acting chops, everything.

The Story is simple, just like we saw in the trailer. Shanmugham (Lalettan, who else would it be?), a middle-class taxi anna who loves his. He lives with his wife Lalitha (Shobana, still ruling!), who he met during his action hero days in Madras. Life's cruising along - UNTIL THE LAW ENFORCEMENT SNATCH HIS RIDE! Now, Shanmugham's on a MISSION: GET HIS BABY BACK, and the chaos that follows? Sounds simple, right? But trust me, it's gonna be fire.

First half is pure nostalgia with Lalettan references and light-hearted fun that's all warm and fuzzy until the Interval. The SECOND HALF? TONAL SHIFT - LIKE A PRO. The hunt for his car turns into a full-on police showdown, power games with a sweet payback - all backed by an incredible BGM by THE Jakes Bejoy who is on fire.

FINAL VERDICT? Even if the initial pacing feels leisurely or some emotional beats don't quite land for you, stay with it. I Promise you the Second half, the moment Lalettan shifts gears and that incredible score driving the action, any minor flaws become insignificant. THUDARUM IS A RIDE YOU ABSOLUTELY CANNOT MISS!