Thiru.Manickam Movie Review : Good intentions, mixed results

Thiru.Manickam Movie Synopsis: Manikam, owner of a lottery shop, discovers a winning ticket belonging to an elderly customer, leading to a struggle with his family and authorities to return the fortune.

Thiru.Manickam Movie Review: In Thiru Manikam, set against the backdrop of a Kerala town, we meet Manikam (Samuthirakani) and his family—a lower-middle-class household navigating speech impediments, crushing loans, and the kind of financial struggles that practically demand an Oscar for empathy. The plot’s lynchpin? A 1.5 crore lottery ticket left behind by an elderly customer. What unfolds is less a nail-biting drama and more a gradual unmasking of human frailty, as Manickam’s noble quest to return the ticket reveals the rifts in his family and people’s true colors. It’s all very earnest, albeit delivered with the subtlety of a foghorn.

Director Nanda Periyasamy seems to have confused melodrama with genuine emotion, starting with an opening montage of familial bliss so saccharine it could give you a toothache. We’re introduced to the family, complete with a speech-impaired younger daughter—a character clearly designed to tug at our heartstrings with the force of a tractor pull. Our tale kicks off when a forgetful elder (Bharathiraja) stumbles into Manickam’s lottery shop, his pockets empty. Our hero, bless his cotton socks, lets the old man pick out tickets on credit. No sooner does the senior citizen shuffle off than Manickam discovers a winning ticket among those left behind—a cool 1.5 crore jackpot. In a decision that surely sets a record for the fastest moral dilemma in cinematic history, Manickam resolves to return the ticket. What follows is part road movie, part Keystone Cops chase, as Manickam’s kin and the cops are determined to relieve him of his ethical burden.

The bulk of the film plays out like a series of unfortunate events aboard a bus, where every cinematic chestnut gets a boarding pass. Sudden downpours? Yes. A brazen thief? Naturally. A herd of elephants staging an impromptu road blockade? Why not! And let’s not forget the cell phones that seem to have taken a vow of silence. As for Manickam’s family, their decision to involve the police—the police—in a matter involving a small fortune suggests they possess the collective IQ of a houseplant. One might think that such a windfall would inspire a bit of discretion. The backstory, meant to add depth to Manickam’s character, unfolds as predictably as a paint-by-numbers landscape.

In a film that often leans towards the dramatic, Samuthirakani’s performance stands out like a beacon of restraint. His portrayal is nuanced, relying on subtle gestures and expressions to convey a range of emotions. Others including Ananya and Bharathiraja play support and chip in their bits. Sukumar’s camerawork beautifully captures the quaint charm of the Kerala town, with its lush greens and slow pace of life.

All in all, Thiru Manickam strives to evoke a strong emotional response, but leaves you feeling as unmoved as a block of granite.

Written By: Abhinav Subramanian