Aghathiyaa Movie Review: An Ambitious Blend of Fantasy and History

Review: In Aghathiyaa, director Pa. Vijay concocts a curious cocktail of haunted houses, colonial villains, and mystical Siddha medicine—resulting in a film that is both perplexing and oddly intoxicating. The narrative demands a suspension of disbelief so extreme that even gravity might feel envious, but despite its audacity, the film never completely collapses into absurdity.

The story unfolds across two distinct time periods:

Aghathiyaa (Jiiva), an art director, finds himself stranded after his financier abandons his film project.To recover losses, he transforms his elaborate set into a haunted theme house.When his girlfriend Veena (Raashi Khanna) plays an old piano, supernatural events begin to unfold.Through visions, an old film reel, and a recorder, Aghathiyaa discovers the mysterious past of the building.

Siddharthan (Arjun Sarja), a brilliant Siddha medicine practitioner, is called upon to heal Matylda (Jacqueline), the quadriplegic sister of tyrannical French administrator Edwin Duplex (Edward Sonnenblick). Duplex is described as “what Hitler is to Germany, Duplex is to Pondicherry.” Siddharthan’s powers are established when Matylda miraculously regains movement in a day.As Aghathiyaa uncovers the historical and supernatural connections between Siddharthan and the house, he realizes that the ancient healer may hold the key to curing his mother’s cancer.This revelation leads to a spectral battle between Siddharthan and Duplex, drawing Aghathiyaa into an otherworldly conflict.

 Jiiva once again plays a timeline-hopping role, following his previous work in Black. He delivers a performance filled with vulnerability and conviction. Arjun Sarja steals the show, commanding attention every time he appears on screen. His magnetic confidence makes even the most fantastical elements of his character believable—whether it's out-thinking Einstein or curing terminal illnesses. Edward Sonnenblick plays the antagonistic Duplex, but like many Kollywood films, English dialogues and Western characters feel stilted and exaggerated.

 Unlike many Tamil films where CGI appears tacked on, here, the effects blend seamlessly with the supernatural elements, enhancing the experience. The film stumbles with choppy transitions and confusing shifts between reality and trance states.  Unnecessary Songs: Several musical numbers feel forced and detract from the narrative flow.

The final showdown between Siddharthan and Duplex is a 10-minute-long motion-capture spectacle packed with 3D effects. While the plot becomes increasingly outrageous, this sequence fully embraces the film’s fantasy ambitions.

Aghathiyaa is a film that wobbles on a tightrope, at times losing its balance but never falling into complete absurdity. It may not always make sense, but it certainly entertains.