Visithiran Movie Review: An engaging emotional thriller

Visithiran Movie Review: RK Suresh's Vichithiran, the official remake of Joju George's Malayalam film, Joseph, kicks off right from the word go and stays faithful to the original without resorting to adding any commercial ingredients.

The film is an emotional investigative thriller that is all about how a retired police officer uncovers a huge crime syndicate while sacrificing many things in his life. In the first scene, we are introduced to a depressed cop who has got VRS, Maayan (RK Suresh), who is a victim of his past. Also an alcoholic and a chain smoker, Maayan is almost lifeless due to the death of his daughter and separation from his ex-wife Stella (Poorna). The film unfolds when Maayan discovers that Stella has been admitted in a hospital due to an accident. Now, the sequences of his daughter's death and the current situation with Stella begin to feel similar to him. As he tries to overcome his loss, a sudden revelation changes the truth about the accidents and the events surrounding them. The second half is all about how he takes this forward and starts an investigation to unravel the truth behind a huge crime.

The crime here is associated with the medical mafia and despite many films touching this aspect, Vichithran hits hard as it is too personal to the protagonist. Those who have watched the Malayalam version might find this film to be odd in parts, but still would find it engaging, mostly. The reason behind the separation between Maayan and Stella could have been stronger and that would have helped us empathize with his sufferings even better. We are not allowed to immerse in his drama to really understand him; instead, the film keeps moving toward the investigation.

RK Suresh's intense performance is laudable and it's evident that he has done a lot of hard work to get into the skin of his character. And of course, this is his best performance to date. Poorna, who plays his wife, has delivered a wonderful performance in a role in which she has to look older. She holds the flashback sequences well along with RK Suresh.

Cinematographer Vetrivel Mahendran and composer GV Prakash have done a decent job. It is commendable that the intention of the makers is to deliver a faithful adaptation of the original. Overall, Vichithiran is the right weekend watch for an audience that is on the lookout for an engaging emotional thriller.