muthu movie review 2022

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Release Date : September 17, 2022

123telugu.com Rating : 2.75/5

Starring: Silambarasan T. R. , Radhika Sarathkumar , Siddhi Idnani

Director: Gautham Menon

Producer: Ishari K. Ganesh

Music Director : AR RAHMAN

Cinematography : Siddhartha Nuni

Editor : Anthony

Related Links : Trailer 

Silambarasan, often referred to as Simbu, is very familiar to Telugu audiences. The actor has now joined hands with the evergreen director Gautham Vasudev Menon for the film The Life of Muthu. This is the fourth collaboration for the actor-director duo. The film hit the screens today. Let’s see how it is.

After clearing his graduation Muthu’s (Simbu) family situation forces him to look after a forest land. Unexpectedly the forest catches fire one day which makes Muthu and the land owner get into a tangle. Muthu is suggested by his mother to leave for Mumbai. Muthu starts working in a Parotta stall there to make a living and to support his family financially. Out of the blue, he gets to know that there is a connection between the workers there and the underworld. He too becomes part of them in a series of sequences. The journey of Muthu in the dark world forms the crux of the story.

Plus Points:

Simbu played the role of Muthu with finesse. He has totally lived in the character and we only see Muthu on the screen but not Simbu. Such is the perfection shown by the actor. Simbu takes the madness to the next level with the interval sequence.

There are a few interesting scenes in both the halves which are pretty well handled. The climax scene where Simbu and Neeraj Madhav meet has a lot of depth and inner meaning in it. The action sequences are well composed and the love track is decent.

Siddhi Idnani is good in her role and is beautiful to watch. The interval episode is shot brilliantly and the camera work here is awesome. The portions of Muthu working hard and his daily routine in this process are realistic. The conversational style of songs is good to watch.

Minus Points:

The main culprit for the film is its patience-testing narrative. From the beginning, the pacing is very slow and it hinders the overall impact. The narrative never gets racy. Scenes that should have been superb are also not executed well.

There is a lot of scope for giving adrenaline rush moments but the director stuck to a flat screenplay. The film at times gets dragged and predictable too. Also, there is an irregularity in the storytelling. The potential is visible but viewers won’t feel it painfully.

The length of the film is another setback as it is close to three hours. The hook factor a film should have especially when there is a sequel is not present in this film.

Technical Aspects:

AR Rahman’s thumping background score gives a solid impact and he literally enhances many sequences in the film. Also, the songs were ecstatic to listen to. The camerawork by Siddhartha Nuni is supreme and he has captured the world of mafia remarkably well. Telugu dubbing is fine.

The editing team should have cut short the film to make matters better. Coming to director Gautham Vasudev Menon, he did just a very okayish job as the film works only in parts. The director should have taken more care regarding the screenplay. Writer Jeymohan’s story isn’t novel but it has its moments.

On the whole, The Life of Muthu is a middling gangster drama. Simbu’s terrific portrayal as Muthu, a few enthralling scenes, the interval block, and AR Rahman’s arresting music are its assets. The dead slow narrative, inconsistency in many places, and lengthy duration are its drawbacks and hence they make the film just a passable watch. You can watch the film provided you are okay with these flaws.

123telugu.com Rating: 2.75/5

Reviewed by 123telugu Team

Click Here For Telugu Review

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• What is the release date of 'The Life Of Muthu'? Release date of Silambarasan TR and Radikaa Sarathkumar starrer 'The Life Of Muthu' is 2022-09-17.
• Who are the actors in 'The Life Of Muthu'? 'The Life Of Muthu' star cast includes Silambarasan TR, Radikaa Sarathkumar and Siddhi Idnani.
• Who is the director of 'The Life Of Muthu'? 'The Life Of Muthu' is directed by Gautham Menon.
• Who is the producer of 'The Life Of Muthu'? 'The Life Of Muthu' is produced by Ishari K Ganesh.
• What is Genre of 'The Life Of Muthu'? 'The Life Of Muthu' belongs to 'Action,Crime,Drama' genre.
• In Which Languages is 'The Life Of Muthu' releasing? 'The Life Of Muthu' is releasing in Telugu.

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Vendhu Thanindhathu Kaadu Movie Review: Simbu’s terrific acting saves GVM’s gangster origin film

Director gautham vasudev menon’s vendhu thanindhathu kaadu starring simbu and siddhi idnani is a solid gangster origin story. however, the film has some shortcomings in the second half, says our review..

Listen to Story

• Vendhu Thanindhathu Kaadu is a gangster origin story.
• The film, directed by Gautham Menon, hit the theatres on September 15.
• The film's story is written by B Jeyamohan.

Vendhu Thanindhathu Kaadu marks the third outing of Silambarasan AKA Simbu and Gautham Vasudev Menon after the successful Vinnaithaandi Varuvaya and the middling Achcham Yenbadhu Madamaiyada. With Vendhu Thanindhathu Kaadu, the duo has yet again proved that they can create magic whenever they join forces.

Muthuveeran AKA Muthu is a migrant worker from Tirunelveli, who goes to Mumbai to make ends meet. A B.Sc graduate, Muthu is struggling in his village in barren land. His mother takes his brother’s help and sends him to Mumbai to work at a parotta stall. Things take a drastic U-turn when Muthu works at the stall. They are not just migrant labourers but are also forced to kill people for their gangster bosses in Mumbai. One such incident pushes Muthu to take the gun in his hand. He then dives deep into the underworld. So much so that there’s no turning back. How he then gradually becomes one of the dreaded gangsters in Mumbai forms the story.

Vendhu Thanindhathu Kaadu's story is written by popular literary writer B Jeyamohan. While watching the film, there’s a constant thought that runs in your mind whether VTK is a Gautham Menon film or a Jeyamohan film. VTK takes its sweet time to get into the story and Gautham slowly grasps our attention by establishing the world of Muthu. The story peaks in the interval where Muthu retaliates and makes everyone jump from their seats. And kudos to Simbu, who performed it with such finesse.

Vendhu Thanindhathu Kaadu is a gangster origin story like Kamal Haasan’s Nayagan, Dhanush’s Pudhupettai and several films of the same ilk. B Jeyamohan and Gautham Menon had a solid story in hand. With a gangster story at its core, there is so much scope for action, emotion and betrayal. And the duo explored every single aspect in the film with a terrific performer like Simbu.

While the first half of VTK establishes the story, the second half was a letdown. The writing, in many places, falls flat, often putting everyone to sleep. Big reveals happen here, but they are inorganic. Take, for example, how he finds out that there’s a black sheep in his gang. That’s a stretch that could have elevated the film to a different level. But, it comes across as a matter of fact. Similarly, the climax, which is basically a lead-up to the sequel, feels so rushed.

Vendhu Thanindhathu Kaadu belongs to Simbu all the way. His transformation scene and the restraint in his performance made the film engaging. Siddhi Idnani made a confident debut and looks perfect for the role of a Mumbai girl. The romantic portions between Simbu and Siddhi slowed down the pace considerably.

Another subplot that made Vendhu Thanindhathu Kaadu stand out is the one featuring Muthu and Sridharan (Neeraj Madhav). The two meet at Chatrapathi Shivaji railway station while they land in Mumbai. They start their career in two different gangs. Throughout the film, Muthu and Sridharan cross paths, but their different decisions dictate their lives. In the climax, the two meet again and it’s a profound moment. It shows Muthu what his life could have been if he had run away from Mumbai.

AR Rahman’s haunting music and brilliant background score elevate Vendhu Thanindhadhu Kaadu’s mood drastically. Cinematographer Siddhartha Nuni’s work captured Mumbai’s underworld in a new colour.

Vendhu Thanindhadhu Kaadu could have been Simbu’s Pudhupettai, but it falls short by a few miles. The second half could have been more nuanced.

2.5 out of 5 stars for Vendhu Thanindhadhu Kaadu. Published By: K Janani Published On: Sep 15, 2022 --- ENDS --- ALSO READ | Vendhu Thanindhathu Kaadu trailer out. Silambarasan as simpleton delves into a world of crime

Vendhu Thanindhathu Kaadu (2022)

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Vendhu Thanindhathu Kaadu (Life Of Muthu) Review

Article by Cinephile Published by GulteDesk --> Published on: 6:59 am, 17 September 2022

Director : Gautham Vasudev Menon Producer : Ishari K. Ganesh Cast : Silambarasan, Siddhi Idnani and others Music : A. R. Rahman Banner : Vels Film International

Everyone’s eyes now are on GVM’s comeback, And his latest movie starring Simbu, Vendhu Thanindhathu Kaadu (Life Of Muthu) has been released the other day, let’s see whether the movie able to bring back GVM in fine form with a new avatar or not.

Story deals about the journey of an ordinary man becoming a powerful gangster , Muthu ( Simbu) is a Villager who used to live with his mom and sister due to to unfortunate circumstances he comes to Mumbai, he starts to work in a hotel which is linked with underworld, soon that also drags him into it and makes him a gangster, what happened Next, how did Muthu survive in that mafia world forms the rest of the story.

There is an interesting scene at the start of the movie where Simbu has to pick up the gun in an inevitable circumstance, while he was in a dilemma about whether to pick it up or not, it jump cuts to another shot, and we’re not shown the action of him picking the gun there, but after some scenes, it will be shown, intercutting with the dialogues of whether Muthu ends up on good/bad side, and then it sharp cuts to a blank screen, and there comes “written and directed by GVM”, yeah!! that’s how you should establish the journey of your protagonist, that’s how you should reveal your name! with such a slick cut, theatre roared when GVM’s name appeared in such a manner.

This is just an example of many such excellently written, exceptionally crafted sequences in the movie, also the carefully created Muthu’s world , especially in the first half, the characters, the dialogues, and the dynamics between them seem so natural , it won’t take much time to get immersed into its world.

Simbu as Muthu was incredible, his character demands him to underplay by being subtle, and vulnerable for the most part, and he portrays it to the teeth, it’s his career’s best performance.

Technically the movie was remarkable, the Cinematography by Siddhartha Nui is splendid, the lighting and atmosphere of the Muthu’s world was captured very naturally yet intensely, editing by Anthony was slick, and the best part of ‘Vendhu Thanindhathu Kaadu’ is of course A R Rahman’s music, the vibe of the ‘Mallipoo’ song is to be experienced only in theatre, it’s a freaking good track but the visual context to it, the lead to that song elevates its impact by 10 times, also his background score packs the proceedings with a solid punch and overwhelms us every time it rises.

In second half the pace of the movie drops and narration gets derailed a bit, also the love track between hero and heroine could’ve been better, Siddhi Idhani as Paavai, Muthu’s love interest was okay, she looked beautiful but had role got more substance, the output of love track would’ve been better.

Simbu’s Performance AR Rahman’s music First half

Thumbs Down

Love track Few hiccups in the second half

VTK remains interesting, Jeyamohan wrote an amazing character called Muthu, who is more powerful and also more sensible, and GVM gave a Good life to Jeyamohan’s writing through his direction.

Bottomline: Powerful Gangster

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The Life of Muthu Movie Review: Slow paced Romantic Action Gangster Drama

Rating: 3/5, more movie details: vendhu thanindhathu kaadu.

Posted On: 17 Sep 2022 02:04:36 pm IST | By Bharani SMS

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Vendhu Thanindhathu Kaadu Movie Review (2022)

• Vendhu Thanindhathu Kaadu

Gautham Vasudev Menon's ‘Vendhu Thanindhathu Kaadu’, with a terrific Silambarasan, is a fine addition to Tamil films about gangsters

Vendhu Thanindhathu Kaadu Movie Cast & Crew

When I reviewed Gautham Vasudev Menon's last feature film, the imperfect but also very underrated Enai Noki Paayum Thota , I called it a fine romance that slides into a generic action-thriller. It's the reverse in Vendhu Thanindhathu Kaadu . Despite a nice bit about consent, the romance track is  among Gautham's weakest, mainly because Siddhi Idnani, who plays Paavai, is little more than a pretty face. Not a single line reading or facial expression is convincing, and you need conviction when you are making a decision about a man who's about to tell you whether or not he has killed people. You need conviction to play a girl who's literally on the ledge, thanks to a dysfunctional family. None of that inner pain comes through. Thankfully, she's the only inauthentic aspect in a gangster drama that feels authentic to the core.

The title comes from a Subrahmanya Bharathi poem, Agni kunjondru kanden , which has metaphorical meanings but let's stick to the literal meaning of agni kunju : a small spark. At the beginning of the film, Muthu (Silambarasan) is literally that: a small spark in the middle of a small village in Tamil Nadu. The narrative traces his transformation into a big, blazing fire – but not in the conventional way. Vendhu Thanindhathu Kaadu is, refreshingly, not a plot-driven film but one that's character-driven. This is Jeyamohan's finest work as a screenwriter (the screenplay is credited to him and Gautham), and the writing takes us through Muthu's journey in small, incremental, incredibly detailed steps. They could have easily had a scene in the village that establishes Muthu needs money and – CUT TO Muthu landing up in Mumbai. But Muthu goes to a relative and through the events that occur there, he finds himself in a parotta place in Mumbai, and it takes a while to get employed there, and by living there he finds out what’s going on, and then he thinks he should leave, and then he decides not to leave, and then he's taken to kill someone, and then there's an act of retaliation, and THEN we get Muthu firing his first shot.

We see what a character means when he says people like Muthu are small cogs in a giant machine. ("We kill because we are asked to.") Muthu works for his boss, who works for his boss, who works for his boss, and so forth. Usually, in our mainstream films, the conflict is between the big guys: the hero and the villain. Here, our hero is a mere cog in a mere sub-gang that works for a villain, who's a Tamilian. And the opposition is a sub-gang composed of Malayalis. (Familiar faces like Siddique and Neeraj Madhav fill out a couple of parts.) Even the superb action sequences are choreographed accordingly. They do not "hero"-ise Muthu. The camera is a blur, capturing movements in real time instead of showing us stylised slo-mo kicks and punches. If there's anything flashy, or "glamorous", it's only in the moves of the contract killer played by Jaffer Sadiq.

Gautham and his excellent cinematographer Siddhartha Nuni keep pushing the form, holding shots and single takes for a long time with just the slightest hint of a shake. When Muthu tells his mother (Radhika Sarathkumar) that he has made up his mind to go to Bombay, we stay in that frame for a while, registering the aftermath of that statement, without a single word being uttered. In a song sequence, again, we stay in the frame for an entire stanza, without quick cutaways. The payoff is a kiss, and the static (well, almost static) frame makes us wait for it. And that's when the cut happens. Another fantastic number is staged within a single room, filled with moving bodies, and it leads to an unexpected development involving a gun. AR Rahman and Thamarai are strong allies, as always, and the film also has one of Rahman's most vibrant and tonally diverse background scores in a while, whether it's the heavy percussion during the opening credits or a solo clarinet mourning away somewhere else.

Each scene, whether it's a dialogue stretch or a song or an action sequence, is used to build Muthu. And in his most internalised performance after Vinnai Thaandi Varuvaaya , Simbu makes you feel every bit of Muthu. There's an early scene where Muthu walks awkwardly, because his undies are still wet. That awkwardness is the character in a nutshell. Muthu is never calm or composed. And Simbu keeps fidgeting with his shirt or wiping his cheek with his collar, or touching the back of his head – this awkwardness comes from a boy trying to fit into his new skin. (Muthu cannot believe this is what life had in store for him.) There's the same awkwardness in the way Muthu courts Paavai. Even after rising through the ranks – whether in the parotta shop, or in a gang – you sense his awkwardness, his hesitation. Simbu makes us see that Muthu is not a trained assassin. He is, for the most part, winging it. At least, until the fan-pleasing final portions.

The layers are fascinating. We see why these men do what they do: for survival. It's not just the fights, which they have to survive. (That’s another reason for the non-heroic action choreography.) It's also the fact that they have families that depend on them for survival. They are all from places like Muthu's hometown and they are here to send home money. Even at the beginning, in Muthu's small village, a postman says he had to bribe his way to get his job, and this establishes the subtext that money is everything. And to get that money, most men end up doing anything. Even women. At one point, we see Paavai agreeing to something just because she needs to keep her job. At one point, we see a friend's betrayal, again for money. The film keeps reminding you of Michael Corleone's line from Godfather III : "Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in!"

And the film's philosophical subtext is that once you touch a gun, it will never leave you – it will possess you like a ghost. In a fantastic scene, Muthu's boss asks Muthu to shoot him. The dialogue exchange that happens is both flavourful and utterly practical. Towards the end, there’s a small tribute to Nayakan . It made me smile, even if I thought it was a needless addition – it yanked me out of the world of this film. But I recalled Kamal’s line, when his daughter screams at him and says why not leave all this to the courts. He replies that she’s speaking from a point of a privileged upbringing, which he did not have. “ Naalu kaasu sambaadhikkanum-na saavanum .” To earn money, you have to nearly kill youself. Or, I guess, kill others. Vendhu Thanindhathu Kaadu is a fine addition to Tamil films about gangsters, and its most impressive aspect is that it’s about the cogs in the wheel. Part 2 promises to be more heroic, more hero-centric, more “mass”, but Part 1, called The Kindling , is about how the mere glimpse of a gun can change an innocent life forever.

About Author

Baradwaj Rangan

National Award-winning film critic Baradwaj Rangan, former deputy editor of The Hindu and senior editor of Film Companion, has carved a niche for himself over the years as a powerful voice in cinema, especially the Tamil film industry, with his reviews of films. While he was pursuing his chemical engineering degree, he was fascinated with the writing and analysis of world cinema by American critics. Baradwaj completed his Master’s degree in Advertising and Public Relations through scholarship. His first review was for the Hindi film Dum, published on January 30, 2003, in the Madras Plus supplement of The Economic Times. He then started critiquing Tamil films in 2014 and did a review on the film Subramaniapuram, while also debuting as a writer in the unreleased rom-com Kadhal 2 Kalyanam. Furthermore, Baradwaj has authored two books - Conversations with Mani Ratnam, 2012, and A Journey Through Indian Cinema, 2014. In 2017, he joined Film Companion South and continued to show his prowess in critiquing for the next five years garnering a wide viewership and a fan following of his own before announcing to be a part of Galatta Media in March 2022.

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• Movie Reviews

Life of Muthu Review

What's Behind

Simbu and Gautham Menon delivered a couple of blockbusters Vinnai Thaandi Varuvaya  and Achcham Yenbadhu Madamaiyada. Expectations increased when they came together for Vendhu Thanindhathu Kaadu. The film's Telugu version release got delayed and finally, it hit the screens today September 16, 2022. Let us see what magic Simbu and Gautam Menon wove on movie lovers.

Story Review

Life of Muthu story is about a youngster Muthu who struggles through poverty in a village near Nidadavolu and Polavaram before reaching Mumbai and what twists happen in his life there. Lakshmi (Radhika Sarathkumar), the mother of Muthu (Simbu) sends him far away from her village as she fears that the astrologer's prediction that he will commit murders will come true. Simbu reaches Mumbai and starts working in a Paraota Stall. However, he quickly comes to know about the dark secrets and where this leads to, and how it is connected to a beautiful girl Pavani (Siddhi Idnani), Kutti Bhai (Siddique), Sridharan (Neeraj Madhav) and others should be seen on screen.

Artists, Technicians Review

Life of Muthu story selected by Gautam Menon is an age-old gangster drama. He along with Jeya Mohan penned the story and the dialogues. The narration starts off on a sedate and interesting note but from then on, it seems Gautam Menon decided to narrate the very intricate detail in the Life of Muthu and this slowed the pace of the film considerably. Nothing happens in the first half after all the buildup. The first half ends on a somber note with the expectations of a better second half.

It seems Jeya Mohan has taken care of most of the first half after the initial taking of Gautam Menon. While the first half is serious with the sadness, trauma, and troubles of Muthu and the gang war backdrop, the second half is more about the romantic track between Simbu and Siddhi Idnandi. Though the romantic track has all the shades of Gautam Menon's earlier films, it impacted the film pulling the story two steps backward.

The pre-climax and climax are fine but they are age-old and are seen in many gangster films and even Gautam Menon used it in his previous films. The entire film with monotony creeping in, everything tuned out to be a yawning fest. The film has the shades of many recent entertainers, KGF and Pushpa but lacked the power present in it. Gautam Menon's story, screenplay, and direction turned out to be average. For all the expectations, Gautam Menon failed to match them.

Simbu performed well in the role. The role is tailor-made for him and he brought to the fore the pain and trauma of a poor youngster who fails to meet both ends in his livelihood and then suffers in Mumbai before circumstances force him to pick up a gun. He showcased various expressions and emotions accordingly. At times, it looked like he is imitating Madhavan. Radhika Sarathkumar is ok in the role of the mother.  Her performance is typical. Siddhi Idnani looked cute in some angles and average in others. She is ok in her role but at times looked out of pace. Other actors performed according to their roles.

Rahman scored the music and background music. While the background music is in sync with the storyline but at times one gets a feeling that he underperformed. Coming to songs, none of them register in the minds and they in fact acted as speed breakers. Rahman for all his status seems to have lost his Midas touch longtime back. The cinematography of Siddhartha Nuni showcased the proceedings in a natural and realistic manner. He used the camera angles to perfection without overdoing it in search of lavishness. The editing of Antony failed to live up to the expectations. There are many drags and the slow pace affected the film badly. They could have chopped off more than 20 minutes of the film. Production values are ok.

• Cinematography

Disadvantages

• Routine Story
• Tamil flavor

Rating Analysis

Simbu and Gautam Menon form a super hit combination and they are known for being creative and novel entertainers. Movie lovers expected a lot from them in Life of Muthu. However, except for a few glimpses here and there from Simbu and Gautam Menon along with the technical team, they offered a routine dish. Gautam Menon seems to have done this film as if he is doing research and submitting a thesis on how to make gangster films for his Ph.D. going into the intricate details. In his quest, he lost the emotional connection with the viewers that he used to establish powerfully with his earlier films. Altogether, Life of Muthu is a monotonous gangster drama that offers nothing new. Considering all these points, Cinejosh goes with a 2 rating for Life of Muthu.

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