Raayan movie review: Dhanush’s 50th film is a must-watch for its performances and unexpected twists (2024)

Explore

Monday, Aug 05, 2024

New Delhi ^oC

Games

E-Paper

My Account

Raayan movie review: Dhanush’s directorial totally packs a punch. AR Rahman delivers a brilliant background score that elevates the film.

He is a National Award-winning actor, who has always won praise for his performances. Thus, it wasn’t a surprise when Tamil star Dhanush chose to direct his first film, Pa Paandi, in 2017. And he has now chosen to write and direct his second film, Raayan, a gangster drama, which also marks the 50th film in his career. Also read: Dhanush receives backlash for calling himself an ‘outsider’ at Raayan event

Raayan movie review: Dhanush’s 50th film is a must-watch for its performances and unexpected twists (8)

The plot

Kathavaraayan or Raayan (Dhanush) is the eldest in a family consisting of two brothers – Manickam (Kalidas Jayaram), Muthu (Sundeep Kishan) – and a sister Durga (Dushara Vijayan) – and it falls on Raayan to look after them when their parents leave home one day to never return. They live in a small town in Tamil Nadu, which is ruled by two gangsters, Sekar (SJ Suryah) and Saravanan, and there seems to be peace prevailing on the surface.

But the new police commissioner (Prakash Raj), who comes to town, decides to stir things up a little to uncover the murky goings-on between the gangs. And it is here that the first half really kicks off. College-going Manickam, loafer Muthu and Raayan, who runs a small fast food stall, and Durga lead a pretty happy life till an incident causes upheaval. How and why does Raayan get dragged into this gang war? What happens next forms the rest of the story.

What works, what doesn’t

Dhanush has always been a writer, having written other scripts and plenty of lyrics for songs. He has penned the story of Raayan, a gangster revenge drama, and one must say that the second half was much better scripted than the first. The theme of the film is not new, but how Dhanush has treated it as a writer is different and highly engaging, particularly in the second half, which has plenty of plot twists.

What he has also done as a writer is ensured he has given meaty roles to the other actors, especially Kalidas, Sundeep and Dushara. The three characters are integral to the plot and the character arcs he has etched also allows them to show different facets of their acting skills.; and one must compliment Dhanush for this.

The only aspect that could been a minor flaw is the routine writing in the first half which is a sort of deja vu. He has thrown in some humour intermittently by way of dialogues and this works in the film’s favour without hampering its flow. The ending though wasn’t as sharp as expected but what Dhanush has cleverly done is set up the platform for a sequel to Raayan.

The performances and music

All the main actors in the film, including SJ Suryah, who plays protagonist, have performed well lending more gravitas to this film. Dhanush has, of course, excelled not just as an actor but director too. As an actor, the look given to him (short hair, rough beard) and the way he channels his anger with his eyes is quite captivating particularly in the climax fight.

With the movie being certified A and the theme being gang wars, there is obviously plenty of violence (especially in the second half). There are some superb action/fight blocks in the film that have been well-choreographed and shot, particularly the use of the handheld camera that movies with the actors. The interval action sequence, as well as the hospital scene and climax are some really notable scenes that are superb in the film.

AR Rahman has scored the music and BGM for Raayan and he has delivered a brilliant background score that really elevates the film, especially the action sequences. One must mention the work of DOP Om Prakash and editor Prasanna GK here. The striking visuals and sharp cuts and close ups in the film enhance the blow (literally and figuratively) it seeks to deliver.

Dhanush’s Raayan totally packs a punch and is a must-watch for its captivating performances and unexpected story twists. It’s a stellar 50th career film for Dhanush.

Amazon Summer Sale is here! Splurge and save now! Click Here!.

Get more updates from Bollywood, Taylor Swift, Hollywood, Music and Web Series along with Latest Entertainment News at Hindustan Times.

News / Entertainment / Tamil Cinema / Raayan movie review: Dhanush’s 50th film is a must-watch for its performances and unexpected twists

FAQs

Raayan movie review: Dhanush’s 50th film is a must-watch for its performances and unexpected twists? ›

The striking visuals and sharp cuts and close ups in the film enhance the blow (literally and figuratively) it seeks to deliver. Dhanush's Raayan totally packs a punch and is a must-watch for its captivating performances and unexpected story twists. It's a stellar 50th career film for Dhanush.

Is the Raayan movie worth watching? ›

Raayan definitely starts strong, with powerful cinematography, as cinematographer Om Prakash shines with a gritty and dark take on Northern Chennai. While it is a plot point that has been done before, we don't feel as though it's a copy, simply a shade of a rehashed story.

Know More ›

Is Raayan a good movie? ›

That said, the good performances by everyone; decent cinematography and amazing sound design. AR Rahman's music was felt...worthy of that nametag after a long time. Hope Dhanush directs more. The movie wasn't good but I dunno if its bad as people are making it out to be.

Keep Reading ›

What happens in the Raayan movie? ›

Driven by betrayal and revenge, Raayan kills Sethu and ultimately is forced to confront and kill his own brother Muthu, who had turned against him. The film concludes with Raayan and his sister Durga deciding to leave their violent past behind. They move to a new city, hoping to build a peaceful life.

Learn More ›

What is Raayan about? ›

After his family is killed, a young man trains to avenge their murders. Seeking those responsible, his quest leads him through the criminal underworld.

Raayan / Film synopsis

Why is Raayan 18+? ›

This rating indicates that the movie contains strong violence, explicit scenes, nudity, and abusive language that is not targeted at any particular social group. As a result, the age rating for Raayan is not suitable for children. It is intended for viewers above 18 years of age.

Show Me More ›

Does Dhanush have a twin brother? ›

Selvaraghavan

Dhanush / Brother

View Details ›

Is Raayan worth watching? ›

#Raayan (4/5) - A gritty and mostly gripping gangster drama that dives deep into its emotions and characters. @dhanushkraja is solid as both director and actor, and is coupled with a great cast. Superb first half, good second. Performances, setting, making, music - full marks!

Keep Reading ›

Is the Raayan movie 18+? ›

'Raayan' is Dhanush's 50th film. Dhanush starrer 'Raayan' is available in theaters across locations, and the film is released in Tamil and Telugu. 'Raayan' was certified 'A' by CBFC, and this prevented the film from being enjoyed by the audiences along with their family members.

Read The Full Story ›

Who is Durga in the Raayan movie? ›

The movie, which is centered around the theme of violence and revenge, is set in Chennai and features Dhanush as Raayan, a stoic figure who cares for his younger siblings Muthuvel (Sundeep Kishan), Manikkam (Kalidas Jayaram) and Durga (Dushara Vijayan).

Tell Me More ›

Is Rayaan worth watching? ›

The interval action sequence, as well as the hospital scene and climax are some really notable scenes that are superb in the film. AR Rahman has scored the music and BGM for Raayan and he has delivered a brilliant background score that really elevates the film, especially the action sequences.

See Details ›

Is Forensic movie worth watching? ›

On the whole it is a must watch for the lovers of investigative thriller and would be more excited for more such films to come.

Find Out More ›

Is it worth it to watch Slumdog Millionaire? ›

Fantastic work from director Danny Boyle that makes it stand out amongst his best works, "Slumdog Millionaire" takes a generic story and manages to make it seem fresh, unique, and one of the most vibrantly dazzling and uplifting movies in the history of recent filmmaking. Content collapsed.

Read On ›

Is Karthikeya movie worth watching? ›

'Karthikeya' is a decent mystery suspense thriller. but there is not so much of gripping suspense in this film. movie plot was good but execution is not very interesting. Actually it was a mystery thriller but director moreover concentrated on other scenes like love,family attachments, comedy with friends etc.