Madhraasi Review: Murugadoss shows glimpses, not total form

What’s it about?

Prem Kumar (Biju Mohan), an NIA officer in Chennai, launches a mission to stop illegal gun consignments. During the operation, he crosses paths with Raghu (Sivakarthikeyan), a heartbroken youngster who has attempted suicide after being dumped by his girlfriend Malathi (Rukmini Vasanth). Both end up in the same hospital: Prem injured in the line of duty and Raghu from his failed attempt.

Noticing Raghu’s obsession with death, Prem decides to use him for his risky mission. Raghu is sent into the warehouse where the arms are stored and, following Prem’s instructions, shoots Virat (Vidyut Jamwal). This provokes Virat’s brother Chirag (Shabeer Kallarakkal), who vows to hunt down Raghu and Malathi.

The rest of the drama unfolds as Raghu begins to fight back to protect the woman he loves.

Analysis

As the title suggests, Madhraasi is set entirely in Madras (Chennai). The plot is straightforward: an officer ropes in an ordinary youngster, unconnected to the police system, to take down a crime syndicate attempting to spread gun culture in the state.

As a premise, Madhraasi carries intrigue. To his credit, AR Murugadoss handles the first half with considerable finesse, despite an overdose of songs. The blend of Sivakarthikeyan–Rukmini Vasanth’s romance with the NIA operation is executed smoothly, offering a few engaging stretches.

To add depth, Murugadoss (who has also penned the story and screenplay) infuses Sivakarthikeyan’s character with Fregoli delusion, a psychological disorder stemming from past trauma that shapes him into a compulsive do-gooder. This layer lends some novelty, even if the narrative structure feels familiar.

For the most part, the first hour remains watchable. But Murugadoss soon proves he is far from reclaiming his vintage blockbuster touch. The stretched narrative and predictable turns in the latter half echo his earlier works like Thuppakki and Ghajini, without matching their impact.

The claim that Tamil Nadu alone is free from gun culture comes across as contrived and overtly political. Ironically, Murugadoss himself celebrated gun-wielding heroes in films such as Thuppakki.

On the performance front, the ever-reliable Sivakarthikeyan does justice to his role, particularly in the do-gooder moments. The prolonged action blocks, however, sit uneasily with his persona. Rukmini Vasanth looks graceful and provides a neat performance, though her role is underwritten. Biju Menon adds weight, while Vidyut Jamwal is passable.

Technically, the film boasts slick action set-pieces and striking cinematography, though the editing lacks bite.

Bottom line: “Madhraasi” begins with promise, offering a decent premise and engaging stretches in the first half, but loses grip as it slides into repetitive action and formula. Still, it stands a notch above Murugadoss’s recent duds.

Rating: 2.5/5

By Jalapathy Gudelli

Movie: Madhraasi
Cast: Sivakarthikeyan, Rukmini Vasanth, Vidyut Jamwal, Biju Menon, Shabeer Kallarakkal, Vikranth, and others
Music: Anirudh Ravichander
DOP: Sudeep Elamon
Editor: Sreekar Prasad
Action: Kevin Kumar, Dileep Subbarayan
Produced by: N. Lakshmi Prasad
Written and Directed by: A.R. Murugadoss
Release Date: September 5, 2025