Maareesan Movie Review: The theatres of Maareesan, a quirky little comedy-drama with some rural and emotional flavour, were bathed in the glamour of Fahadh Faasil. Directed by Vishnu Vamshi, the film sets off to explore the journey of a man’s self-discovery through mischief, misadventures, and moments of unexpected introspection. In the end, is this combination of comedy-meets-melodrama really worth a theatre trip or are you better off to just save it for streaming?
Dhaya (portrayed by Fahadh Faasil) is a wily opportunistic small-time crook, always on the lookout for an easy target. He sets his sights on Velayudham, an elderly gentleman (played by Vadivelu) with symptoms of Alzheimer’s. Dhaya is supposed to be shepherding the old man on the pretext of robbing him. But the journey warrants some unexpected emotional detours that change not only the course of the journey but the very self of Dhaya.
Maareesan builds up on the charm of engaging beginnings, powered with astute dialogue and underplayed humour. Dhaya, as portrayed by Fahadh, brings naive wisecracks and layered vulnerability, almost making the man’s grey actions identifiable. The first half moves ahead quickly and cleverly, paving the way for an emotional plunge into the depths. Cinematography gives the picture of the journey drawn on outside and inside space with deep tranquillity. Latterly, it shifts to a kind of reflection, with the genre changing from breezy drama into an exploration of memory, grief, and salvation. While some will embrace the tonal shift, others may find it rather jarring. Somewhat sluggish pacing through the second half keeps tossing the screenplay here and there. But the emotional anchor continues to be reasonably steadfast. It demands a fair degree of patience from audiences and generously rewards it.
Fahadh Faasil’s performance is restrained yet extremely powerful.
A well-conceived and emotionally fulfilling story.
Strong visual storytelling aided by the score.
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Second half slow owing to change in tone.
Some may find inconsistent genre-blending.
A few emotional beats feel slightly overstated.
Maareesan is a contemplative journey that owes its strength to Fahadh Faasil’s strong performance. Those who appreciate layered narratives that embrace the unconventional must see this in theatres. Others may prefer to just wait for its OTT release.
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