Rajathandhiram Review: Kingly Schemes

Veera’s Arjun, for a man of sketchy morals, is a little stick in the mud. He isn’t above conning an innocent man to support his lifestyle; what he cannot stomach though, is the sight of his girlfriend (Regina Cassandra) speaking to other men. Yes, Arjun is also quite judgmental that way, and there’s some grim satisfaction when he’s taken to task for it. A showcase for Regina’s (rather limited) acting skills.

That said, Veera is a fine presence on screen. Ably supported by Darbuka Siva’s unique brand of humour. That is one of the positive things about RTM – the laughs are organic and there’s not a hint of double meaning. At least, with those said in jest.

*****

Rajathandhiram is a very Tamil version of the classic con film. The plot follows three con artistes who survive a stream of scams. There’re oodles of sentiment in this one – Naren is duped and Regina’s father dies because of the same guy, providing Arjun and his friends with the moral right to ‘loot’ the baddie.

Validation, Tamil cinema style.

It is also a largely satisfying film. Director Amid takes it slow, giving ample time for the tale to evolve. There’s no big rush to get to the finale. The journey towards it is pleasant, very stylish (SR Kathir’s excellent camerawork) and largely devoid of loopholes – a little romance, some clever manipulation and just enough trickery is employed to scam us all. It’s plain thrilling.

Ajai Prasath turns in a fine performance as Deva, as does Darbuka Siva. But the real revelation is Sandeep Chowta. His background score heightens the excitement in the heist scenes, and is just perfect.

*****

Pattiyal Sekhar – the owner of a jewellery store – is the baddie here. His strong resemblance to Radharavi is a bonus, for this is the type of role Radharavi would have relished.

The ‘romance’ if you can call it that, is generic. There’s a GV Prakash song, in which Regina does Tamil heroine-y things – she’s bright, and good with children. Amid, though, gives Michelle more layers and a tragic backstory.

All that’s for naught…for just when things begin to heat up, she disappears. There’s nothing left for her to do.

*****

The only slip-up in this otherwise neatly executed film occurs towards the end. A lot of preaching happens – courtesy Michelle. Arjun, we quickly realise, is no exception to the biggest con of all – love. He turns his back on crime and embraces the good life wholeheartedly. The nice guy that he is, he also takes his friends along for the ride.

Remember Sathuranga Vettai?

*****

The other article of interest in Rajathandhiram is in the title credits. The film thanks actress Samanatha Ruth Prabhu.

Now, that’s perfect con.

*****

The Rajathandhiram review is a Silverscreen original article. It was not paid for or commissioned by anyone associated with the movie. Silverscreen.in and its writers do not have an advertising relationship with movies that are reviewed on the site.