Don review: Sivakarthikeyan’s film is a predictable yet likeable coming-of-age drama

In Cibi Chakravarthy’s debut film Don (2022), which stars Sivakarthikeyan, the drama works more effectively than the comedy which accounts for about 80% of the movie. It’s the emotional core, anchored by a strong father-son relationship angle, that makes the movie likeable and relatable more than the college portion, which could have been funnier.

In an otherwise predictable film about the hero’s journey of self-exploration, it’s the latter half that gives it some semblance of meaning and makes it wholesome.

Sivakarthikeyan plays Chakravarthy, who is born in a lower-middle-class family which believes their son becoming an engineer could change their lives for good. Samuthirakani plays Chakravarthy’s father. He is a strict disciplinarian who only wishes that his son studies well and settles down in life. Chakravarthy, on the other hand, wants to make a name for himself without really studying.

Due to their clash of opinions, there is always friction in the house between father and son. Chakravarthy is forced to join an engineering college against his wishes. To add to his misfortune, Bhoominathan (SJ Suryah), a faculty member, turns out to be tougher than Chakravarthy’s father. He has made life miserable for the students with his rules. The rest of the story is about how Chakravarthy finds his calling card and makes something of himself.

Don is largely a campus drama and the film stays true to the genre for the most part. It opens with a scene where we see Chakravarthy leave Kerala on a rainy night, despite being cautioned by his staff, to reach Chennai the next morning. Through the night, he takes us back to his college days and his strained relationship with his father. The college portion keeps the film light-hearted and some scenes work well but on the whole it could have been funnier.

The college portion reminded me of Sushant Singh Rajput’s Chhichhore (2019) and how it was enjoyable while still inspiring viewers with its message. Don misses out on delivering the laughs, despite setting most of the story on a college campus. Where it succeeds is in getting the drama to touch all the right chords.

The father-son relationship makes for an interesting subplot and anchors the film when it appears to be veering off course. You leave the movie hall on an emotional high, which makes you overlook the largely predictable first half. Though you can sense how the film will end, it still makes an impact.

Samuthirakani walks away with the plaudits for his moving performance as a father who gives up on his own dreams to make sure his son is happy. It’s not something we haven’t seen before, but it’s likeable and highly relatable. Sivakarthikeyan is his effortless self and undergoes a major transformation towards the end, something the actor handles with maturity.

Don was released in cinema halls on 13 May.