FIR review: Vishnu Vishal shines in this refreshing, well-written thriller

Movies in Tamil cinema with a Muslim protagonist are rare. First-time filmmaker Manu Anand’s largely engrossing thriller FIR (2022), which delves into the way we perceive certain people based on ethnicity, is one.

What is instantly likeable about FIR is that it doesn’t try to preach why it’s wrong to have a perception about people based on their religion. Instead, it makes us empathize with the anguish of the lead character who is a proud Muslim.

Vishnu Vishal plays Irfan Ahmed, a chemical engineer from IIT Madras, who works in a small firm but has big dreams. For quite some time, he has been interviewing for a dream job. One question — 'Are you religious?' — haunts him everywhere he goes.

Irfan stays with his mother who works with the police. He has a close set of friends and a girlfriend who lives in another city.

As we follow the life of Irfan, we are parallelly introduced to India’s investigative agency, which is on the lookout for a dreaded terrorist named Abubakar Abdullah, who is apparently planning a massive terror attack. Gautham Menon heads the agency and he is closely working with a team to nab the extremist before he can wreak havoc. When Irfan accidentally ends up in the custody of the agents, his life is turned upside down.

FIR, coming from a first-time writer-director, packs a solid punch. Not only is it well-paced, but it also stays consistently gripping despite having over a dozen key characters. Unlike most Tamil films, FIR is not a hero-centric film and that’s what makes it refreshingly different. It’s one of those films where every character plays a vital part and holds the film together.

Manu Anand’s understanding of how investigative agencies function in India is impressive. The terrorism angle is another refreshing aspect of the film which is seldom explored in Tamil cinema. The film's finesse and restraint are some of the reasons why FIR is one of the better commercial films in this space.

Vishnu Vishal continues to back and pick films that push him out of his comfort zone. After scoring a huge hit with the psycho killer thriller Ratsasan (2018), which is now being remade in Hindi with Akshay Kumar, he pushes boundaries as actor and producer with FIR, which offers him ample scope to flex his acting chops. As a guy desperate to prove his loyalty to his country as well as his innocence, he delivers a sincere performance.

One of the highlights of the movie is its female characters and how they have been used effectively. Raiza Wilson, Reba Monica John and Manjima Mohan have solid parts to play with each of them getting at least one scene where they leave their mark. Particularly Raiza, who is a revelation as a Muslim intelligence agent. Filmmaker Gautham Menon's recent good streak as an actor continues with FIR. The role of an intelligence agency chief fits him like a glove. Composer Ashwath helps in elevating the tension of the story with his pulsating background score.

FIR has some smart, well-written twists for a thriller. As the twists unveil themselves in the end, the film feels more complete.

FIR has been released in theatres on 11 February 2022.