Thupparivaalan review: Must-watch investigative thriller scores on all points

Not many can match director Mysskin when it comes to narrating an investigative crime thriller. A fine testament to that statement is his latest film, Thupparivaalan. 

Mysskin masterfully uses a complex but ingenious plot to make an efficiently crafted and magnificently presented film. As they say, it couldn't have been better.

The film is a treat to watch and has everything one can hope for in a crime thriller. It has two of the best minds battling and matching each other move for move, blow for blow. The film's protagonist, an ace detective, his friend and the cops are pitted against a ruthless gang led by a shrewd murderer, aptly called the Devil.

It all begins when a small kid brings the mysterious case of a dead pup to the attention of private detective Kaniyan Poongundran (Vishal Krishna), whose services are much in demand, and his friend Mano (Prasanna). What starts off as a simple case soon assumes a sinister angle as deaths occur. The detective finds out that the deaths, believed to have been caused by acts of nature, are, in fact, well-planned murders. The plot narration will need to stop here, as anything more would just be a spoiler. Therefore, I hold back. 

Vishal looks every bit an ace detective who often helps the cops handle complicated cases. Both Vishal and Prasanna have their characters fashioned after Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson, respectively. To their credit, they deliver convincing performances.

The film moves at a brisk pace, from start to finish. All the credit should go to the director. Mysskin seems to have beautifully woven an intricate plot in his mind and through his cast presented it elegantly to the audience. His attempt at making Kaniyan Poogundran follow the thread of crime using the methods that Holmes's creator Sir Arthur Conan Doyle employed is commendable.

A case in point is the manner in which Kaniyan deduces that a book on lightning physics is missing from a table. That is just one of many instances. In fact, there are even sequences featuring famous lines from Holmes like, ''I didn't look, I searched for it." But Kaniyan has more layers than the legendary English character. He not only has the brilliant mind and eccentric nature of the charming detective, he also has the skills of a trained kung-fu fighter and a samurai warrior.

The film has some very good performances from Vinay Rai, K Bhagyaraj, Andrea Jeremiah, Anu Emmanuel and John Vijay. Rai in particular makes a strong comeback with this film. 

Moreover, the film has an exceptionally good technical team. Special mention ought to be made of the stunts choreography team (Dinesh and Co) and their stuntmen. The action sequences are simply a cut above the rest. Especially the one in a restaurant where Kaniyan takes on a bunch of fighters. Vishal delivers one of the finest action sequences in Tamil cinema yet.

Cinematographer Karthik Venkatraman and music director Arrol Correlli help Mysskin keep audiences glued to their seats. Mysskin has for long shown faith in Correlli and it seems to be paying him rich dividends. Correlli seems to know where to play what and, more importantly, where to let silence deliver the impact. He seems to have an amazing understanding of music and the manner in which human minds react to varieties of them.

I could go on writing more on the film, but that might result in giving away some crucial part of the plot. Therefore, let me get straight to the verdict. Thupparivaalan is a must watch!