Yaathisai Movie Review

Over time, period films in Tamil cinema have evolved to huge heights, but they are all about big budgets and big stars. With a fresh team and a lot of passion, Yaathisai is a film that comes out and surprises everybody with a good load of thrills and politics associated with it.

Yaathisai comes across as a story of how the famous and brave warrior Ranadheera Pandian is taken aback by the power and the rebellious nature of Kodhi from the Einar tribe, a man who opposes him for ‘authority’. The first half is all about Kodhi’s journey to unite his people and bring them together to oppose Ranadheera Pandian, and achieve what he wants. After the interval, the film takes an interesting turn as our POV is totally turned over, and we have a unique angle in the story. The second half travels with a focus on men, their gaze and lust, the unending love for wealth and power, and ultimately authority and control.

Yaathisai film’s first half is filled with character introductions and interesting information all the way, with director Dharani Rasendran’s research showing up in excellent fashion. There are a lot of interesting details brought in from history, such as music forms, the Devaradiyargal, shield formations, the Greek in India and their relationship with the Pandiyas, and more. The interval sequence is a banger and the action is really well planned and executed. Into the second half, the film does take a different route which is unexpected, but the results should have come with more thump and direct portrayal. The weight in the second half does feel lesser than what was expected, and the final duel too looks like it came out of nowhere.

Yet, what makes Yaathisai shine are the terrific action sequences that give it a silver lining and make it tough for us to accept that Yaathisai comes from a team of newcomers.

The cinematography by Akilesh Katamuthu is very good as it captures the events in a raw and rustic fashion, and it is also great to see the minimal use of green mats in the film. The music by Chakravarthy is not great, but it is laudable to see the use of unique instruments.

Shakthi Mithran and Seyon who play the two leads in the film offer sharp performances, even though they feel too stiff at some parts of the story. The film has short but impactful performances from Vaidehi and Rajalakshmi, while Samar does well in a tribal fight sequence which is again an important part of the film.

On the whole, Yaathisai is a well-made, well-researched and well-created period action drama that is authentic and engaging for most parts. The lack of clarity and weight in the second half might be a bit of a bother, but that is not stopping the film from becoming a terrific theatrical experience. Go see it and find out for yourselves.  Yaathisai Movie Review by Siddarth Srinivas

Yaathisai Movie Review Rating: 3.5/5