341. Sindhubaadh; movie review

SINDHUBAADH
Cert 15
133 mins
BBFC advice: Contains strong bloody violence, threat, sexual threat

In real life, people traffickers are ruthless and many of those who try to get in their way are killed.
In Indian cinema, they mete out grisly violence and obscene cruelty but somehow become shivering incompetents when faced with a well-meaning hero.
Sindhubaadh throws up the harrowing issue of women from India's countryside being lured into the literal skin trade.
Yes, this is where the skin off their backs is sold on the blackest of black markets.
However, it takes far too long to reach this intriguing aspect of S. U. Arun Kumar's film because it is stuck for an eternity on a feeble love story.
It stars Vijay Sethupathi as a low-grade thief whose accomplice is a young boy, played by his real-life son Surya.
He is under pressure to leave his house because he has not paid the rent to his uncle but he won't budge.
Meanwhile, he falls for a feisty lass (Anjali) who consistently refuses potential grooms put forward by her father.
The whole of the movie's first half surrounds the comedy of his romantic pursuit off while he lives a life of minor crime.
And then she disappears after a few days away supposedly working on a rubber plantation and the movie takes a very dramatic turn.
It loses credibility because Sethupathi's character goes from bumbling suitor and villain to superhero overnight.
Not only does he become far-sighted but he develops the knack of being able to beat up 15 swarthy killers simultaneously.
Thus, his sudden strength and pin-sharp mind rather distract from what might have been an unusual thriller.
As it is, it simply throws cliche after cliche upon Sethupathi's uncomfortable-looking hero.

Reasons to watch: Exciting second half
Reasons to avoid: Too much perseverance needed

Laughs: None
Jumps: None
Vomit: Yes
Nudity: None
Overall rating: 4/10

Did you know? In his career, Vijay Sethupathi has won 13 awards, out of the 21 times that he was nominated. In less than eight years, he has made more than 25 movies as a lead actor. 

Final word. SU Arun Kumar: "Working with Sethu is like the feeling you get when you reach home. I have the liberty to tell him what I feel, and he understands that. We have mutual respect, and no one tries to dominate the other." Silver Screen India

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