Director: Madhuraj
Cast: Prithvi Rajan, Veena, MS Kumar, Venkatesh, Gajaraj
There have been only a few Tamil films which dealt with caste issues in an effective way. Madhuraj’s Thodraa, too, is an attempt which showcases the ugly face of caste rivalry and hatredness prevailing in our society. Set against the backdrop of Palani, the movie is about the love story between its lead characters, played by Prithvi Rajan and Veena Nandakumar. While the former hails from a middle-class family, the latter belongs to a rich family which boasts about their wealth, honour and caste. After the two of them falling in love in the tried-and-tested cinematic ways, the girl’s family gets upset after getting know about their relationship.
Apparently, Divya hails from an affluent family who are immersed in caste pride. When Divya’s brother Pounraj (MS Kumar) — an active politician — comes to know of his sister’s relationship, he hatches a plan, along with his wife (Susan), to separate the lovers and get rid of Shankar.
However, the lovers elope to a remote place with the help of Shankar’s friends and unite in marriage. But Divya’s family is not going to give up so easily on the daughter who brought shame and disrepute to her caste and community.
Prithvi and Veena have given decent performances. MS Kumar, as a scheming villain, is adequate. Then there’s this Venkatesh whose characterization looks implausible. For a script of this intensity, the screenplay should be strong. While sounding good on paper, it is in his execution the debut filmmaker has erred. The intentions of the director to covey the social evils that still prevail in our society are creditable. A taut narration and a little bit of coherence would have made it a better product.
