Spoiler-free Review of “Sirai” – Vikram Prabhu’s 25th film

Vikram Prabhu’s 25th movie, Sirai, is further testimony to his vast talent and his ability to choose scripts judiciously. The film is written by Thamizh, who made his directorial debut in Vikram Prabhu’s hard-hitting Taanakaaran which had a direct to OTT release in 2022. 

Sirai marks the directorial debut of Suresh Rajakumari who mentored under Vetrimaran in Asuran and Viduthalai Part 1.The film also sees the acting debut of L.K. Akshay Kumar, the son of the film’s producer, S.S. Lalit Kumar. Sirai also sees the Tamil debut of actress Anishma Anilkumar in the female lead.

The rest of the cast includes Ananda Thambiaraja, Harishankar Narayanan, Remya Suresh, Munnar Ramesh, Siju Wilson and P.L. Thenappan.

Sirai is a tense, deeply moving and unembellished look at contemporary Indian society. The film’s timeline begins in 1991 and ends in the present, neatly showing how the core of society has remained largely unchanged despite the technological advancements during that period.

Vikram Prabhu plays Constable Kathiravan, a sincere and dedicated police officer whose steadfast principles sees him face a major challenge in his career. Even before that issue is resolved, Kathiravan finds himself in a bigger fix, facing bigger challenges. He soon discovers that there are people whose problems render his own irrelevant. He finds himself drawn into a new cauldron of tension where the stakes are even beyond life and death.

One of the most remarkable aspects of Sirai is the freshness of approach to a story that is not vastly unlike others. Writer Thamizh’s stint as a former policeman brings layered levels of authenticity in the way the different types of policemen and law-enforcement personnel behave. The story is inspired by the experiences of two people Thamizh had met while transporting awaiting prisoners to trial.

The screenplay, jointly penned by Thamizh and director Suresh Rajakumari, follows an unhurried pace, but ensures that the plot and all characters depicted have the same level of authenticity. Each character is detailed and consistent. Like most great narratives, the story goes well beyond what initially appears to be a denouement to the film.

Vikram Prabhu displays class and an electrifying presence in his portrayal of Constable Kathiravan, and he achieves this without a grand entrance, superhuman qualities or snappy and catchy lines. He also does not dominate the screen time, but his contribution to the film – even when he is not on screen – is a powerful constant. This is a fitting 25^th film to remind audiences that Vikram Prabhu is an actor that is not content to stay within the shadow of his father or his legendary grandfather.

L.K. Akshay Kumar, the son of the film’s producer, makes a stunning debut in the role of Abdul Rauf. The apparent ease with which he portrays the multiple emotions required of the role is a task that even seasoned actors would have had difficulty in executing. He clearly has natural talent and his performance in this film is likely only a small indication of his talent.

Anishma Anilkumar, portraying Kalaiarasi in her Tamil debut, infuses skill, wit, charm, vulnerability and steely resolve in a character that is brilliantly written and equally brilliantly portrayed.

Former Indian cricketer, Harishankar Narayanan, delivers a fiery and impressive performance portraying Pandi, while Munnar Ramesh capitalises on his brief screen time to portray one of the film’s most memorable characters.

Ananda Thambirajah handles the role of Mariam with apparent ease, naturally portraying the very detailed character.

P. L Thenappan is impressive in his brief role as the judge.

Madhesh Manickam’s cinematography augments the film through his artistic lighting sense and the unobtrusive and non-flamboyant way he uses creative angles to portray the many power struggles in the film. The marked contrasts in his palette to convey meaning are also brilliantly handled.

Music by Justin Prabhakaran is outstanding. The songs are hauntingly beautiful and his background score supports the tense narrative without overshadowing the screenplay.

Sirai looks at a variety of society, communal and socio-political issues. However, unlike many films of late, the film does this without preaching or pushing a particular view. Instead, the issues are exposed and the audience is given the freedom (and the respect) to choose how to react to the stimuli. This alone makes the film a juggernaut of Indian cinema.

The intense writing, intelligently directed film is brought to life by the skill of its brilliantly chosen cast. In terms of the story, it would be next to impossible to not be deeply moved by its riveting issues and its soul-stirring climax.

Sirai scores a full 10 out of 10 and is an unmissable film.