‘Andhagan’ movie review: Prashanth makes a splendid comeback with this imperfect yet satisfactory remake

Simran and Prashanth in a still from ‘Andhagan’
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

Top Star Prashanth is back! After headlining Johnny, the Tamil remake of Sriram Raghavan’s Bollywood film Johnny Gaddaar, it’s Andhadhun’s remake this time and Prashanth makes a brilliant comeback with Andhagan, helmed by his father and filmmaker Thiagarajan.

Prashanth isn’t particularly reknowned for his acting prowess; he peaked during the era when ‘the chocolate boy’ was a category of protagonists and known for his charming screen presence, he banked on the bandwagon of films that relied on his other talents like action and dancing. Hence, it’s no wonder Andhagan will be his best performance in probably decades thanks to the excellent source material.

Priya Anand and Prashanth in a still from ‘Andhagan’
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

As a pianist, pretending to be visually impaired in the name of an “experiment”, Andhagan’s Krish gives Prashanth the perfect space to showcase his talents and the experienced actor laps it up. Be it the scenes where he witnesses the murder of actor Karthik (Karthik) that’s orchestrated by the star’s second wife Simi (Simran) and her paramour Manohar (Samuthirakani), or the comparatively casual sequences where he falls in love with Julie (Priya Anand), Prashanth does a great job as a man putting on a show to deceive everyone only to be caught in his own web of lies. The film gives several opportunities for the character to indulge in moral ambiguity and as a man who barely wants to survive for a better tomorrow, Prashanth sells the character’s vulnerability and emotions well.

If you have watched Andhadhun, it might feel strange to see that the Tamil version to have even copied the “What is life? It depends on the liver” opening slide from the original film. But quick flashbacks of the tweaks Johnny had compared to Johnny Gaddaar reassured me that only a scene-by-scene remake would make this film work… and it does. So much so that it wouldn’t be an overstatement to call it a far better iteration than the Telugu and Malayalam remakes, Maestro and Bhramam.

What makes the Tamil version stand apart predominantly, is its fantastic star cast. Inarguably, the crux of Andhadhun is Tabu’s character and with big shoes to fill, Simran had her work cut out for her. Prashanth and Simran’s characters are the living embodiment of how the duality of human nature works when stuck in a tight spot; while one tries to wiggle away to save themselves, the other would not think twice about bringing down the wall to make for a grand escape. Simran, in a powerful role after a long time in Tamil cinema, pulls it off so effortlessly that we almost forget that the duo fighting tooth and nail in Andhagan used to be one of the best onscreen couples in films like Kannedhirey Thondrinal, Parthen Rasithen, Thamizh and Jodi.

What comes as a pleasant surprise is Karthik, playing the role of the yesteryear hero trying to spice things up in life with a new wife. Be it the shot of him watching Mouna Ragam, or listening to ‘Panivizhum Malarvanam’ and ‘Kadhal Kavithaigal Padithidum’, and the music of ‘Keeravani’ playing while his character getting killed or the rendition of ‘Chandirane Suriyane’ and ‘Nenjukulle Innarunnu’, the film doubles as an homage to the thespian.

Prashanth and Karthik in a still from ‘Andhagan’
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

The rest of the cast do a decent job and while the recreation of the final showdown between the cheating cop and his wife might be a hit or a miss in the Tamil version, the roles played by Urvashi and Yogi Babu as the organ harvesters miss the mark by a mile. The film also lacks the zaniness of Andhadhun and some of the scenes fall flat but it’s the primary cast’s sheer performance that keeps the film in check. While the film’s songs don’t manage to stay put in our memory, the fantastic piano compositions stand apart.

Apart from turning out to be a satisfactory watch for those who have not caught Andhadhun, the film makes for a befitting comeback to Prashanth, one of Tamil cinema’s finest talents who hasn’t gotten their due. Here’s to hoping Andhagan turns out to be the rabbit’s foot for Prashanth!

Andhagan is currently running in theatres