subashpublic

"Dheeran (2025)" isn't a film about a single hero, but rather a journey of collective folly and redemption, told with a distinctly rustic charm. Director Devadath Shaji has crafted a cinematic equivalent of a bumpy road trip through the Malayattoor countryside, where every character is a delightful, slightly-off-kilter signpost on the way to a destination that nobody fully understands.

The film's true strength lies not in its plot, which is as winding as the roads its characters travel, but in its ensemble. This isn't a star vehicle, but a finely-tuned engine of veteran actors and fresh faces, each contributing a unique, humorous rattle to the vehicle. Rajesh Madhavan as Eldhose, the titular "Dheeran," is less a central figure and more of a ghost in the machine, his legend shaping the journey of others while he remains an enigma. It's an interesting subversion of the hero archetype.

The real show is stolen by the motley crew tasked with his bizarre retrieval. Jagadish, Manoj K. Jayan, and Sudheesh, in particular, deliver performances that feel less like acting and more like a comfortable, long-standing conversation between old friends. Their comedic timing is a gentle ebb and flow, not a series of punchlines, making the humor feel organic to the setting. The film understands the quiet, often absurd, humor of village life-the gossip that becomes fact, the grudges that fuel a journey, and the misplaced priorities that make a simple task a sprawling adventure.

Where "Dheeran" truly sets itself apart is in its quiet moments. The film normalizes what other narratives might condemn, offering a refreshingly non-judgmental look at modern relationships within a traditional setting. This subtle social commentary, woven into the fabric of a lighthearted road comedy, is a testament to the director's nuanced vision.

While the film may meander at times, and some of its setups are a little too visible, "Dheeran" remains a charming and deeply watchable experience. It's a film that asks you to sit back and enjoy the ride, even with its occasional bumps and detours. It's not about the destination, but the wonderful, chaotic people you meet along the way.

.The story revolves around the crusade of a conscientious activist lawyer Chandru played to the T by Surya Sivakumar) who fights for the downtrodden masses. Surya has taken the mantle of the firebrand real life advocate and subsequently well known real life hero - Justice Chandru and breathed life in the character. When he is not mouthing dialogues, he conveys a vicissitude of emotion through his handsome visage and those fluid and sharp eyes at every turn but never going over board. In this movie he takes up the fight of a defenseless Irula tribal woman (Senganni)and her quest for justice - her missing husband is(Rajakannu) whose whereabouts are not known after he is dragged into the police lockup for investigating a theft wherein he is the suspect. Surya takes up what looks like a Kargil mountain climbing kind of a case which appears to be an open-shut case in favor of the Tamil Nadu police department. In the process he delves, prods and probes deep into the deep rot into the justice department and the myriad laws and bylaws which subjugates many a valorous but now downtrodden tribe of Irulaa. In this case, it is the ancient Irula tribe who were warriors and plant medicine experts from a bygone era. Now successive governments and local politicians and police machinery use them as broiler chicken criminals to feed their greedy masters to plug loopholes and to gain footholds into higher echelons of power and greed for wealth. Chandru's first court appearance in the movie is about a man from a minority community who has been wrongly incarcerated by the cops, who are under pressure to close pending cases. With a single petition in the Madras High Court, Chandru manages to get bail not just for his client but about 7,000 people, who were possibly arrested on false charges across Tamil Nadu. That moment, you understand the power of courts and how it could be harnessed to hold unscrupulous men in power accountable. Chandru has a worthy adversary in the form of the chief government Advocate General played to perfection by Rao Ramesh (Ram Mohan), an effective and conscientious police officer IG Perumalswamy (Prakash Raj), a persistent social worker fighting for the Irula tribe - Mythra (Rajisha Vijayan, malayalam actress) and Sengenni( Lijomol Jose). One thing striking in the movie is all the protagonists are nonviolent and rebellious who don't bow their head to any form of tyranny. The men who are taken to violence are the villains in this movie. The barbaric methods of the cops were no match to the non-violent resistance and resilience of Rajakannu, Senganni and, of course, Chandru. This is a gripping court room drama filled with a deep social message, powerful dialogues and all round performance by all cast and crew. Now available on Amazon Prime. Rating 3.5/5 Deepavali special with a social message. Must watch.