User reviews

An iconic figure in Indian politics, Jayalalithaa's political journey is known to most. Director Vijay attempts to unravel her icy cold persona and look at her as a woman passionately driven by love. Make no mistake, a woman's fight for self respect and battle against patriarchy are integral to the story. However, what lies at the heart of the tale is her unconditional love for MGR, despite the societal contempt of her. She faced the wrath of his loyal followers, who deemed their extra marital relationship as illicit and a disgrace to his noble reputation. As days turned into decades, they became each other's strength and weakness. Bound by the heart, the purity of their love stayed intact even as murky politics, power struggle and people got hellbent on parting the two. The scenes where they indulge in phone conversations without uttering a single word but letting their silence do the talking are heartbreaking. The film essentially works for its poignant love story.

Perceived as the 'other woman' in MGR's life, who got things easy for being his blue eyed girl, Jaya had everything but respect at the beginning of her political career. Despite being cornered and humiliated time and again, she marches on with her head held high. Her relentless fight to earn her place in the society forms the crux of the film.

Kangana in the titular role channels her inner rebel and unflinching self assurance to make a point - she plays second fiddle to no one. A classic case of her screen character imitating her real life in a way. She renders a powerful portrayal of a lovelorn woman who keeps rising like a phoenix from the ashes. She elevates the formulaic script with quiet determination and powerful presence, cleverly not mimicking Jaya but getting the tone and nuances of her character right. As a woman scorned by people for loving fearlessly and feeling deeply, Kangana is outstanding.

The actress finds a perfect companion in Arvind Swami as MGR, her mentor, the wind beneath her wings. He brings in a certain calm to the storm that engulfs Jaya. Swami is impeccable in his mannerisms and body language. There couldn't have been a better actor to play the Tamil screen icon and people's leader.

Dialogues are painstakingly written and hit the right note. "Mahabharat ka dusra naam jaya hai" sums up Jaya's life perfectly. In a scene where Jaya tells her ailing mother that people only remember you when they need you, her mother righty argues, "Bina Matlab ke log bhagwaan ko bhi yaad nahi karte." When Jaya is told that everyone reveres MGR and that she is no different, she says, "Krishna ko sab pasand karte the, phir bhi Radha ki sab mein ginti nahi hoti." Neeta Lulla's costumes are detailed and effective. From conical bras of the 60s and 70s to the winged eye makeup, bouffant and vintage props, the recreation of a bygone era is decent if not specific.

Thailaivii pays a resounding ode to Jaya-MGR's poignant love story, a relationship without labels. The political aspect feels talky, half baked and one-sided. What eventually stays with you is the story of a woman who defied the odds and wrote her own destiny.

Thailavi is judt one time watch, kangana in this one is not that brilliant, arvind swamy has outperformed her as MGR, the actor who has played karunaswamy is brilliant.

It is rather Kangana, not Thalaivi. She is unable to come out of her screen.

Comparison with web series Queen is inevitable. The drama is missing here. Script is patchy. Sound is mainly a shriek.

Queen cleverly restricts the film life part, Thalaiva merrily celebrates those Bollywoodish dances around the trees.

All in all huge disappointment from Kangana who is otherwise good actor.

What a Awesome movie !!!!

Excellent acting by #KanganaRanaut as Jayalalithaa ! Her best performance till date .#ArvindSwami is too good. As MGR. You just can't miss this movie.

Must watch awesome story awesome direction don't miss it.

The movie is The life journey of jayalalitha madam..well made and bgm was good.. Well scripted but most of the space taken by MGR sir and other characters... It looks like made for commercial mind but well it appericiable one.. Must watch movie..!!

3 class acting wastage of money & Time.

Itz better to stay home and watch suryavansham 😂

Great acting by arivnd and kangana !!

Hats offf.

Specifically kangana's hard work... it's really good!!

Went with anticipation of watching the legendary performance of Kangna in the role of one the Politician who I admired greatly.

As in all Female centric movies, the expectation from Arvind Swamy was a second fiddle role, with no much scope of performance.

But the movie surprised me by delivering the exactly opposite goods.

Scene after scene Arvind Swamy delivers delightful performance, not once did it look like a parody.

Even Jaya's character looked convincing in the earlier part of the movie where her character is being developed, but it fails to hold and build the intensity till the end to culminate into a dominant & larger than life persona that the Ex-CM of Tamilnadu was.

Its an irony that in a biopic of Dr. Jaya who rose to power breaking the shackles of Patriarchical dominance, the male protogonist effortlessly manages to do dominate the proceedings. The Title should have been Thalaivaa instead (on a lighter note).

The blame should only go to the writers for not giving any depth to the title role, where Kanagna could unleash her prowess.

Also, the dialogue delivery (in original Tamil version) seems superficial and lip sync is very unconvincing. When your eyes and other facial muscles doesn't speak the same language as your lips then you get something like this. Kudos to her for trying her best, she should stick to Hindi where she can deliver the punch in such roles.

Why do you need annoying music in a biopic? It's supposed to be realistic not overdramatized like this.

Jayalalitha's story deserved so much better than this, they couldn't even cast someone who knew the language?! Let alone someone who resembles her.

The movie was so dragged out and yet it only managed to scratch only the surface of her story.

Aravinda did a good job but he was not enough to carry the movie.

I wanted to see Jayalalitha instead I only saw Kangana doing her thing. I'm very disappointed and I don't understand how anyone can give 10 stars to this disrespect of an icon.

Worst movie ever I seen in my carrier. Bad casting with very lower direction. After some year later bollywood finished. Please don't waste your time.

Wow, worst movie been made on Jayalalitha. Kangana sure knows how to screw up acting in her own style. Zero emotions and stupid acting and thin plot.

Even one can skip it in OTT. No wonder, why it was quickly released on OTT.

Skip it and save your time.

This movie could have been a huge success but the passion was not there!! No idea why all these people liked this movie when it was sooo mediocre. There are better biopics out there!! Watch a good movie and then compare it to that. Total waste of my money and time.

No dramas, haven't disrespected a human or caste or religion, it was interesting movie with continuous facts... this will be helpful to our next generation... such movies are/will be encouraged... this is the first movie we have watched after 14-06-2020... Kudos to Kangana Ranaut and team👏👍💐

Although the movie was not as good as expected but the performance by the cast was provoking. This is a good film but with all the names associated with it and with such big production value it should have been better.

Arvind Swamy would leave you in Aww.

Watch it only if you are interested in politics and biopics otherwise leave it.

A special appreciation for the creative decision of not dubbing the Original songs form Jaya's movies in Hindi or any other language, keeping it in Tamil gave it a touch of originality.

Enjoyed it very much Taut script and great acting across the board Kangana shines as does Arvind Swamy and the all the support staff Typical response from Kangana critics Can't keep her down She is irrepressible Go to greater heights and smash the ceiling Kangana.

Leave aside negative review's, What a fabulous performance by kanghana, superb screen play, Her screen presence is awesome. Watch it if you are a movie lover. I think many people commented negative review's may be they are haters. Watch like an audience.. See like an actress, A must watch for all...

Waste acting , disaster story ... Total waste of time.

The element of Emotion is 100% in the movie And yup i am big fan of Kangna Ranaut and Arvind Swamy love the movie 😘😘

This movie can be best described as a political biography and is therefore different from a conventional film in the sense there is no villain, no comedian, no vamp etc etc. Those having an interest in politics of South India and having knowledge of the political and personal lives of Jayalalitha and MGR may like this movie. ( In the movie MGR is made MJR and DMK is made TMK). Also they are best qualified to comment whether the movie does justice to personalities of the characters or to the events depicted. Since I do not belong to this category, I can only evaluate how well the film is made from the script available.

The movie has a slow narrative with few exciting moments in between as it unravels the events as they took place. There are the usual games of dirty politics and the changing power equations. Two scenes stand out. One where Jayalalitha is man handled and molested in the assembly and second at MGR's funeral where she is not allowed inside.

The movie provides a great opportunity for Kangana Ranaut to showcase her talent as she essays the role of a brave lady who by sheer ambition and grit rises from a film actress to the level of the state chief minister. All this as she braves all odds to make a prominent place for herself in the male dominated political field. She is humiliated in the assembly, vows vengeance, fights for her self respect and faces the anger of MGR's followers due to her extra marital affair with him. Arvind Swamy as MGR has also played his character well and the make up has helped him considerably. Their love for each other has been shown nicely with some delicately presented scenes.

The movie may be found heavy and lacking in entertainment by some audiences due the nature of the storyline and the absence of conventional box office trappings.

Four stars for MGR character. Either make it filmy or bring realistic touch or don't make these kind of movie. Trying to appease everyone, they have made her fairy god. To be frank, she was responsible for breaking the alliance with BJP and made Atalji lose the prime minister position. Don't show her all sweet character, she was fierce and foxy sometimes. But definitely she was responsible for bringing many motor companies to Chennai and making it known as Detroit of India. Kudos to the development she made.

Thalaivii (2021) : Movie Review -

While looking at any biopic, i always seek for inspiring tales and socially-challenging characters. To be frank, a star's life or any politician's struggle is not what i find fit for it. Instead, i would love to know the story of an underdog who has done tremendous work in his life or someone whom i can call legend in that field. Jayalalithaa's life can be viewed in two parts, one is her film career and second is her political career. In Thalaivii, the writers have tried their best to trim it and settle down for 150 minutes or so, but have failed considerably to understand the cinematic perspectives of the story. Her pre-political life looks so cold, dry and soulless and that unconventional affair/love story with MGR never found any ethical meaning. Thalaivii will take you into a boredom in the first half but fortunately the second half is powerful so, it becomes an Average Watch overall.

The film is about Actress and Politician Jayalalithaa and her career, love, struggle, fights and almost everything any masala script can promise. Actually, the problem appears in the unconventional life of her by the time it starts looking conventional, it's too late. The first is about her film career, her bonding with her mother and her love affair with Superstar MGR who is already married twice. I don't see how that makes too much sense to showcase unethical character like this with so much of proud? Let her political career be the reason to be proudly presented. And that foeship with RM Veerappan was damn too outdated. The same script could have been crafted better and then i might have felt the greatness of her character. However, i had feelings for her in the second half and even though it was lot more dramatic than needed, i still quite had tears at couple of occasions.

Kangana Ranaut as Jayalalithaa an actress is not that good but as a Politician, she has nailed it. Those early days of her career didn't have much varities so i can't blame Kangana for looking Kangana only on screen. Later, in the second half Kangana gets those varities and blossoms like a matured actress. Arvind Swami as MGR looks like MGR, especially with that white Cap and Black Goggle. His accent sounded little dull here and there but otherwise he is fantastic. Raj Arjun plays RMV and what an amazing act he present. Though, his character sucks big time, he as actor never looked out of it. The supporting cast is okay, nothing too great nor too bad.

Thalaivii is stretched by the songs which were necessary for the commercial purpose but doesn't really leave an impact. That Bharatnatyam song was grand and lavish but the audio sounded underwhelming. Dialogues are fine, sometimes dramatic but mass oriented where one can clap and scream. The screenplay is terribly slow in the first half but better in the second half. Vijay's attempt to glorify Jayalalithaa's life on screen might please her die hard fans but for neutral audience and classes, this story has got nothing much interesting. Those people can watch it only and only for Kangana and Arvind's performance, rest strictly Average.

RATING - 5/10*