Aaraichi Movie Review

Aaraichi is a thriller written and directed by KS Ravi Selvan. V Muthu Bharathi Priyan is the producer of this film. This film has been distributed under the banner of Paper Pena Cinema. Sai Sivan is the cinematographer, while T Parthasarathy is the editor of this film. This film has an ensemble cast of Manishajith, Muthu Priyan, Anish, etc. The film got a theatrical release on 15 March 2024.    

Plot

Two medical graduates are following their female colleague to a medical camp. They witness the outbreak of a virus that is claiming the lives of many. An eccentric scientist offers them unlikely help. Who will succeed?

Star Performances

The only two things worth remembering about this film are the visuals and the portrayal of the eccentric scientist. For the rest, the less said, the better.

Analysis

Often, we have heard this quote, ‘Never judge a book by its cover’. This holds for many creative choices in life. However, there are moments when you have to judge something by its very appearance. ‘Aaraichi’ is one such case.

The film talks about many things: friendship, love, human errors, tragedy, and science. Yet, none of them click when they are needed the most.

The film starts on a decent note. The initial narrative promises a regular commercial drama, with a dose of social messaging. However, the moments the narrative changes gears from fun and frolic to something serious, it takes a turn for the worse.

The film is not very long, about 2 hours and 20 minutes in total. Yet, after almost an hour, the viewers begin to wonder if they signed up for the right movie in the first place. The pace in the second half is excruciatingly slow, and in some places, it wouldn’t be surprising if some of the viewers just doze off within the premises of the cinema hall.

Apart from the snail pace of the movie, what irks many is the approach to the story. At one point, it would talk about friendship, at another point it would take a romantic turn. The viewers don’t feel connected at all with the narrative overall. Even the performances of the lead trio are far from impressive. Despite their best efforts, their performances look more comical than genuine.

Is the movie even good in any aspect? Yes, it is. The cinematographer was probably one of the few guys who was remotely serious about his job. Apart from the cinematographer, the man who played the role of the eccentric scientist did his job well, even though the makeup for the same wasn’t so.

What's There?

• The camerawork of the film
• The portrayal of the eccentric scientist

What's Not There?

• Extremely boring screenplay
• Performances from the lead cast that looked comical
• Poor editing

Verdict

‘Aaraichi’ is one movie that had the potential to do wonders. However, the makers faltered in the execution. Only a few visuals and some performances made this film somehow bearable. Watch it only if you have lots of time to spare!