After the critically acclaimed Soorarai Pottru and Jai Bhim, actor Suriya has returned to commercial cinema with Etharkkum Thuninthavan (ET). Suriya dons the black robe of a lawyer again, like in Jai Bhim, but in ET, he becomes the judge and the executioner when the courts do not give him justice.
Kannabiran (Suriya) is a doting son to his parents, brother to several girls in his hometown Thennadu. He is a law-abiding citizen and a fearless lawyer who works for a social cause. The girls in Thennadu get married and go to neighbouring Vadanadu. Things turn sour between the two towns when one of the girls hangs herself. With Inba (Vinay Rai) preying on women, it is up to Kannabiran to save them.
The plot, which is based on the infamous real-life Pollachi sexual assault case, is weak, with no twists or turns. The sensitive issue of sexual assault is handled carelessly in ET. Though it tells the women about the police help app and how women should come out bravely and fight sexual harassment, it fails to convey the message strongly. In fact, the message is limited to the final few scenes in the film, and excet it, ET has nothing much to say.
Suriya looks the part, both in the lawyer's robes and in the dhoti. Priyanka Mohan as Aadhini has put in a good performance, especially in a scene where she speaks about the emotions of women, but her character ends up as one among the others. There are doses of humour, thanks to Devadharshini, who plays Aadhini’s mother Anjumani. But, other actors, including Soori, have been wasted.
Also, the film has inherent patriarchal traits though outwardly progressive. ET seems to depict that only men can save women, be it as a husband or as a brother or as a lawyer.
Film: Etharkkum Thuninthavan
Language: Tamil
Director: Pandiaraj
Cast: Suriya, Priyanka Mohan, Sathyaraj and others
Rating: 2/5