‘Aghathiyaa’ directed by Pa. Vijay and stars Jiiva, Arjun Sarja, Raashii Khanna among others, balance the stories on the Former French colonial history in Pondicherry, focusing on juxtaposing a French Major’s palace that is now turned into a Scary House. While the restless ghosts of 1940s palace inhabitants are entrapped in the ruined palace that is somehow connected with Aghathiyaa, a Cinema Art Director.
⚔️ A war once fought in the shadows is rising again.
— Vels Film International (@VelsFilmIntl) February 8, 2025
🕊️Angels guard the light.
💀Devils rule the dark.
But in between… a new fate is being written.
🔥 Aghathiyaa rises in cinemas February 28, 2025. 🔥
🎬 PVR INOX Pictures Release – Tamil Nadu, AP/Telangana, Kerala pic.twitter.com/buGj2BJo07
Aghathiyaa Plot and Premise
Set in Pondicherry, a cinema art director Aghathiyaa and his friends are dejected after spending lakhs on a ruined palace renovation of a French Colonial Palace once belonging to the then Major Edwin Duplex. The contemporary friends gang including Aghathiyaa’s love interest played by Raashii Khanna, his friend Shah Ra and others who turn the now dropped film set into a Scary House that is a huge hit among the locals and tourists.
Among the prop ghosts swim a real ghost played by Actor Radha Ravi who brings in a few comedic elements in the first half. As mysteries unlock themselves accidentally in the now scary house, Ghosts from the Colonial Past are revealed with a deeper story line about Siddha Medicines, Colonialism and the darker revolutionary tales of 1940s discussed till the protagonist becomes the chosen one who tries to save his dying mother all along.
The Positive Aspects
The coincidence or the timing of the rare Planetary Alignment stitched into the plot, backing it as a logical or mythical element creates a world of itself that has Siddhars and their powers, ancient Siddha medicinal history and the French Colonial Characters serves the premise.
Director and Lyricist Pa. Vijay’s writing helped massively in the periodical portion which is rich in Siddha medicine history, Titbits of Indian Freedom Movements. Characterisation and execution of Arjun’s character who is a renowned and genius Siddha Doctor and Scientist named ‘Siddharth’ in his path of finding the cure for a fatal disease and the arc between Siddharth and Edwin Duplex acts as a twist.
Actor Jiiva and Raashii Khanna take up a good amount of screen time leading the contemporary portions with decent performances. The former scores higher with the scope of his dying mother played brilliantly by Actress Rohini, supported equally by Actor Charlie.
The visuals handled by Deepak Kumar Padhy for the swift closeups and the climax fight uniquely handled by the makers would be a treat for the younger audience that is surprisingly good.
The Negative Aspects
Right from the start, the audience were engaged with the periodic sequences that are balanced with Tamil history and the colonial derangement discussed along with an important element of documenting the richness of Indian Siddha Medicine. While the major juice is sourced from the historic plot, the contemporary plot just kept on narrating the obvious except for the first half that contributed to the whatever menial amount of ‘Horror’ or chilling jumpscares presented.
Logical and horror misplacements for a multi genre film as ‘Aghathiyaa’ comes with a need for engaging screenplay and unexpected jumpscares which is missing after the crucial and well planned intermission. Errors like Raashii Khanna’s character not meeting the dying mother while it is revealed very early on that the two were dating from school are rough edges.
Usage of performers like veteran actor Senthil who is a rarity to watch these days could have been utilized just like actors like Reddin Kingsley, Yogi Babu or even Shah Ra who were contributing to the few chuckles and laughs in the first half.
The Verdict
The wait is over! Get ready for the action and suspense of #Aghathiyaa! Grab your tickets now!pic.twitter.com/WTJWy5C7D1
— south moviez (@SouthMoviez) February 28, 2025
‘Aghathiyaa’ as a whole does a decent and interesting job of entertaining the audience with Period and Current stories of Horror and Comedy. Actor Arjun as a parallel hero soars high with Jiiva and Raashii Khanna delivering what is needed. A good and light watch that may not be fully horror nor comedic but plates a salad of something of everything.
