Thiru. Manickam sets off with a beautiful outline of a humble family structure forging connection with the family members with a visually soothing song even, proceeds to ingrain a crisis, a problem that is morally questioning the protagonist, almost nudging him towards a path he’s hesitant to take. The movie directed by Nanda Periyasamy, the director known for his family oriented dramas loaded with emotions, overloads message and assumed output in this 2024 film.
Thiru. Manickam Plot
A beautiful and humble family of five headed by Samuthirakani (Manickam) and Ananya (Sumathi) live with their two daughters and a grandmother is happy with what they have. Though being poor, the girls adore their father and mother who are competent and conscious of their household status. Manickam runs a Lottery shop combined with a bookstore in his local bus stand and makes a living out of it, comes across a kind elderly man who is in dire need of money buys lottery tickets but couldn’t pay and has Manickam to hold on to it till he returns with money. The ticket chosen by the elderly man wins big, but does the lottery belong to the man or Manickam?
The Positive Aspects
The way the plot of the movie is set simple as a Jackpot lottery winning ticket which technically doesn’t belong to anyone, sets off a good timing for the movie as a whole. Nandha Periyasamy’s vision for the movie with a heavy message, his usual, is believable with great performances.
Samuthirakani’s role of a doting husband, a caring father and an overall kind and amiable human is easily contagious for the viewers. His seasoned acting especially in such honest and preachy roles makes this easily convincing. With minimal dialogues during the second half, Samuthirakani gets his prologue part reserved for a lengthy climax.
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The Negative Aspects
The movie starts off with a good connection, laid out a view of the crisis and even prolongs the attention once the moral compass of whether or not to return the ticket to the right person, only to fall a slippery fall that went flat, more preachy and tiring at times for the audience.
Samuthirakani’s part as a honest man who is trying to be pulled back by his family from doing something good feels natural in the first half but is stretched to its limit in the second half. Audiences were given messages and philosophy about being an honest man even during the unflattering patchwork humour portions.
Ananya as Sumathi takes up the role of a realistic mother and a wife who is focussed on resolving her own issues is not given a proper backstory for the audience to connect with. Her character restricts her performance with few loose ends such as why did she take a loan from the Sub Inspector or what is the aftermath of that debt?
Nasser’s portions from the flashbacks of Manickam are intended to be emotional but end up being congested in the screenplay. Just like the rat and mouse game of a police chase that is lethargic and pointless in the end.
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Thiru. Manickam as the title suggests narrates the story of a man’s mortal journey of choosing what is right or what is right for just his family, but overwrites the little emotional connection and drains the same with a message about honesty that is already perceived.
