Movie Review: 'Thuppaki' Hits Bull's-Eye

Director AR Murugadoss makes sure that he does not regress with any of his films. He frequently comes out with a different plot and narration style, and "Thuppaki" (Gun) is a brilliant example of this.

As for the protagonist in "Thuppaki", the hero is clean, brawny and brainy. Actor Vijay is shown in a completely different avatar - talking far less and performing more stunts, unlike seen in previous movies.

Though the film is an action thriller, Murugadoss hasn't forcefully injected action into the script but has used some nerve-wracking sequences in sufficient doses to strike a balance.

The film begins with an opening song in which Vijay is introduced. The actor essays the character of Jagadish Dhanapal, who serves in the Indian Army. Jagadish is a lot more than what he seems to be; he is a Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) expert.

Jagadish comes to Mumbai to spend his holiday with his family and get married, but his purpose changes in no time. He unofficially tries to contain the spread of terrorism across the city, and thus the game of death begins.

Jagadish cops a member of the 'sleeper cell' at the very beginning of the movie. His captive reveals that that the terrorists planned a serial attack across twelve areas in Mumbai. To stop the extremists from causing mayhem in the city, Jagadish adopts their own unconventional warfare.

The sleeper cell is a group of people, who lie dormant but are always ready to unleash terror at the command of their boss.  

Jagadish continues to work undercover in order to weed out the sleeper cell completely from the city. He is so dedicated and patriot to a point where he plans to turn himself to a suicide attacker and blow up the head of the sleeper agents.

With the death of his brother in one of Jagadish's covert operation, the main antagonist and leader of the sleeper cell, played by Vidyut Jamwal, comes to Mumbai to get rid of his 'hellraiser.' Thenceforward, the deadly mind game between the protagonist and the antagonist begins.

Like any of Vijay's films, the leading man slays the villain and saves the day. The fast-paced narration and other elements, including humour in the film, will keep audiences glued to their seats until the climax.

Murugadoss has created enough moments in the film for audiences to get a good punch out of their favourite hero. Throughout the run, the filmmaker sings the heroics of soldiers and has dedicated the film to them too.

The film's leading lady Kajal Aggarwal is a perfect fit for her character as Nisha. Her chemistry and timing with Vijay in the comedy scenes have come off well.

Vijay has taken the entire film on his own shoulders and done what he's best at - action. He has played his character in a sophisticated way, catering to the demands of the class audience but still managing to hang on to his mass element.

Director: AR Murugadoss
Cast: Vijay, Kajal Aggarwal