Raghu Thatha Movie Review - Keerthy Suresh Shoulders this Political Satire
Kayalvizhi, also known as Keerthy Suresh, works for Central indian bank at the Valluvenpettai branch. She publishes stories under the masculine pen name Ka Pandian and is also an outspoken feminist who opposes the imposition of Hindi. Along with her grandpa (MS Bhaskar), she is principally responsible for closing down the hindi organization ekta Sabha in her village. She gets caught up in the chaos and is compelled to be married. She reluctantly consents and even makes a proposal to her confidant and male friend Selvan (Ravindra Vijay), whose actual intentions are eventually revealed, much to her dismay.
Three requests are granted to a dying grandfather before his life is finally counted down. It is to have biryani from chennai Buhari, to get a picture with MG Ramachandran, and to see his granddaughter get married. Now, somewhere in the 1900s, in a small rural town, the family members have an obligation to grant the requests. The grandpa may have three wishes, two of which may be granted without affecting the destiny of another person. It is evident that the family' first goal was to arrange for their girl to be married off. raghu Thatha weaves this story around a number of different threads, each of which may stand alone as a struggle. However, it doesn't.
Raghu Thatha has a lot going for him, to start. It features several subplots that each merit their own arc of resolution. Kayal and her grandpa are fiercely opposed to the imposition of Hindi; in fact, Kayal is adamant about not taking hindi tests in order to advance in her bank career. In addition, it is shown that Kayal writes compelling stories that portray female viewpoints while dressing like a male author. Lastly, the stories highlight Kayal's relationships with those in her immediate social circle, including her friends and family, who have different dynamics and equations than she has. Does raghu Thatha make the most of this in a well-rounded story? I mean, it makes a mediocre effort initially.
Being a woman with a voice in a place full of patriarchal and regressive males, "progressive" male friends, and women who conform to gender conventions is Kayalvizhi's main quality. It is clear from her statement that "ponna adaka odakama iruka mudiyadhu" (she cannot be submissive and sly like a woman) and Kayalvizhi's casual response to her father's suicide threat that this is not the first time she has heard such threats from her family.
We also get to see her at work, where she defends her values and self by refusing to take the promotion exam, which requires her to learn Hindi. In the midst of everything, Selvan, who has already shown himself to be a "progressive" guy in the data-face of overtly sexist and regressive males, and her relationship also undergo a dynamic shift. Having said that, the last 20 minutes of the film which involves almost every character, comes off as a surprise dessert, and very much in Crazy Mohan’s style of writing causing comedy of errors.
The primary flaw with raghu Thatha is that its central conflict is not established. Is it Kayal's awakening to the reality of a man's actual nature, or is it her inability to make a decision between principle and patriarchy? When Kayalvizhi has to decide which issue is more pressing, her life becomes a series of challenging decisions, and that's when the raghu Thatha slope first appears. Because it never addresses the imposition aspect of it, the film's positions about the imposition of hindi are likewise mediocre.
Overall, A Watchable Flick for Keerthy Suresh!