★ 7 / 10
Dhruv Vikram is, well and truly, DHRUV now. [+70%]
arungeorge13
I can see the evolution of Dhruv as a performer here. From an irritating presence in Mahaan to fully embodying a professional kabaddi player (inspired by…
I can see the evolution of Dhruv as a performer here. From an irritating presence in Mahaan to fully embodying a professional kabaddi player (inspired by Manathi Ganesan), he has come a long way. Mari Selvaraj's movies now have a storytelling pattern, and this review won't be purely about that. Dhruv's coming-of-age portions remind you so much of Vikram in his early days (Sethu, Dil immediately come to mind), and he still has a lot of navigation to do as an actor, but Bison is definitely a step forward in that aspect.Pasupathy sir -- what a performance! Truly worthy of some accolades at a larger level, this man. Rajisha too, is solid. The romance (feat. Anupama Parameswaran) doesn't do much for this story unfortunately and comes across as a trope that merely stretches the run-time. The parallel track of gang wars between Ameer and Lal was interesting initially, but it sinks to the same depths as many similar stories we've seen, with the same kind of gory, visceral payoffs.The kabaddi scenes are really well done; DoP Ezhil Arasu captures them with exceptional verve. Dhruv is a scream in these parts; his transformation from "boy" to "man" is intense and poignant. Violence somehow seems to keep finding him, even when he isn't at the center of the aforementioned gang war. His family, hailing from a lower caste (well, that's predictable), is always at the mercy of people in bigger positions of power, of authority. Dhruv's Kittaan is battling not just generations of being sidelined, brushed aside, or considered inferior. He's trying to bring glory to his family, village, and the entire community in the process.Even keeping the politics aside, the film fundamentally shines as a sports drama. Nivas K Prasanna fits into SaNa's shoes somewhat well; I'd still have wanted to see SaNa work his magic here. "Rekka Rekka" is the standout track, with fantastic picturization. I do think the storytelling could've been a tad better if the non-linearity had been only used to depict the gang-war portions. The current version is 2h 48m long, and when you already know the outcomes of certain foreseeable events, the edit could've been slightly tighter.Even without the animal violence and brutal slayings, it's still a story worth telling without a doubt. Sports is something that can bring people together, regardless of rivalries and discrimination, and it's smartly used as a storytelling device here. Heck, both the warring faction leaders acknowledge this at different points in the film, and that's a win!
★ 9 / 10
The Best Movie of 2025
diliplenin
One of the best movie I watched in 2025. The movie doesn't showcase any heroism, Graphics or Mythology. The Screen Play of real time events of Tamil Nadu's…
One of the best movie I watched in 2025. The movie doesn't showcase any heroism, Graphics or Mythology. The Screen Play of real time events of Tamil Nadu's Southern Districts and the struggle of National Kabbadi Champion to become one unfolds before us in such a fast phase. The Way MariSelvaraj narrates the story with his signature frames of human emotions & nature is wonderful Cinematic experience. One of the best Indian Movie from Tamil Industry.
★ 7 / 10
moviemonkreviews
Rating - 3.75/5A raw, riveting tale of a man's perseverance and determination portrayed through a robust & realistic narrative.The story shows how a low key…
Rating - 3.75/5A raw, riveting tale of a man's perseverance and determination portrayed through a robust & realistic narrative.The story shows how a low key village guy overcome the emotional, mental and physical struggles to pursue his dream of excelling in Kabadi against his father's fear of him turning rogue, the societal, caste and political odds that came his way.Mari Selvaraj has scripted the story in a realistic narrative template giving stress to the emotional layers of the characters through their performances. He like in his previous films have blended casteism, rivalry, revenge, bloodshed, communal riots, village politics, folklore elements, myth, superstitions, brotherhood & romance into the story in a rooted screenplay. The story puts you through characters with orthodox thoughts and their hesitation to accept people with progressive thoughts as part of their conditioning is clearly portrayed through the story.Stellar performance by Dhruv who just carried the character with distinct shades with utmost care and precision. Outstanding performances by Rajisha, Pashupathi & Lal in the movie. Anupama, Ameer Sulthan & Azhagam Perumal also gave notable performances of their characters.Sensational cinematography by Ezhil Arasu who just captured the soul of the village through perfect lensing and lighting. Good background scores and folklore songs by Nivas Prasanna. Kudos to art team, sound department, action choreography and colorist for their contributions in elevating the movie experience.An emotionally intriguing story highlighting the social stigmas.
7.6/10
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