Kalpathi S. Aghoram and AGS Entertainment (P.) Ltd.’s Thalapathy Is The G.O.A.T. (dubbed from Tamil film G.O.A.T.; UA) is an action-cum-family drama.
Gandhi (Vijay) works for the Special Anti-Terrorism Squad (SATS) in Kenya, with Sunil (Prashanth), Kalyan (Prabhudeva) and Ajay (Ajmal Ameer). In 2008, they intercept their former chief, Menon (Mohan), who was on the run after being charged with treason. They blow up the train in which Menon is travelling with his family but before that, they retrieve the stolen uranium from him. Believing him to be dead, the team now lives undercover in Delhi. Gandhi lives with his wife, Anu (Sneha Prasanna), and their five-year-old son, Jeevan (Akhil). Anu is pregnant with their second child.
Gandhi takes his family to Bangkok where he is on a mission. But in an attack, they lose their son, and Anu goes into labour and delivers a baby girl. Son Jeevan is assumed to be dead when Gandhi sees a charred body. Gandhi is devastated. Anu can’t forgive Gandhi and so the two live separately since years, in Madras. Daughter Jeevitha (Abyuktha Manikandan) lives with Anu but is very fond of her dad too. Gandhi’s former boss, Naseer (Jayaram), asks him to go to Moscow in 2024 to train new officers at the reopened Indian Embassy. There, Gandhi is shocked to see Jeevan after 16 years. Gandhi returns with son Jeevan to Madras, and Anu forgives her husband. Soon, Naseer is killed by a man whose identity is unknown.
Meanwhile, the back story of Jeevan is revealed. Menon, who had survived the train accident, had kidnapped Jeevan and won his trust by raising him as his own son whom he christens Sanjay. He had filled Jeevan/Sanjay with so much hatred for Gandhi that Jeevan/Sanjay is on a mission to ruin/kill his own biological father, Gandhi, of course, due to Menon’s machinations and manipulations. Menon himself comes to Madras.
Gandhi is shocked to learn that his son, Jeevan/Sanjay, is thirsting for his blood. More shocks follow. What happens finally?
Venkat Prabhu has written a masala story which has so many twists and turns that the masses would love it. Vijay being cast in a double role — as Gandhi and as Jeevan/Sanjay — will generate a lot of excitement. The screenplay (by Venkat Prabhu, Ezhilarasu Gunasekaran, K. Chandru and Manivannan Balasubramaniyam) is so fast-paced that it doesn’t give the audience a moment to think. The drama is so engrossing that even some illogical twists and some mind-numbing action scenes don’t come in the way of the audience’s enjoyment. The climax may be long-drawn but it is superb. It has several nail-biting moments. The scenes of confrontation between Gandhi and Jeevan/Sanjay, after Gandhi realises that Jeevan is out to seek Menon’s revenge, are extraordinary. Dialogues (by Riya Mukherji, M. Prasad Babu and Venkat Prabhu) are terrific, many of them being clapworthy too.
Vijay carries the film on his shoulders in the double role. He shines as Gandhi as well as Jeevan/Sanjay. He plays to the gallery and is so endearing that he would have the audience eating out of his palm. His dances, as always, are just too wonderful. Prashanth is excellent as Sunil. Prabhudeva lends decent support in the role of Kalyan. Ajmal Ameer makes a mark as Ajay. Mohan is menacing in the role of Gandhi’s ex-boss, Menon. Jayaram lends fine support as Naseer. Sneha Prasanna looks gorgeous and acts with aplomb in the role of Anu. Meenakshi Chaudhary is very natural as Srinidhi. She looks beautiful too. Yogi Babu is entertaining as Diamond Babu. Premgi Amaren makes his presence very well felt as Gandhi’s brother-in-law, Seenu. Abyuktha Manikandan has her moments as Jeevitha Gandhi. Akhil stands his own as little Jeevan. Laila (as Sunil’s wife), Vaibhav (as Sha), Subbu Panchu (as Rajendran), VTV Ganesh (as Raghavan), Yugendran (as Abdul), Parvati Nair (as a junior SATS officer), Aravind Akash (as Aravind), Ajay Raj (as Ajay), Kaniha (as Menon’s wife), Y.G. Mahendran (in a cameo appearance as a RAW officer), Sivakarthikeyan (as himself in a cameo appearance), Komal Sharma, Anjena Kirti, Dileepan, Ganja Karuppu, T. Siva and Irfan Zaini provide able support. Trisha Krishnan sizzles in a song-dance number. Others are adequate.
Venkat Prabhu’s direction is superb. His narration provides terrific entertainment for the masses and family audience. Yuvan Shankar Raja’s music is pretty appealing. Lyrics (Gangai Amaren, Madhan Karky, Kabilan Vairamuthu, Vivek and Vignesh Ramakrishna) are nice. Song picturisations (Raju Sundaram, Sekhar V.J. and Sathish Krishnan) are excellent; the dances are lovely. Background music (Yuvan Shankar Raja) enhances the impact of the scenes manifold. Siddhartha Nuni’s cinematography is outstanding. Dhilip Subharayan’s action and stunts are superbly thrilling. Rajeevan’s production designing and B. Sekar and Surya Rajeevan’s art direction deserve special mention. Venkat Raajen’s editing is super-sharp. Dubbing is very nice.
On the whole, Thalapathy Is The G.O.A.T. is a box-office winner. It will click with the public because it has tremendous entertainment value. The original (Tamil) version will prove to be a super-hit.
Released on 5-9-’24 at Maratha Mandir (daily 2 shows) and other cinemas of Bombay thru Zee Studios. Publicity: so-so. Opening: fair. …….Also released all over. Opening was not bad (considering that it is a dubbed film and has opened on an odd day).