Soorarai Pottru
Nedumaaran Rajangam "Maara" sets out to make the common man fly and in the process takes on the world's most capital intensive industry and several enemies who stand in his way.
What critics thought
Suriya's performance is the one point of near-universal agreement — even lukewarm reviews credit him with holding the film together — while the script itself divides critics sharply. The first half's tight, propulsive storytelling earns consistent praise, but many reviewers found the second half repetitive, over-reliant on melodrama, and too quick to pile on fan-pleasing moments. Indian audiences responded with far more enthusiasm than the Western-facing critical aggregate would suggest, making the gap between those two measures the most telling fact about the film.
“Soorarai Pottru is marred by the high-pitched melodrama whistled up every time the script needs to create fan-pleasing moments. Given Suriya's mega popularity, that is an always present temptation, and the film gives in, much too often.”
Shubhra Gupta·The Indian Express
“Soorarai Pottru could have been far more inspiring and even engrossing had director Sudha Kongara done away with unnecessary songs and emotions. Her plane would have had a smoother flight sans the turbulence.”
Gauthaman Bhaskaran·News18
“The intensity of proceedings does soften in the second half, when somehow, things seem to fall too quickly in place, with help pouring in from unexpected quarters for the protagonist. However, Suriya as Maara holds the show together.”
Srinivasa Ramanujam·The Hindu
“Sudha Kongara, Suriya tell a moving, poetic biopic without deifying the leading man.”
Firstpost
“Soorarai Pottru, which will go down as one of the best films of the year, is Suriya's return to form (after a few mediocre films) and it's quite gutsy of a mainstream hero to produce and star in a film that doesn't tick all those boxes of a typical commercial entertainer.”
Haricharan Pudipeddi·Hindustan Times
Genres
Drama
Cast & Crew
DirectorSudha Kongara Prasad
StarringSuriya, Aparna Balamurali, Paresh Rawal, Mohan Babu, Urvashi
ComposerG. V. Prakash Kumar
Soorarai Pottru
Nedumaaran Rajangam "Maara" sets out to make the common man fly and in the process takes on the world's most capital intensive industry and several enemies who stand in his way.
What critics thought
Suriya's performance is the one point of near-universal agreement — even lukewarm reviews credit him with holding the film together — while the script itself divides critics sharply. The first half's tight, propulsive storytelling earns consistent praise, but many reviewers found the second half repetitive, over-reliant on melodrama, and too quick to pile on fan-pleasing moments. Indian audiences responded with far more enthusiasm than the Western-facing critical aggregate would suggest, making the gap between those two measures the most telling fact about the film.
“Soorarai Pottru is marred by the high-pitched melodrama whistled up every time the script needs to create fan-pleasing moments. Given Suriya's mega popularity, that is an always present temptation, and the film gives in, much too often.”
Shubhra Gupta·The Indian Express
“Soorarai Pottru could have been far more inspiring and even engrossing had director Sudha Kongara done away with unnecessary songs and emotions. Her plane would have had a smoother flight sans the turbulence.”
Gauthaman Bhaskaran·News18
“The intensity of proceedings does soften in the second half, when somehow, things seem to fall too quickly in place, with help pouring in from unexpected quarters for the protagonist. However, Suriya as Maara holds the show together.”
Srinivasa Ramanujam·The Hindu
“Sudha Kongara, Suriya tell a moving, poetic biopic without deifying the leading man.”
Firstpost
“Soorarai Pottru, which will go down as one of the best films of the year, is Suriya's return to form (after a few mediocre films) and it's quite gutsy of a mainstream hero to produce and star in a film that doesn't tick all those boxes of a typical commercial entertainer.”
Haricharan Pudipeddi·Hindustan Times
Genres
Drama
Cast & Crew
DirectorSudha Kongara Prasad
StarringSuriya, Aparna Balamurali, Paresh Rawal, Mohan Babu, Urvashi
ComposerG. V. Prakash Kumar