Sathya Review - Faithful remake

Bharath Vijayakumar

Those who have seen Kshanam would understand that Sathya is bound to work if it sticks to the basics. The Telugu thriller kept us guessing and had a climax that worked big time. Pradeep Krishnamoorthi cleverly remains largely faithful to the original and delivers a film that will click with those who haven’t seen the original.

Plot: A kid goes missing but everyone seems to believe that such a kid never existed in the first place.

Sibiraj might not be the most expressive but he does fit the bill in Sathya. He seems to be an absolute sport when Yogi Babu takes a dig at his acting capabilities. In the supporting cast it is Anandraj who makes his presence felt with his trademark humour. A few attempts at comedy by Sathish fall flat but thankfully such attempts are minimal. More care could have been taken in the casting of the other small characters. The dialogues are to the point and melodrama is kept at bay despite there being sufficient opportunities.

It is a little difficult to evaluate Sathya as a standalone product if you have watched the original. While you approve of the maker’s intent to be faithful to the original, the problems that I had with the original remain in the Tamil version. While the big twist works, the last twenty minutes is definitely a bit rushed with respect to the reveal of the villain. The motive too is a little weak. Surprising? Yes. But convincing? Not entirely. Much like today’s other release Richie this is another film that opts for the hero’s name as the title though it makes very little sense with respect to the plot. And it is high time filmmakers understand the difference between impotency and infertility, particularly if it is going to act as a plot point.

Bottomline: 

A faithful remake that works. The good thing is that despite being a thriller, it remains a decent watch for those familiar with the original.

Rating:3/5