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Critics Review
2.00
A Lukewarm Attempt At Recreating A Magnanimous Story
To summarise, Thalaivi is a superficial biography that is deficient in impact & experience. The screens have seen better biographies despite the complexity of the story & Thalaivi does get lost in translation. The beloved "Amma" deserved a better biography for all that she�s been through to become the person she became.(more)
Source: Meera Chithirapaavai , MovieCrow
2.00
Botched By Massive Missteps, Film Is Amma Of All Misfires
Kangana Ranaut might be a great fit for the role, but she mars the exercise by opting to mimic an Akshay Kumar-like stride towards the camera to close a money scene or crown a punchline. She does this a few times in the course of the film accompanied by ear-splitting, high-pitched music, the kind that is supposed to denote triumph and finality. If you have raised the banner of revolt against Bollywood's gender disparity, you must first do away with the means and methods of machismo-fuelled movies. Thalaivi does nothing of that sort.(more)
Source: Saibal Chatterjee, NDTV Movies
1.50
An awkward Kangana Ranaut in a convenient Jayalalithaa biopic
After watching Thalaivi, though, I wonder if she spent more energy promoting the film than performing. For starters, it is clear that she speaks nearly no Tamil at all. The lip sync is grating, the words we hear almost disembodied from the person mouthing them on screen. This is even more jarring in song sequences. The only scene where the lip-sync matches is when she speaks English dialogue. Perhaps Vijay settled for Ranaut chewing gum during the shoot, which he hoped to fix in the dubbing studio. I do not know if that is the intention, but I can confirm that nothing got fixed in dubbing.(more)
Source: Ranjani Krishnakumar, Firstpost.com
2.75
Despite a few cinematic liberties, the film is a feast for the mass audiences
Jayalalithaa is a name that holds its own place in Tamil Nadu history. It's the stunning performance of Kangana Ranaut and Arvind Swami, and their impeccable chemistry that keeps the film's heart pumping, and at times make the audience forget the questions they have. (more)
Source: Review Board, Behindwoods.com
3.50
Thailaivii pays a resounding ode to Jaya-MGR�s poignant love story, a relationship without labels.
Kangana in the titular role channels her inner rebel and unflinching self assurance to make a point - she plays second fiddle to no one. A classic case of her screen character imitating her real life in a way. She renders a powerful portrayal of a lovelorn woman who keeps rising like a phoenix from the ashes. She elevates the formulaic script with quiet determination and powerful presence, cleverly not mimicking Jaya but getting the tone and nuances of her character right. (more)
Source: Review Board, Times Of India
3.00
Kangana Ranaut aces Jayalalithaa's look and the film
For a film that revolves around Kangana Ranaut as J Jayalalithaa, it does give others their due: Arvind Swamy as MGR, Bhagyashree as Jaya�s mother and Nassar as Karunanidhi.(more)
Source: Shubhra Gupta , Indian Express