2024 2hrs 14mins

Critics Review

2.75

Fairly Engaging

The drama and topics covered are relevant, still it�s a good choice to be set as a period flick considering certain approaches in the narrative. Big blow with the humour aspect, however the noble message gets delivered decently well.(more)

Source: Ashwin Ram, MovieCrow

2.00

Keerthy Suresh's film on Hindi imposition is superficial

Keerthy Suresh carries the film with her performance, driving the story throughout. Ravindra Vijay�s acting is over-the-top in places, but he successfully makes the viewers dislike his character. It's Kayal's brother, sister-in-law, and supportive friend (Devadharshini) who truly stand out. Raghuthatha is a visually appealing film, aiming for perfection and achieving it in aspects like framing, costumes, and lighting, which evoke a retro feel and transport you to the 70s and 80s. However, it is also treated as a musically heavy film. Composer Sean Roldan�s music, while prominent, often overpowers the overall feel of the film. Director Suman Kumar shows flashes of brilliance with his clever writing and one-liners. While some jokes land, many do not. Despite its potential, Raghuthatha falls short of being a brilliant satire on Hindi imposition and patriarchy.(more)

Source: Janani, India Today

2.50

This Keerthy Suresh starrer elicits few laughs and is a tiresome watch

Two aspects of the film that one does appreciate is the music by Sean Roldan and the cinematography by Yamini Yagnamurthy. Sean Roldan�s songs and BGM are typical of that era and Yamini has captured the vivid sceneries and life of that time beautifully in her frame. Editing a film well also adds to its success and that seems to be missing in this film. Some scenes were randomly inserted (e.g. Raghu Thatha meeting Selvan under the coconut tree), affecting the continuity of the film. On the whole, Raghu Thatha is a misfire and a tiresome watch that neither makes us laugh nor cheer for Kayal.(more)

Source: Latha Srinivasan, Hindustan Times

3.50

Keerthy Suresh delights in a message movie that doesn't feel like one

hankfully, the film finds its ground in the second half when it makes us invested in Kayal's predicament and begins to deliver in terms of humour and dramatic tension. And from the moment when Kayal sits for the Hindi exam till the end, Suman (and his editor TS Suresh) keeps building up the comedy and suspense. Be it naming a character after himself or using a visual gag of a bald head reading our a mottai kadidasi or a superb reference to a movie icon that ends the film, the filmmaker adds an element of cheekiness that bring a chuckle. While some of the characters' quirks, like Kayal's North Indian manager's habit of using the wrong Tamil word, wear off soon, some remain delightful - like Kayal's sister-in-law, whose solution to every problem is proposing to run over a person with a lorry; the actress who plays this role is a hoot!(more)