Thimmarusu - Nalla Aravan Thunai

 

Thimmarasu

2021, Telugu

Director: Sharan Koppisetty

Stars: Satyadev, Priyanka Jawalkar, Ajay, Ankith Koyya, Brahmaji

Mohan's Measure: ⭐⭐⭐

"Nalla Aravan Thunai;" the servant of the good person.  This sign appears several times in Thimmarasu, a well thought out remake of Kannada's Birbal No. 1.

Satyadev, as always, takes the film to heights with his subtle, quiet, urbane acting.  Brahmaji provides in way one should in film noir, with cynical but pithy observations about life, people, and love.  While there is little in terms of character development, there is a great deal of depth to this classic style film noir in which the Roshomon Effect is used to bring us a murder from different angles and perspectives.  The tale follows film noir to the tee to the very end, and it is here things fall to floor like candy wrappers the day after Halloween.

Therein lies the problem with Tollywood in particular, and Telugu culture in general.  Everything has to be about revenge.  One imagines a guy being in the dentist's chair asking the root canal to be removed with a sickle, so that the infected tooth get what it deserves.

A nalla aravan must be one who does good without personal entitlement.  A lesson both Tollywood and perhaps Sandalwood before venturing into the big shoes of film noir.