Sardar: Karthi-Mithran's spy thriller packs a punch

Cast: Karthi, Chunky Pandey, Rashi Khanna, Munishkanth, Laila, Rajisha Vijayan

Director: PS Mithran

Music director: GV Prakash

Synopsis: A renegade spy is up in arms when he discovers his mission which was thought to be complete is actually unfinished.

What stands out in Sardar is PS Mithran's vision and then there is Karthi who walks in slo-mo donned in Khaki, he fights, limps and cries when the director requires. The film is exactly the kind of festival film Kollywood needed for a long time. Karthi too is enjoying back-to-back success in theatres after Ponniyin Selvan-1.

Sardar opens in the 80s with a spy turning renegade against the nation and gets locked up. What does that betrayal hold for the future generation is the crux of the movie.

Vijaya Prakash (Karthi) is a cop-- similar to the one we see in Siruthai, after the doppelganger switch places. He is a do-gooder wanting validation. His choice of profession and mindset comes with a strong emotional backstory that works big time.

Providing bandobast for protests against a policy to privatise water supply takes Vijay on a noble mission and brings about an inward change. PS Mithran shines as a writer in these portions. Sardar, though for most of its runtime is a hero-centric movie, avoids fan servicing and imbues heroism only when the lead character gets his call of purpose. Characters like that of Laila's and young Rithvik's steal the spotlight in crucial scenes where Karthi is happy to follow the lead. Casting Karthi as a villager was another wise writing decision as the character clears up some spy jargon for the general public.

Karthi puts up a mature performance in both spy and cop portions. Variation in expressions from being someone seeking validation to a selfless crusader, the 'Paruthiveeran' actor is worth praises.

The prosthetics on Karthi though wasn't quite convincing, can be overlooked because of strong narration and his performance. The case is same with his voice modulation for the older look.

Most of the characters have been utilised well according to the script requirement. Unfortunately, female leads Raashii Khanna and Rajisha Vijayan do not have much to do, the latter with a career graph dotted with great performances just passes the muster.

Dialogues border on being preachy, however, saves from being mocked. The antagonist is not as dangerous and infallible as the protagonist, but his pernicious purpose compensates the lack of a nuanced character.

Stunt sequences are both choreographed and shot in a sleek manner, the climax sequence is top notch. Songs aren't worth remembering but GV Prakash makes up for it with some interesting scores in the second half. The runtime of over 2 hour and 40 minutes doesn't test our patience.

Sardar, overall, is a perfect message-driven entertainer that has touched a sweet spot of staying true to its genre without being oblivious to the masses.