'Thalaivan Thalaivii’ review: Solid performances fuel this Vijay Sethupathi–Nithya Menen flick

A guy and a girl meet in a traditional matchmaking setup, fall madly in love, and get married—even though their families aren’t entirely on board. Director Pandiraj, known for films like ‘Pasanga’, revisits this familiar storyline in ‘Thalaivan Thalaivii’, a film that entertains more through its character-driven moments than through plot novelty.

The film is loud, energetic, and pulls you in right from the start. Vijay Sethupathi’s Agasaveeran and Nithya Menen’s Perarasi only have eyes for each other when their families arrange a meeting at her home. They fall head over heels in love, and their bond is further sweetened by the porottas Agasaveeran frequently brings over as their courtship unfolds. There’s a certain delight in watching food being prepared on screen, and one of the highlights of ‘Thalaivan Thalaivii’ is how cinematographer M Sukumar captures the delicious making of milk and bun porottas—dishes that eventually win over Perarasi and her family. While the film isn’t centred on food, the detail is relevant, especially since Agasaveeran is introduced as a cook who works at his family hotel.

The conflict kicks in when Agasaveeran is forced to bring Perarasi home after her brother opposes their relationship. This is where the drama truly begins. ‘Thalaivan Thalaivii’ attempts to decode how marriages are impacted by external influences. In doing so, Pandiraj leans into patriarchal tropes at times, portraying the women in the family—the mother-in-law, sister-in-law, and the girl’s mother—as sources of friction, while the men mostly remain passive spectators. Fortunately, Perarasi’s character is written with some agency, but given her stance on life, it’s puzzling how the narrative ends up advocating her return to Agasaveeran’s home—the very site of the conflict.

Agasaveeran and Perarasi are not your average couple, as Yogi Babu’s character, who delivers most of the film’s witty one-liners, cheekily points out. They are deeply in love, yet they constantly quarrel—adding layers to their romance and making it feel raw and real. This dynamic works well, thanks to the terrific performances by Vijay Sethupathi and Nithya Menen, who also share remarkable on-screen chemistry.

Yogi Babu as Chithirai, Roshini Haripriyan as Ragavarthini, Deepa Shankar as Pottu, Myna Nandhini as Nynavathi, and Chemban Vinod Jose as Arasaangam all make strong impressions. The music by Santhosh Narayanan adds to the film’s flavour.

Overall, the film’s quirky take on family relationships keeps the viewer engaged, but it’s the characters—and the performances—that truly hold your attention, more than the story itself.