Jigarthanda DoubleX Movie Review

Jigarthanda DoubleX carried a lot of anticipation since the time the film was announced, especially as Karthik Subbaraj was returning to the big screen after a gap of four years. The film was said to be a ‘spiritual sequel’ to the 2014 film with the same title. But does the film live up to all the expectations and hype surrounding it? Let’s find out!

Jigarthanda DoubleX Plot

Alliyus Caesar (Raghava Lawrence) is a hardened gangster living in Madurai, with strong political affiliations, while Kirubakar (SJ Suryah) aspires to be a police officer. An ego clash and twist of fate intertwine their lives, and Kirubakar is forced to go undercover as an aspiring director by the name of Ray Dasan. The story follows their journey to achieve their personal goals, which also leads them to a tribal village on the outskirts of Madurai. The incidents that follow in the village form the heart and soul of the film.

What works for Jigarthanda DoubleX

Jigarthanda DoubleX brings forth a multilayered story, that Karthik Subbaraj has been able to tell with ease. It is evident right from the first shot that the world has been well-developed. Every scene and every action has a purpose, and it is made clear to the audience as well. The director has managed to confess his love for the art of cinema, and at the same time tells the story with a significant social undertone.

Something that goes along with world-building is the character sketches and arc, which Karthik Subbaraj has nailed as well. Both SJ Suryah and Raghava Lawrence’s characters were very well defined and followed a visible arc, not just internally, but externally as well. In fact, all the supporting characters, especially the ones played by Bava Chelladurai, Nimisha Sajayan, and Vidhu were exceptional, in their ability to convey the story despite having considerably less screen time.

Coming to the technical aspects of the film, what stood out were the cinematography, and color grading. DoP S. Thirunanavukkarasu has been able to capture the essence of the 1970s Clint Eastwood spaghetti westerns set up, without losing the essence of Madurai, the serene beauty of the mountain ranges surrounding the tribal village. The color grading complements the cinematography perfectly, and is sure to bring goosebumps. 

The music by Santhosh Narayanan also deserves special praise. He skillfully blends the sound of the flute, reminiscent of western classical music, with the drums and percussion that are characteristic of Madurai. This unique fusion adds an intriguing new dimension to the film's soundtrack. The songs are very well placed and act as a breather for the audience as well.

Like his previous film, Jigarthanda DoubleX shows Karthik Subbaraj's deep love for cinema. There are many visual and dialogue references to pioneering filmmakers throughout. Subbaraj also seamlessly integrates iconic scenes from his own works like Petta, Jigarthanda, Mahaan and Jagame Thandhiram.

Check out the trailer below:

What doesn’t work for Jigarthanda DoubleX

The main flaw is the extensive runtime of the film. The film is a staggering 2 hours and 52 minutes long, and could have afforded to lose out on 10-15 minutes. The additional runtime made several scenes feel a bit stretched out. 

Additionally, as good as the characters are, certain characters seem to have a fading importance in the script. The opposite holds true as well, where a character who seems to be of less importance ends up holding a major value in the film as well. However, none of these act as a barrier to the cinematic experience that Jigarthanda DoubleX provides.

The performances

The star highlight of Jigarthanda DoubleX is the performance. Karthik Subbaraj has been able to portray Raghava Lawrence like never before. In fact, it wouldn’t be an overstatement to say that he stole the show. However, that does not undermine the performance by SJ Suryah who was equally prominent. But two other names that have to be mentioned along with the two lead actors are that of Naveen Chandra and Aravind Akash, who do a spectacular job as the antagonists of the film.

The supporting cast of the film stood out with their performances as well. Nimisha Sajayan, who is pregnant for most parts of the film, does a brilliant job in her role. Although Shine Tom Chacko and Ilavarasu have significantly less time on screen, they do a fantastic job setting the premise for the film. A performance that deserves a special mention is that of Bava Chelladurai, who brings tears to the audience's eyes with his performance. 

Final Verdict

Jigarthanda DoubleX is a must-watch in theaters. It provides a wholesome cinematic experience, with excellent writing, performances, music and cinematography. In spite of the excessive runtime, the film is sure to leave the audience satisfied.

Karthik Subbaraj has returned to the big screen after four long years with a bang. The film he has given the audience is purely magical, to say the least. It is safe to say that he has also created something that has never been seen before in Tamil cinema. Truly, a ‘Karthik Subbaraj Padam’.

PS. Don’t miss the easter egg at the tail end of the film.