Friday Review: Thozha – A Reliable Friend

Thozha aka Oopiri (in Telugu) is a neat Tamil movie I watched from the drive-in and the drama deals with the relationship between a quadriplegic and his caretaker. The film is an official remake of the French film, The Intouchables, and the Tamil-Telugu version was directed by Vamsi Paidipally featuring Karthi, Nagarjuna and Tamanah. The film opens with Nagarjuna and Karthi inside a car, racing through the streets encompassed by police chase, traces the past on the journey they come together and the bond shared between them.

Seenu is a culprit comes out on parole and seeks jobs that could showcase his humanitarian and thus attends the interview for the caretaker of a quadriplegic billionaire, Vikram Aditya. Though he was attracted to the magnificence of the house and prettiness of Keerthi (personal secretary of Vikram), the obvious reasons he confronted wants Vikram to go for him and what happens from then becomes a life changing for both.

Although the film concern about things happening between them, it goes beyond and touches the lives of their individuals and personal feelings so well. The film carries emotions in lighter manner yet reached the sense and makes come out of theatre without any compassion and sorrow to keep us down. Though Karthi showcase cool attitudes always, the director and the script has utilized him so well and his pair with Tamanah is not new but looks afresh on screen, perhaps because she does look like over makeup!   

Nagarjuna, who is always seen as action hero in Telugu movie and last seen in Rathamohan’s Payanam (in Tamil) as a commando, chose to do the role of commanding from a wheelchair. I anticipated some actions scenes by him, at least in flashback scenes, but just stills to go. The car racing in Paris city was stunning and funny with paragliding. The comedy with paintings and the character of Prakashraj as Naga’s personal advocate was very good.

The music and songs were enough kind, but somehow sprinkles Telugu essence. The camera work was good and the lightning in darkness of Paris and the interiors of the house captures the mood of romance and loneliness well. The expressions and feeling of a wheelchair bound was nicely navigated, without making any negative impact and impressions. The attitude of making surprise and indifference make sense and I also liked the way the character of Nagarjuna was displayed to see apart from compassion and sympathy.

Thozha – stands as a reliable friendship!