You board this train expecting it to be an interesting journey with director Prabhu Solomon and team, but it turns out to be a big let down.
In Thodari, the GT Express departing from Delhi is on its way to Chennai. And, it takes a long while for the train, sorry, I mean the story, to pick up steam.
The inane comedy revolving around the pantry car manager (Thambi Ramaiah), who is the butt of jokes among his team of workers, does little to tickle you. And Ramaiah’s delivery and expressions are getting old.
Poochiappan (Dhanush), one of the pantry attendants, falls in love with Saroja (Keerthy Suresh) a young woman accompanying a well-known star. Saroja is her make-up artist. After initially rebuffing Poochiappan, who makes passes at her, she falls for his trick when he tells her that the noted lyricist Vairamuthu is his friend. Saroja aspires to become a singer in the industry and believes that she can sing well. She hopes Poochiappan will help her by putting in a good word with Vairamuthu.
Love brews but unlike Solomon’s earlier films, Mynaa, Kumki and Kayal, this love story lacks depth. There is nothing that makes you feel for the lovers except towards the end when the train in the absence of a driver is hurtling towards an imminent catastrophe.
While a rescue team is working on saving the passengers on the train, there is a commentary on politicians. There is a dig at the media, too, for sensationalising news, but these scenes are sloppily presented.
Thodari seems to have thrown all logic to the wind. Dhanush dances and sings and even fights people on the roof of the train, which is racing at a high speed.
Harish Uthaman’s character, a black commando, picks a fight for no reason with Poochiappan, which seemed far-fetched. And, why the dialogue between the two over who is better- a Tamilian or a Malayali?
Poor characterisation, a weak script and the two-hour plus duration pulls Thodari down. What saves the film is Dhanush’s performance. The star does not disappoint as Poochiappan.
Keerthi Suresh’s also deserves a pat for her cute portrayal of the naive Saroja. The scenes where she wants to sing to show Dhanush that she has the potential to become a singer will leave you in splits.
