Parasakthi Movie Review: A Politically Powerful Film That Falters in Its Final Stretch

Parasakthi Review (Photo Credits: Dawn Pictures)

Sudha Kongara’s Parasakthi is, without question, an important film for the times it is arriving in. Rooted in the 1965 anti-Hindi imposition agitation in Tamil Nadu, it carries an inherent political and emotional weight that is bound to resonate deeply with Tamil audiences, given the state’s long and fiercely protective relationship with its language. While some may label the film as anti-Hindi, Parasakthi repeatedly makes its position clear: the resistance is not against a language, but against its imposition, and the erosion of linguistic equality that follows.

The question, however, is whether a powerful theme, strong sentiments, a committed lead performance by Sivakarthikeyan, and a handful of rousing dialogues are all enough to sustain a truly powerful film. These elements certainly make Parasakthi an engaging and often stirring watch, and the film is earnest in its attempt to communicate its message. Yet, a shaky screenplay - particularly in the second half - dilutes the overall impact. One is left wishing for a more considered and forceful resolution, instead of a climactic showdown that reduces ideological conflict to a physical confrontation atop a speeding train.

Parasakthi Movie Review - What's It About?

Chezhiyan (Sivakarthikeyan) is introduced as a popular college student leader who spearheaded protests against the Central Government’s decision to impose Hindi as a national language, a move that effectively sidelines state languages. During one such protest, a train is set on fire after passengers are evacuated, but the incident results in the death of Chezhiyan’s close friend.

Overwhelmed by guilt, Chezhiyan abandons his revolutionary path. Years later, in 1965, he is living in Madurai and working as a coal shoveller in the railways, hoping for a promotion to the post of TTE - conditional, however, on his fluency in Hindi. His younger brother Chinnadurai (Atharvaa), now a college student, has inherited Chezhiyan’s political fire and leads the anti-Hindi movement on campus. Their Telugu neighbour Ratnamala (Sreeleela), the daughter of a Member of Parliament, secretly supports Chinna’s activism by feeding him information, even as she harbours feelings for Chezhiyan.

Opposing them is Thirunaadan (Ravi Mohan), a former KGF operative now working for the Central Government, dispatched to Tamil Nadu to suppress the protests. Chezhiyan, desperate to keep his brother from repeating his own mistakes, is reluctantly pulled back into the very struggle he once renounced when he is denied promotion for not knowing fluent Hindi. The cost of rebellion soon escalates, pushing Chezhiyan into the role of a fugitive as he attempts to ignite a mass uprising.

Parasakthi Movie Review - What We Thought Of It

The film’s first half works considerably well. The opening train sequence, which introduces both the protagonist and antagonist, sets the right tone, establishing Chezhiyan’s cause and the lengths he is willing to go for it, while also sketching Thirunaadan’s cold, calculating nature. Chezhiyan’s withdrawal from activism, his quiet life in Madurai, and the cute romance with Ratnamala are handled deftly without disrupting the narrative’s rhythm. Parasakthi is at its most effective when it directly engages with its central theme. The scenes that illustrate how an alien language, enforced by authority, can marginalise people within their own state are impactful.

The interview sequence, in particular, sharply underlines how language policy can directly affect employment opportunities for those who are not fluent in Hindi. The self-immolation sequence that follows, however, feels less organic - more a narrative device to push Chezhiyan back to his roots than a moment that emerges naturally from the story. A more restrained approach could have preserved its gravity.

At my screening, the appearances of late leaders like Annadurai and Karunanidhi drew cheers comparable to Sivakarthikeyan’s entry, underscoring the emotional connect the subject still holds. Unfortunately, the Censor Board’s heavy hand is evident, with several dialogues muted and disclaimers interrupting the flow of key scenes. One can only hope the OTT release restores the film in a less compromised form.

The pre-interval protest sequence stands out as the film’s strongest “mass” moment, generating genuine goosebumps and raising expectations about Chezhiyan’s transformation into a leader. That momentum is oddly undercut by the placement of a romantic song immediately after, a creative choice that abruptly slows the narrative when it should have surged forward.

Although the film regains some footing, it struggles to maintain consistency thereafter. A particular track feels predictable from the moment one of the main characters is introduced, and when its inevitable outcome arrives, it fails to land emotionally. Intended to further galvanise the hero’s cause, it instead comes across as clichéd, while also flattening Ravi Mohan’s initially intriguing, morally conflicted officer into a routine villain we have seen far too often.

There is also a sense of missed opportunity in the way Chezhiyan’s meeting with Indira Gandhi leads to a South-wide call for revolt. These sequences lack the verve and conviction the moment demands, relying instead on over-dramatisation, violence, and a couple of cameos clearly designed to appeal to audiences beyond Tamil Nadu. While it is genuinely nice to see who represented Kerala in the film, the inclusions feel more calculated than organic.

By the time the narrative culminates in a hero-versus-villain confrontation atop a steam train racing to reach Ms Gandhi, the film has largely abandoned the grounded realism that strengthened its first half. What began as a politically charged drama with clear intent increasingly morphs into a star vehicle. Consequently, even a climactic moment where people from different states rise together for a shared cause lacks the intended rush, weighed down by an overly cloying execution.

On the technical front, Parasakthi does a respectable job of recreating its period setting, though the CGI - especially in the final action sequence - leaves room for improvement. G.V. Prakash Kumar’s songs serve the narrative adequately, but it is his background score that truly elevates several scenes.

Performance-wise, Sivakarthikeyan once again delivers, particularly in the politically charged moments, even if his recent films continue to falter in their third acts. His commitment makes one wonder how Suriya, the original choice for the role, might have approached Chezhiyan. Sreeleela gets one of her better-written roles as Ratnamala, shining especially in a scene where she firmly shuts down a character questioning her Telugu roots. Ravi Mohan is let down by the one-note villain turn his character eventually takes, and Atharvaa too suffers from the clichéd writing of Chinnadurai - making it easy to see why Dulquer Salmaan opted out of the role. A curious distraction is the dubbing of Kulappulli Leela’s voice as Chezhiyan’s grandmother, particularly jarring for Malayali viewers familiar with the veteran actor’s distinctive voice.

Parasakthi Movie Review - Should You Watch it Or Not?

Parasakthi remains a film with strong intentions and moments of genuine power, but one that does not fully capitalise on its potential. It matters, it provokes, and it often engages - but it also stumbles when it most needs clarity and conviction.