A Noble Tale That Trips Over Its Own Virtue
On December 27, 2024, Tamil cinema ushered in Thiru.Manikkam, a drama directed by Nandha Periyasamy and starring Samuthirakani in the titular role. Produced by GPRK Cinemas, the film hit theaters with a promise of heartfelt storytelling, banking on its moral-driven premise and a powerhouse cast including Ananya, Bharathiraja, and a slew of familiar faces like Nassar and Thambi Ramaiah. After a modest theatrical run, it landed on ZEE5 on January 24, 2025, giving viewers a chance to revisit—or discover—this tale of righteousness. As of March 13, 2025, with the dust settled, does it hold up as the “gem of Tamil cinema” some claim? Not quite. It’s a well-intentioned effort that shines in moments but stumbles under the weight of its own preachiness.
The story centers on Manikkam (Samuthirakani), a lottery shop owner in Kumily, a quaint town straddling the Tamil Nadu-Kerala border. He’s the epitome of honesty—a man who’d rather go broke than bend his principles. His family, including wife Sumathi (Ananya) and their two daughters (one with a speech impediment), grapples with financial woes: loans, medical bills, and the grind of lower-middle-class life. Enter a pivotal twist: an elderly customer (Bharathiraja) picks a lottery ticket but can’t pay, asking Manikkam to hold it. When that ticket wins ₹1.5 crore, Manikkam’s moral compass kicks into overdrive. Despite his family’s pleas to claim the prize, he sets off to find the old man and return what’s “rightfully” his. What follows is a journey of virtue clashing with pragmatism, peppered with societal pushback and familial strain.
Samuthirakani is the film’s beating heart, delivering a performance that’s predictably solid yet undeniably compelling. He plays Manikkam with a quiet intensity, his weathered face and subtle gestures conveying a man burdened by duty. Ananya, as Sumathi, is a revelation—her shift from supportive spouse to desperate pragmatist adds a raw edge to the domestic tension. Bharathiraja brings gravitas as the impoverished ticket buyer, while the ensemble (Ilavarasu, Karunakaran, Thambi Ramaiah) chips in with varying degrees of impact—Ramaiah’s over-the-top NRI bit feeling particularly dated. The cast is a strength, but the script doesn’t always give them room to breathe beyond their archetypes.
Visually, Thiru.Manikkam is a modest charmer. M. Sukumar’s cinematography captures Kumily’s lush greens and bustling bus stands with an eye for authenticity, while Vishal Chandrasekhar’s score strikes the right emotional chords without overpowering the narrative. The production values are neat, reflecting GPRK Cinemas’ commitment to a grounded aesthetic. At 120 minutes, the pacing is brisk in parts—especially when the thriller angle kicks in—but drags when the film lingers on its moralizing.
And that’s where the cracks show. Thiru.Manikkam wants to be a parable about integrity in a cynical world, a theme with potential to resonate. On paper, the ethical dilemma—who owns the ticket?—is ripe for debate. But Periyasamy’s execution leans too heavily on sermonizing, turning Manikkam into a saintly caricature rather than a relatable everyman. The screenplay, co-written with Ramu Sunil, stacks the deck with convenient plot devices: a Thirukkural on a bus justifies a lie, financial woes pile up cartoonishly, and every character exists to test or affirm Manikkam’s goodness. The film’s heart is in the right place, but it assumes its audience needs a lecture, not a story.
Comparisons to 2023’s Bumper are inevitable—both hinge on lottery tickets and moral crossroads—but Thiru.Manikkam lacks the former’s narrative snap. The thriller elements, like a cybercrime cop twist, inject some momentum, and Manikkam’s backstory as a reformed thief adds depth. Yet, these sparks fizzle amid melodrama and outdated tropes—Sumathi’s suicide threat feels ripped from a ‘90s soap, and the “good Muslim mentor” cliché is eye-rollingly simplistic. Cinema Express’s Jayabhuvaneshwari B (2/5) nails it: it’s “polished glass” pretending to be a gem, reflective but not brilliant.
Audience reception mirrors this ambivalence. Rajinikanth praised it as a “wonderful piece of work,” and stars like Arya and IAS Iraianbu joined the chorus, boosting its cred. But the consensus tilts lukewarm—News18’s Kirubhakar Purushothaman (2/5) calls out its “irkesome platitudes,” and OTT Play’s Anusha Sundar (2/5) dubs it “drabby.” Its ₹55 crore-plus theatrical haul suggests it struck a chord, but streaming chatter leans toward “missable.”
So, should you stream Thiru.Manikkam on ZEE5 now? If you’re a Samuthirakani fan or crave a feel-good morality tale, it’s worth a shot. The performances and a few tender moments—like the family’s initial unity—offer warmth, and its Tamil cultural roots feel authentic. But don’t expect a gripping drama or a fresh take on righteousness. It’s a film that means well but tries too hard to prove it, leaving you with a shrug rather than a revelation. In a year of bold Tamil cinema, Thiru.Manikkam is a quiet footnote—earnest, flawed, and ultimately forgettable.
Rating: 2.5/5
Streaming on ZEE5 as of March 13, 2025
Streaming on ZEE5 as of March 13, 2025