Natpe Thunai Review: This friendship stands strong

Films based on sports are quite rare in Tamil cinema. And when a film based on this theme releases, the expectations are fair enough. This time, music director-turned-actor Aadhi stars in the sports drama Natpe Thunai. The film has a smart take on tackling three very different topics. It gives us an insight into power, determination, and sacrifice. Interestingly, the film also speaks highly of the bond between friends which is a key element to connect with the youth of today.

The story revolves around Prabhakaran (Adhi), whose aim is to move to France. While trying to do so, he ends up falling in love with Deepa (Anagha), who is a hockey player. He then meets Shanmugam, a retired military man who is the coach of the local hockey team. When a corporate begins to eye the ground where Shanmugam’s coaches a team, Prabhakaran decides to help them. Will he succeed in doing so? That forms the rest of the story.

Natpe Thunai has a lot of comparisons to the Hindi film Chaak De India as it revolves around Hockey. It also takes a lot of inspiration from Chaak De India’s characters. The involvement of several YouTube stars in the film is a plus for the audience who are mostly a young crowd. The main setback for the film comes in the form of fast visuals. One is unsure why the cuts are kept at such a brisk phase. Because of this, the film feels rushed and one is not able to emotionally connect with the characters. The performance by Aadhi is convincing and shines in his role, while Karu Palaniappan too seems like the perfect choice for the role of a politician. Anagha Maruthora makes a wonderful debut as the fierce hockey player.

If you are a fan of Aadhi, Hiphop Tamizha and if you like watching film’s based on sports then Natpe Thunai is for you.