Dharani (2015)

Robert Frost's The Road Not Taken informs Dharani and Guhan Sambandam acknowledges this in the title credits of the film. Sekar, Kathiresan and Mahesh are friends, each with their own problems. Sekar is unable to repay the money he has borrowed from a loan shark, Kathir doesn't have a job, something that his lover cites as the reason for marrying another man, and Mahesh, who came to Chennai with dreams of becoming a noteworthy actor in the film industry, has to make do as an extra. The trio meets with failure at every step and at one point, Mahesh, who realizes that he has lost his dream, decides to go back to his native. There, he tries to convince his uncle, a koothu artist, to take him on board. Meanwhile, Sekar gets into an altercation with the loan shark and beats him up and now, the local MLA wants him as an underling. Kathir, on the other hand, is helped by a shady real estate dealer, who tells him that there is no harm in swindling others to come up in life. Where their choices take them is what the film is all about. Intentions alone cannot elevate a movie and sometimes, well-intentioned efforts can make for underwhelming movie experience. Despite the sincere storytelling, Dharani feels cliched as the plight of the leads seem all-too familiar. The bleak and unforgiving first half makes for a difficult watch and the slow pacing doesn't help. The film picks up in the second half but here too, the story arcs are predictable. Thankfully, there are moments of levity here. Guhan keeps reiterating that contentment is more important than money but after a point of time, it starts feeling like a lofty idea. Also, the film also seems to say that one cannot come up in life using honest ways in the city. Mahesh has to go to his native to remain good while his two friends, who remain rooted, soon become criminals. But the actors make us care for these characters. Ajaykrishna's pitiable state in the first half makes us empathize with his character when he turns conniving in the latter portions. Kumaravel finely captures the innocence of Mahesh as does Aari, as a man who goes down the wrong path but finally finds redemption.