Performances

Sivakarthikeyan plays the lead and as usual he comes across likeable but the character gives him little depth to make a real impact performance-wise. He does his best, and there's no complaint about his effort, but the role doesn't offer him much to showcase his talent.

Ravi Mohan is alright sticking to his usual style, there's nothing particularly noteworthy about his performance. Atharvaa appears in an important role and fits well within the cast; he delivers a neat performance.

Sreeleela takes on the female lead but her role is just okay. The character doesn't give her much to work with, and most of the time she comes across more as filler than a meaningful part of the organic drama. This is largely due to the way her character is written, which doesn't allow her to contribute significantly to the story.

Analysis

Parashakthi, directed by Sudha Kongara opens with a period backdrop set in the 1960s. The casting looks nice, and the authentic visual quality immediately grabs attention. The film wastes no time diving into the story.

However, from the establishment of the anti-Hindi sentiment until the interval, the drama feels painfully flat, leaving the cinematic potential largely untapped. Whether it's Ravi Mohan's character as an officer, the student protests, or any subplot tied to the anti-Hindi sentiment, everything comes across as scattered bits and pieces. Occasional scenes try to generate emotion, but the core drama and conflicts that should emerge naturally are a mess. Even Sreeleela's character and the brothers' bonding feel like filler, serving more to stretch the runtime than to contribute to a cohesive narrative.

Overall, the first half is barely watchable and flat.

The second half continues the issues from the first half. Director Sudha Kongara never really builds the drama organically. We are presented with a second half that runs without a cohesive emotional core capable of generating genuine emotion.

There are a couple of sequences that are well-performed and thought-provoking, but no character arcs are written in a way that feels natural enough to truly land. Ravi Mohan's character continues to behave one-dimensionally. He is supposed to act as an anchor to trigger major emotions, but the predictable, cinematic arcs prevent this from working. Even the brothers' bonding isn't explored well enough to capture real emotion, which is a big miss.

The ending itself feels like a never-ending stretch. While the film does touch upon some real incidents, the pre-climax to climax section drags and feels like a prolonged saga rather than a satisfying resolution.

Performances by Others Actors

Parasakthi has a neat ensemble cast, and the supporting actors all deliver well within the scope of their roles, especially the brief characters, including the elderly and friends. Each actor contributes effectively and fulfills their part.

Rana Daggubati appears in a brief role, but there's nothing particularly noteworthy about his performance or the impact of his character. His inclusion feels more like a forced or staged entry into the story rather than an organic placement within the film.

Music and Other Departments?

G.V. Prakash scores the music and the songs are okay. The background score works well with the period drama, contributing decently to the visuals. The cinematography by Ravi K. Chandran is strong with a consistent visual tone and quality maintained throughout the film, making it one of the major highlights.

Editing by Sathish Suriya, however, could have been crisper. Even at its current length, the film feels dragged in both halves, highlighting the need for tighter cuts.

Highlights?

Authentic period setting

High-quality visuals

A few brief, emotional moments

Drawbacks?

Lacks an organic, engaging story

Key characters fail to leave an impression

Emotions don't resonate

Writing fails to leave an impact

Both halves feel slow and dragging

Did I Enjoy It?

No, the emotions never landed, so it was hard to connect.

Will You Recommend It?

No, I don't think it's theater-worthy.

Parasakthi Movie Review by M9 News

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Live Updates

U.S. Premiere Report:

#Parasakthi Review: Anti-Hindi, Pro-Lag

Rating: 2/5

It's a sincerely made but boring film that deals with the sensitive issue of anti-Hindi sentiment. Director #SudhaKongara makes an honest attempt but the drama never really worked. Period visuals and casting are plus points, but the drama isn't soulful enough to leave a mark.

Overall, it comes across as a film made just to cash in on the controversy, with little care for engaging storytelling or real impact.

First Half Report:

#Parasakthi - Empty First Half!

Visually, it looks very authentic and the casting works, but the drama is painfully flat so far. The entire first half relies on a few scattered anti-Hindi sentiments with no proper conflict or engaging drama/story.

Parasakthi U.S. premiere begins at 8 PM EST (6.30 AM IST). Stay tuned for Parasakthi movie review, U.S. premiere report.

Cast: Sivakarthikeyan, Ravi Mohan, Atharvaa, Sreeleela
Directed by: Sudha Kongara
Music by: GV Prakash
Director of Photography: Ravi K Chandran
Stunts: Supreme Sundar
Produced by: Aakash Baskaran
Production House: Dawn Pictures