Doctor movie review: Sivakarthikeyan’s film is a deliciously wicked dark comedy - Hindustan Times
close_game
close_game

Doctor movie review: Sivakarthikeyan’s film is a deliciously wicked dark comedy

ByHaricharan Pudipeddi
Oct 09, 2021 02:56 PM IST

Doctor movie review: Sivakarthikeyan's new film is unlike any you've seen him in before. With dark humour, Nelson adds spice to a mundane script.

Doctor
Director: Nelson
Cast: Sivakarthikeyan, Priyanka Arul Mohan, Vinay, Yogi Babu and Archana Chandokhe

Doctor movie review: Sivakarthikeyan embraces a dark role.
Doctor movie review: Sivakarthikeyan embraces a dark role.

The first thing that comes to mind when you walk out of Nelson’s Doctor is it’s unlike anything you’ve seen from a Sivakarthikeyan’s movie so far. Taking a refreshing departure from the colourful entertainers he’s popular for; Sivakarthikeyan embraces a dark role-– of an army doctor who goes after a human trafficking gang--with minimal dialogues. Nelson whips up a deliciously wicked dark comedy that works despite its predictable plot and twists. Even the most mundane scenes are elevated thanks to the quirky treatment.

Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now.

Watch Doctor trailer here:

The plot is simple and familiar. Early on, Varun (Sivakarthikeyan) gets a call from his fiancée Padmini (Priyanka), who decides to call off their wedding after realising that he is not hip enough. When Varun and his folks come home to find out the exact reason behind the rejection, they’re told that he’s not caring and emotional. As the wedding is called off, news comes in that Padmini’s niece has gone missing from her school and the family suspects a case of kidnapping. Varun comes forward to help them and he decides to take the law in his own hands when he realises the police are not too serious about the case. Will Varun succeed in saving girl by taking a human trafficking gang head on, forms the crux of the story?

Doctor takes off slowly and initially it feels a little odd to see Sivakarthikeyan deliver his lines like a robot. It feels like a very mechanical performance but once you get used to his character, the film works like a charm. No other Tamil film apart from Nelson’s own Kolamavu Kokila used dark comedy so effectively in recent years. 

Also read: Bhramam movie review: Prithviraj Sukumaran's pointless Andhadhun remake will blindside you with blandness

Nelson manages to evoke laughs out of the most serious situations and he pulls it off so effortlessly. Most scenes would’ve felt flat if they were not treated the way Nelson did with the aid of dark humour. There’s a terrific action sequence inside a metro train and it’s one of the best sequences in the first half. It’s inventive and extremely wacky. Not sure if this sequence would’ve worked in any other film. 

Despite a slightly predictable second half, Doctor stays afloat because of the way it uses humour to make every cliched sequence feel fresh. Yogi Babu, who usually gets a tiny comic roles in movies, gets an extended screen time here and he’s terrific in his portion. With impeccable timing and deadpan expression, he keeps the film alive in some of its more boring stretches. MTV Roadies fame Rajiv and Raghu Ram play key characters and they make for interesting casting choices. Vinay shines yet again as the sophisticated villain. Anirudh Ravichander’s music and score holds the film together whenever it dips.

Oscars 2024: From Nominees to Red Carpet Glam! Get Exclusive Coverage on HT. Click Here

Get more updates from Bollywood, Hollywood, Music and Web Series along with Latest Entertainment News at Hindustan Times.
SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
Share this article
SHARE
Story Saved
Live Score
OPEN APP
Saved Articles
Following
My Reads
Sign out
New Delhi 0C
Thursday, March 28, 2024
Start 14 Days Free Trial Subscribe Now
Follow Us On