Veera Dheera Sooran Movie Review: As someone who admires Chiyaan Vikram – who I believe is one of the best actors in Indian cinema deserving of more accolades and adulation – I’m glad to see him back in reasonably good projects after a spate of underwhelming films. Thangalaan was quite good, even if it unfairly underperformed at the box office. And now we have S.U. Arun Kumar’s Veera Dheera Sooran, which attempts to tell a thriller in an unconventional manner with Vikram in superb form here. Veera Dheera Sooran: Theatrical Screenings of Chiyaan Vikram’s Action Entertainer Begin; Producer Riya Shibu Apologises for Delay in Release!
Veera Dheera Sooran is set over the events of a single night – save for a portion that deals with a flashback. Kaali (Chiyaan Vikram) is a family man who runs a grocery shop and is very much in love with his wife Kalai (Dushara Vijayan). But he also has a past, and that past comes knocking in the form of his former boss Periyar Ravi (Prudhvi Raj).
Watch the Trailer of ‘Veera Dheera Sooran’:
Periyar reveals that he and his son Kannan (Suraj Venjaramoodu) are in mortal danger that night, as local SP Arunagiri (SJ Suryah) plans to kill them in a fake encounter over past enmity. They must survive till morning when they can surrender to the court, but Periyar wants Kaali to kill Arunagiri first. Though Kaali has moved on, lingering loyalty to his former boss makes him acquiesce – much to his wife’s dismay. However, as the night unfolds, Kaali finds himself unsure who to support, especially when his family’s lives are threatened.
‘Veera Dheera Sooran’ Movie Review – Gripping Direction
What I loved about Veera Dheera Sooran is how the film avoids boxing its characters into clear-cut categories, making the hero’s shifting allegiances feel murky and compelling. It starts with a simple spat outside Periyar’s house that snowballs into something far deadlier when Arunagiri exploits the situation to eliminate his foes. The tension escalates masterfully as the night grows darker and more complicated for everyone involved.
A Still From Veera Dheera Sooran Trailer
Arun Kumar stages several thrilling moments, like when Kaali and Periyar loyalist Venkat (Baalaji) tersely plant landmines to ambush Arunagiri. The editing shines in these scenes, ratcheting up tension even when we assume the hero will survive. GV Prakash Kumar’s score elevates these sequences further. Kumar’s tight direction also extends to quieter scenes, like when Periyar convinces Kaali to help him while Kalai uses their son to eavesdrop.
The pre-interval scene where Kaali blocks Arunagiri’s car is another standout, with both Vikram and SJ Suryah at their best. Arunagiri’s insistence on searching Kaali pays off cleverly later, with a funny twist in the second half.
A Still From Veera Dheera Sooran Trailer
The film’s highlight is a seemingly unbroken sequence where Kannan’s men attack the police station while Kaali tries to save lives and maintain his cover. It may not match the polish of Netflix’s Adolescence stuntwork, but it’s still incredibly shot and tense, thanks to Theni Eswar’s camerawork and Prasanna GK’s editing.
‘Veera Dheera Sooran’ Movie Review – Occasional Tonal Imbalances
I would have admired Veera Dheera Sooran even more if it had struck a better balance in storytelling and refined the way it handled some of its dramatic conflicts. Since the film unfolds over the course of a single night, we only get brief glimpses into each character’s background through verbal snippets, which are enough to infer their arcs. For instance, we learn that Kaali was once a formidable force working under Ravi but left the gang after a significant incident.
Interestingly, Veera Dheera Sooran is titled Part 2 despite not being a sequel to any existing film. From what I understand, a Part 1 is in the works as a prequel, presumably to explore Kaali’s backstory.
A Still From Veera Dheera Sooran Trailer
That said, Veera Dheera Sooran Part 2 didn’t need unnecessary visual exposition to explain character motivations – just as John Wick never relied on flashbacks to establish the protagonist’s deadliness. So when the film suddenly inserts a flashback set 10 years before the present events – right after Kaali meets Arunagiri – the transition feels jarring. This is further compounded by the fact that the initial portions of the flashback are light-hearted, focusing on Kaali and Kalai’s playful relationship.
A Still From Veera Dheera Sooran Trailer
To the director’s credit, he still manages to turn this flashback into a gripping sequence, culminating in a tense police station encounter. Yet, in hindsight, I wonder if the film might have been even stronger without it. While the sequence showcases Kaali’s more volatile side, wouldn’t it have been more effective to keep that aspect concealed until the right moment near the climax?
Some character decisions also feel odd for the sake of drama. Why does Kannan threaten Kaali’s family when Kaali is already helping him? It seems like a cheap way to make Kaali reconsider his loyalties. The climax has similar issues – after dispatching hordes of enemies, Kaali suddenly struggles against one opponent, and Kalai’s knife-to-a-child’s-throat moment ends too abruptly. The film wavers between portraying Kaali as an underdog and a mass hero, never quite committing to either.
A Still From Veera Dheera Sooran Trailer
Still, I was mostly invested in Arun Kumar’s tightly packed thriller. The smart screenplay and well-written characters keep things engaging despite the flaws.
‘Veera Dheera Sooran’ Movie Review – Excellent Performances
The performances are uniformly strong, with Vikram leading the charge magnificently. His transformation from an ordinary family man trying to avoid trouble to a fearsome force of nature is remarkable, achieved through masterful body language alone. While Kaali isn’t your typical mass hero (despite a few crowd-pleasing moments), Vikram’s nuanced performance maintains the character’s underdog status throughout most of the night’s events – until that crucial moment when he isn’t. Ponniyin Selvan 2 Movie Review: Chiyaan Vikram, Aishwarya Rai, Trisha and Karthi Gallop to the Rescue of Mani Ratnam’s Over-Stuffed Period Drama.
A Still From Veera Dheera Sooran Trailer
Dushara Vijayan shines as the spirited Kalai, sharing crackling chemistry with Vikram that effortlessly bridges their age difference. Their relationship carries a playful, sensual energy that never feels forced or uncomfortable.
SJ Suryah delivers yet another compelling grey-shaded performance, but with welcome restraint this time – his occasional outbursts of anger feel more impactful because of it. He even manages to land some genuinely amusing lines. Suraj Venjaramoodu makes an impressive Tamil debut as the hot-headed Kannan, with his self-dubbed dialogue adding authenticity to the role. Prudhvi Raj is perfectly slimy as the opportunistic Periyar, while Baalaji deserves special mention as the perpetually unlucky Venkat (though I am left wondering about his ultimate fate!).
‘Veera Dheera Sooran’ Movie Review – Final Thoughts
Veera Dheera Sooran is the kind of ambitious, actor-driven cinema we need more of – occasionally flawed yet fiercely original, and far more compelling than the usual commercial fare. While it stumbles in places, there’s plenty to admire, from Vikram’s masterclass in controlled intensity to the film’s gripping direction and technical finesse. If only it had a little more faith in its audience to connect the dots, Veera Dheera Sooran could have been truly exceptional.
(The opinions expressed in the above article are of the author and do not reflect the stand or position of Today News 24.)
(The above story first appeared on Today News 24 on Mar 28, 2025 11:28 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website todaynews24.top).