Vattakhanal (2025)

Detailed Review

R.K. Suresh runs a hallucinogenic mushroom business in Vattakhanal, Kodaikanal. He has three sons — Dhruvan Mano, Kabali Vishwa, and Vijay TV Sarath. To expand his business, Suresh tries to forcibly acquire 200 acres of land owned by Meenakshi Govindarajan. However, his son Dhruvan Mano falls in love with Meenakshi. During a clash over the mushroom trade, Vidya Pradeep’s husband dies, and she plans to take revenge by killing R.K. Suresh. Whose plan succeeds in the end? Director Pithak Pugazhendhi presents this story as an action crime drama.

R.K. Suresh and Dhruvan Mano dominate most of the screen time. Suresh delivers a solid performance as an aged, heavy-handed villain. Dhruvan Mano plays his son, a drunkard torn by love for Meenakshi, showing some emotional effort in his acting. Meenakshi Govindarajan looks beautiful and appears occasionally on screen. The supporting cast performs their parts neatly.

Cinematography by M.A. Anand is crisp, while Maris Vijay’s background score and songs are average but fitting. Despite being titled Vattakanal (known for mushrooms), the film doesn’t delve into that topic deeply. Instead, it focuses on the greed and intoxication that drive the story forward. However, there’s nothing much remarkable to highlight.

Overall, “Vattakhanal” is a tale of intoxication and greed.