Mathimaran Pugazhendhi’s ‘Mandaadi’ is a rock-solid drama set against a boat-racing backgroundSoori gives an affecting physical and emotional performance as Kaali, a man from Ramanathapuram who’s an ace boat racer.
But the film works because of the freshness of the backdrop and especially because of the drama, which involves Kaali’s friend-turned-enemy, played by Suhas, and Kaali’s love interest, played by an excellent Mahima Nambiar.
Mandaadi gets going with Maari, the character played by Mithun Jai Shankar.
The boy, then, becomes the catalyst for Kaali’s return to his village, where every character is connected to his past.
You can read the rest of the review here:https://galattaplus.com/mathimaran-pugazhendhis-mandaadi-is-a-rock-solid-drama-set-against-a-boat-racing-background/You can watch the trailer / video review here:Copyright ©2026 GALATTA.
Mathimaran Pugazhendhi’s ‘Mandaadi’ is a rock-solid drama set against a boat-racing background
Soori gives an affecting physical and emotional performance as Kaali, a man from Ramanathapuram who’s an ace boat racer. He quits for some reason and – as these films go – he’s pulled back into the sport due to a series of events. The story template is not new: there are hints of ‘Aadukalam’ and other movies about sport. But the film works because of the freshness of the backdrop and especially because of the drama, which involves Kaali’s friend-turned-enemy, played by Suhas, and Kaali’s love interest, played by an excellent Mahima Nambiar. I wished they’d dug deeper into these emotional scenes, but the solid making and the unflinching performances make this one of the best mainstream movies of the year. That’s the basic storyline and the quick review. A longer analysis follows, and it will contain spoilers. So be warned.
Kaali is a lifeguard at a water park in Chennai, but the title and the trailer have already primed us for his exploits at sea. He is a boat racer with a past, and we don’t see this past until after the interval point. Mandaadi gets going with Maari, the character played by Mithun Jai Shankar. He is the son of Singaaram and Raakamma, played by Ravindra Vijay and Mahima Nambiar. After getting into trouble in his village, he lands up with Kaali. The boy, then, becomes the catalyst for Kaali’s return to his village, where every character is connected to his past. Singaaram is his best friend. Raakamma is the woman he loved. Saattapuli, played by Suhas, was Kaali’s friend and he now hates Kaali with a vengeance. This has to do with Saattapuli’s father, who is now in a wheelchair. And slowly, Raakamma’s father becomes part of this story as well. A terrific Sathyaraj plays this character, and we don’t see one bit of the flamboyance we usually get in this actor’s performances.
You can read the rest of the review here:
https://galattaplus.com/mathimaran-pugazhendhis-mandaadi-is-a-rock-solid-drama-set-against-a-boat-racing-background/
You can watch the trailer / video review here:
Copyright ©2026 GALATTA.
