Andhagan : Prashanth and Simran Shine in a Suspenseful Thriller 

After a lengthy wait, the Tamil version of the highly praised "Andhadhun," "Andhagan," at last opens theatres. Under the direction of actor-producer-director Thiagarajan and starring his son, Prashanth, the film offers a few modern touches while mostly following the original. Although finished in 2022, the film has taken two years to premiere and although it effectively captures most of the core of "Andhadhun" .

The plot centers on ambitious pianist Krishna (Prashanth), who passes for blind to further his profession. When he meets Julie (Priya Anand), who presents him with a job offer at her resto-bar, his life unexpectedly changes and a relationship results. 

When actor Karthik (Karthik) invites Krishna to sing at his anniversary celebration alongside his second wife, Simy (Simran), things darkly turn. Krishna sees Karthik killed during this event, but he has to keep seeming blind if he wants to survive. Manohar (Samuthirakani), Simy's boyfriend and accomplice, is a police inspector he finds out as he tries to report the murder. This disclosure pulls Krishna into a deadly game of survival and lies.

The first forty-five minutes of "Andhagan" are slow-paced, with some of Priya Anand's love scenes with Prashanth, Karthik - Simran’s relationship scenes setting up the stage. Once the murder occurs, though, the film picks up momentum and turns into a dramatic and intriguing narrative. Particularly in passages where his character must maintain the impression of blind person under close inspection, Prashanth delivers a great performance. We haven't seen Prashanth at his finest in a very long time, and the actor comfortably plays a nervous musician trying to negotiate a dark environment. Simran, who holds the fort as Simi, wonderfully displays the fragile and gritty aspects of her character. Clearly the "femme fatale is Simran."

By skillfully working their comedic elements into the darkest parts of the story, Yogi Babu, Urvashi, and KS Ravikumar make their characters fun to watch. Though some characters, like Vanitha Vijayakumar, seem unused, the supporting cast—Manobala, Priya Anand, Samuthirakani—"offers strong performances while Karthik brings charisma to his brief appearance.

Thiyagarajan brilliantly converts emotions from script to film. The movie's power comes from Lydian Nadhaswaram's songs, which help to evoke the strongest feeling from any scene. Director has kept the core of "Andhadhun" and given an edge with the outstanding ensemble. 'Andhagan' roots itself in his imaginative choice to feature Karthik, Prashanth, and Ilaiyaraaja's hits from yesteryear. Together with Ravi Yadav's photography and Sathish Surya's editing, Santhosh Narayan's music enhances the movie's experience.

For those who have not watched "Andhadhun," the Tamil remake is the ideal whodunit thriller with lots of turns. Though it has minor flaws, "Andhagan" is among the few remakes that really capture the soul of its predecessor. It's still a great film for lovers of the original as well as for newcomers. Reliable weekend watch!

Verdict: "Andhagan" is a suspense-filled thriller that weaves together tension, drama, and unexpected twists, keeping the audience engaged despite some minor flaws.