It has been long since her critics, thoughtfully critical or otherwise, have trashed Trisha's career. At least in Telugu, she began to be seen as having lost her sheen as early as in 2011, when Pawan Kalyan's 'Theenmaar' released. By the time 'Bodyguard' and 'Dammu' (both which released the following year) came, Trisha had already started yielding space to the new divas on the scene. 'Lion' in 2015 didn't do her a favour either. Remember, she has been paired up opposite the likes of Pawan, Venkatesh, NTR and Balakrishna - all big stars - in this decade. That's hasn't translated into success for her. The lukewarm response to her acts in Kamal Haasan's 'Cheekati Rajyam', C Sundar's 'Kalavathi' and Govi's 'Nayaki' in recent times, hasn't been encouraging.

It's in this context that she is returning in a character with negative shades in the Dhanush-starring political thriller 'Kodi', releasing as 'Dharma Yogi' in Telugu. Trisha has consciously been cherry-picking experimental roles for more than a year now. Will 'Dharma Yogi', which is set to clash with Karthi's more appealing 'Kaashmora', succeed Trisha where her last three films failed her? That remains to be seen.

The actress, who seamlessly delivered memorable performances in the 2000s in such films as 'Varsham', 'Nuvvostanante Nenoddantana', 'Athadu' and 'Aadavari Matalaku Ardhalu Verule', badly needs to prove her detractors wrong. The time is now.