Scene Review: ★★★★☆ (4/5)
Scene is a breezy, inventive serial killer comedy with a relaxed Suriya and a brilliant villain. The first few minutes are flat, and a few ideas feel rushed, but the fun far outweighs the flaws.
Rating: ★★★★☆ (4/5)
Genre: Comedy Thriller
Language: Tamil
Director: Jithu Madhavan
Cast: Suriya, Naslen, Nazriya Nazim, Lal, Anandraj
Music: Sushin Shyam
A serial killer film is rarely called breezy. Scene is the exception. The Tamil film is now playing in theatres, and it marks the first Tamil outing for Malayalam director Jithu Madhavan, who gave us Romancham and Aavesham. He is known for putting fun twists on horror and gangster stories, and here he does the same with the investigative thriller.
Suriya plays Inbaraj, or Inba, a clever but reckless DSP who is trying to retire. He has a Sherlock-like eye for clues, but he has a weakness that makes him vulnerable. He is losing his vision. A complex case pulls him back into action anyway, and Maya, played by Nazriya Nazim, becomes his eyes. Standing against him is Eswaran, played by Naslen, a very smart serial killer who also works as a contract killer.
The best part of the film is how it treats this villain. Eswaran is truly scary, yet he behaves like a regular office worker following his nine-to-five passion. In one early scene, he gathers a group of goons and asks them for a consultation fee to help get rid of a body. It is hilarious and chilling at the same time. Naslen plays him with a casual cool that makes him unforgettable.
The film also builds a strange and funny world around Inba. Maya hides a childhood trauma, and her judgmental father has his own problems. Inba’s father is a forensic genius, and his mother is a personality expert with serious personality issues of her own.
Even the team is both high-functioning and dysfunctional. Most of the story plays out inside Inba’s house, which almost becomes a character itself. Instead of going big, the director keeps it small, and it works.
Fans of Suriya will have a ball. The film is full of nods to his earlier hits, like a heroine named Maya from Kaakha Kaakha, a punchline from Singam, and the famous proposal scene from Vaaranam Aayiram.
There is also a two-second cameo that people will talk about. Best of all, the references are low-key and never feel forced. One second-half sequence blends Ilaiyaraaja’s song Thendral Vandhu with a moment from Ghajini, and it is a real treat.
Suriya himself is a delight. In recent years, he has often had to play very serious, earnest heroes. Here he is relaxed and funny, and he pokes fun at himself in a way that reminds you of Ayan and Pithamagan. Nazriya holds her own, and Anandraj adds good support. Sushin Shyam, making his Tamil debut, gives the film a light and groovy score that fits the mood.
The film is not perfect. It is stuffed with so many clever ideas that it sometimes forgets the main plot. Inba’s growing feelings for Maya come a little too suddenly, and Eswaran becomes slightly too obvious with his plans near the end.
The opening portions are also flat, and the comedy in the scenes with Lal does not really land. But once Inba’s weakness is revealed, the film finds its rhythm, and the cat-and-mouse game between the two rivals hooks you completely.
If you want more to watch this festive season, our Mookuthi Amman 2 review looks at Nayanthara’s big devotional fantasy. For a grand epic, read our Ramayana movie review, and for a short and sweet family film, try our Dilwali Diwali review.
Scene is peculiar, funny, and surprisingly smart. It is one of the most entertaining Tamil films of the year.
Scene is now playing in theatres.