PATHU THALA MOVIE SYNOPSIS : An  undercover cop goes in search of  a  dreaded gangster in Nagercoil after  the bigman goes  missing, only to discover that things may not be what  they seem. 

PATHUTHALA MOVIE REVIEW:   The South Indian film  industry has no  dearth of  films  depicting  the rivalry  between  a  brave  cop  and  a  dreaded  gangster. But  what  really  makes  the  film  stand out in this genre are the events and incident that  unfold and bring the viewer closer to the world of the characters. Pathu thala, the official tamil version of the kannada hit film, Mufti, has some memorable moments. But the films attempt to keep the audience engaged feels forced at times. 

           The story follows shakthivel [Gautam karthik]an undercover cop, as he investigates the disappearance of  a Tamilnadu chief Minister [Santhosh pratap].He believes that the Dreaded  gangster AGR [Silambarasan TR] is to blame. But AGR's strength in sand mining makes it difficult for Shakthivel to collect evidence against him. As Shakthivel tries to win AGR's  trust, he makes shocking revelations that shake his resolve. 

Like the original film, STR mostly appears in the second half of Pathu thala. Here, However, the story becomes denser and more engagin. The opening sequences where Shakthivel hears about the impact and power of AGR are short and lack impact to engage the audience. But the soul of the film is in the post-interval sequences and STR delivers an outstanding performance. 

While the trope of  a gangster as a benefactor to those around him and a villain in the eyes of the government is nothing new, the buildup and drama of the second half of the film makes it more compelling. Pathu thala has the elements of betrayal and gory violence typical of gangster films, but it fails to create a lasting impact or a strong bond with the central characters. Despite its flaws, the film is a fairly entertaining gangster film that will mostly satisfy STR fans. The usual fight sequence is followed by AR Rahman's powerful background score that hits the audience and enhances its impact. However, the film could have done without Simbu's song in the second half as it adds little to the story. Priya bhavani shankar gives a decent performance as the district collector, but her flashbacks with Gautham karthik could have been more impressive. 

         Silambarasan and Gautham karthik's intense performances make you forget some of the logical fallacies. Committed by the author. Fautham especially nanages to cook genuine as an undercover cop. Gautham vasudev Menon's performance as the Deputy prime minister is commendable and the technical aspects of the film are quite efficient, with only a few shots falling out of focus. 

   Overall, Pathu thala might not be a great movie for those who watched the original, but it's still worth watching for the leads and some standout moments.