'Thalaivan Thalaivi' movie review: Kitchen politics in love

Marriage in our society is never always about the couple. It is invariably about the families and the entire town. Lucky are those who manage the balancing act, and Thalaivan Thalaivi depicts this exact circus.

Starring Vijay Sethupathi and Nithya Menen as Agasaveeran and Perarasi, a couple who are larger than life and full of love and anger for each other. The movie showcases drama, fights, and marital discord. From love at first sight to bickering to running away from home to making up, they embody a couple whose love for each other cannot be questioned.

Nagging mother-in-laws and scheming relatives, this seems to be the theme. Agasaveeran’s mother and sister are unable to digest a new girl taking over their home and restaurant, even as Vijay’s character finds himself stuck between his wife and family.

While one might find themselves laughing at the dialogues, one shouldn’t brush the actual serious nature down the carpet. The movie can serve as a reminder to families that couples need their space, and that in a lot of cases divorce is due to the ego and plotting of near and dear ones.

Sethupathi and Menen do an outstanding job at depicting what we might call a toxic couple, with the dialogues and screenplay doing justice to their talent. The movie is interspersed with comic scenes, with a fair share of action and flair to keep it rounded.

Ultimately the movie aims to showcase the strength of love but one must question — at what cost?