Aaryan Movie Review: A Psycho-Thriller That Collapses Under Its Own Weight

Back in 2018, Vishnu Vishal scored a massive hit with the stylish psycho-thriller Ratsasan, a film so impactful that his latest venture in the genre, Aaryan, felt the need to distance itself. While sequels often struggle to live up to their predecessors, a true film lover might hope for a new entry to defy expectations and shine on its own.

Unfortunately, Aaryan doesn’t just fail to meet these hopes; it actively sabotages itself. This psycho-thriller, directed by newcomer Praveen K, turns out to be its own worst enemy. Despite an ambitious concept, the film is plagued by a severely underwhelming screenplay, clumsy execution, and segments that truly test the audience’s patience.

Consider the opening scene set in a TV studio. When a politician unexpectedly cancels, the popular show, hosted by journalist Nayana (a rather unmemorable performance by Shraddha Srinath), scrambles to book a controversial actor instead. Then, in a moment reminiscent of Joker, a man from the audience, Azhagar (played brilliantly by Selvaraghavan, the film’s only real highlight), seizes control, holding everyone hostage with a smuggled gun.

Azhagar announces his plan to kill six innocent people over the next five days, executing the first right there in the studio. This setup – the mystery of his identity, his motives, and the police’s struggle to stop him – initially feels gripping, especially with a major twist revealed at the sequence’s conclusion. However, the scene’s writing and direction are surprisingly amateurish. The commentary on sensational journalism and celebrity culture feels forced, and the overall staging lacks any real tension or urgency.

This film is a prime example of a story that crumbles under its own weight. Its entire premise hinges on one remarkably inventive twist, hidden within an otherwise generic serial killer plot. This twist, which reportedly captivated Aamir Khan, is genuinely ambitious and challenging for any writer. Yet, its impact fades quickly because the rest of the narrative fails to maintain that initial excitement. DSP Arivudai Nambi (Vishnu Vishal, delivering a rather monotonous performance) leads the investigation, but neither the killer’s methods nor the police procedural — which forms a substantial portion of the film — offer any unique flair or creativity.

Like many recent Tamil releases, Aaryan succumbs to the urge to preach, becoming a vehicle for heavy-handed social messages. This tactic, often used by genre filmmakers to gain minimal appreciation by targeting easy emotional responses, backfires here. While the film attempts to lament the plight of genuinely good people, its execution of this theme is frankly cringeworthy.

The central plot device, which the screenplay laboriously drags through the entire runtime, desperately needed a more unconventional and quirky approach. Glimpses of dark humor hint at this missed opportunity. Despite an evident effort to create an eerie and immersive visual and auditory experience, numerous bewildering editing errors and questionable creative choices (like the tokenistic portrayal of a trans character) detract significantly from any potential engagement. The film might have been partially saved if Vishnu Vishal’s lead character had been given more depth; instead, we’re left with poorly written emotional beats about his divorce (with Maanasa Choudhary as his ex-wife). It’s unfortunate for Vishnu, as the script offers little to make his character, Nambi, feel authentic, leaving him to primarily convey emotion through pursed lips and narrowed eyes.

In an unintentionally amusing moment, a character declares something “worth dying for,” a sentiment echoed in the film’s unfortunate outcome. Despite lead star Vishnu Vishal’s considerable efforts, including a physical transformation and years of hope invested, Aaryan ultimately wasn’t worth the cinematic sacrifice. It’s certainly no Ratsasan – a resounding ‘raspberry’ to that comparison, indeed.

Aaryan is currently playing in theaters.