‘Theertharoopa Thandeyavarige’ movie review: A relatable slice-of-life drama

With his sophomore film, Theertharoopa Thandeyavarige, Ramenahalli Jagannatha has taken several steps forward as a filmmaker. His debut, Hondisi Bareyiri, was a mixed-bag coming-of-age drama, suffering from a lack of freshness in execution despite a relatable plot. With his second film, the director appears to have refined the rough edges, exhibiting fine control over his narrative.

Theertharoopa Thandeyavarige has many themes clubbed in a single story, but it doesn’t come across as clumsy or overbearing. The movie begins as a case study of people who grow up without a father. Pruthvi (Nihar Mukesh) is a travel vlogger, who battles feelings of abandonment, low self-esteem, and anger, despite being raised by a daunting mother (Sithara).

Pruthvi has a shaky relationship with his mother, often blaming her for his father deserting the family. The director also explores relationships that don’t necessarily have a name in society. Pruthvi’s mother strikes a friendship with her neighbour, Vishwanath (an ever dependable Rajesh Natranga), a loner who finds purpose in supporting the mother-son duo.

Pruthvi is uneasy about his mother’s relationship, and his only solace lies in his budding romance with the daughter (Rachana Indar) of a star journalist (Ajith Hande). The topic of class divide gets discussed among them, and Pruthvi talks to her about the mental pressure he feels about not being an affluent partner. The narrative is held together by authentic characters and conversations that resonate.

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The film feels a tad too long, thanks to an action sequence that sticks out oddly in the screenplay, and a silly toilet joke that is longer than necessary. Adding to this are the unexciting portions where Pruthvi realises his father’s popularity and its huge impact on people. These scenes feel too poetic, denying the viewers a more cinematic experience.

Theertharoopa Thandeyavarige begins like Pruthvi’s search for his father (Ravindra Vijay) but ends up as a journey where he finds himself and the true value of his mother. The fact that director Ramenahalli Jagannatha has stuck to the almost forgotten slice-of-life genre in the Kannada film industry is heartening. His effort is helped by soulful music and fine performances, with Ravindra Vijay and Sithara being the most impressive.

Theertharoopa Thandeyavarige is currently running in theatres