A passable campus action-comedy that seriously lacks a solid plot
Set against the lively backdrop of an engineering college, 'Athiradi' attempts to blend campus nostalgia, humour, action, and emotional drama into an energetic entertainer. The film revolves around youthful exuberance, bruised egos, and the chaos surrounding the revival of a prestigious college cultural festival. While debutant director Arun Anirudhan succeeds in recreating the colour and spirit of campus life, the film ultimately suffers from a weak and underdeveloped screenplay.
The story follows Samkutty, played by Basil Joseph, who joins the same engineering college where his elder brother Joppen aka Joseph (Vishnu Agasthya) once studied. Samkutty quickly develops feelings for Swathi R Krishna (Riya Shibu), though his attempts to impress her barely make an impact. The narrative gains momentum when the long-discontinued cultural fest 'Arohan' becomes the centre of discussion on campus. The festival had been halted years earlier following a tragic incident that claimed the lives of several students, including Joppen's close friend Merin (Darshana Rajendran).
Determined to bring back the festival and help his emotionally scarred brother reconnect with his past, Samkutty leads the campaign to revive 'Arohan'. However, his plans hit a hurdle when he clashes with local strongman 'Thotta' Kuttan, portrayed by Tovino Thomas. The conflict escalates when both men try to sabotage each other's attempts to bring Vineeth Sreenivasan to perform at separate events.
Although the premise is amusing and packed with possibilities, the film gradually loses its narrative grip after establishing the central conflict. Arun Anirudhan and co-writer Paulson Skaria fill the screenplay with familiar campus elements and moments of commotion, but fail to build a compelling dramatic core. The crisis and ensuing chaos rarely feel organic, leaving the film meandering without a clear emotional or narrative payoff.
Basil Joseph convincingly slips into the role of a carefree engineering student and delivers an entertaining performance. However, the uninspired writing leaves little room for the actor to elevate the character beyond surface-level charm. The romantic track between Samkutty and Swathi feels especially underwritten, relying heavily on cliched infatuation tropes without establishing any genuine emotional connection. Riya Shibu, meanwhile, is left with very little to do apart from appearing in routine campus sequences.
Tovino Thomas experiments with a different character mould as the goonda-turned-singer 'Thotta' Kuttan, but the performance feels inconsistent. His Thiruvananthapuram slang often sounds forced, and the humour embedded within the character remains largely untapped. On the other hand, Vishnu Agasthya manages to bring emotional depth to the proceedings, making the sentimental portions of the film more effective.
The film's biggest drawback is its inability to evolve beyond the basic conflict surrounding the college fest. Despite all the noise, rivalry, and commotion, the screenplay rarely delivers genuinely gripping moments. The humour works sporadically, though much of it depends heavily on social-media-style troll comedy. Even with an exciting ensemble cast and a lively campus backdrop, 'Athiradi' fails to create the thrilling or emotionally engaging experience it aspires to be.
After all the chaos and celebration, the film ends up feeling more like a tribute to Vineeth Sreenivasan than a fully realised campus entertainer with a solid story at its core.
