Aghathiyaa Movie Review
A mysterious old piano in a theme house opens a portal to pre-independence India, revealing a battle between a skilled traditional healer and a cruel colonial officer.
Aghathiyaa Movie Review:
Directed by Pa. Vijay, Aghathiyaa is a mix of haunted house mystery, colonial-era conflict, and magical healing. The film blends history and fantasy in a bold but sometimes uneven way. While the story wobbles at times, it stays engaging without becoming completely unbelievable.
The plot moves between two timelines. In the present, Aghathiyaa (played by Jiiva) is an art director left stranded by his financier. To recover his money, he turns his film set into a haunted theme house. When his girlfriend Veena (Raashi Khanna) plays an old piano in the house, supernatural events begin. Through visions, an old film reel, and a recorder, Aghathiyaa learns about the house’s past in 1940s French-ruled Pondicherry.
In the past, a brilliant Siddha healer, Siddharthan (Arjun Sarja), is called to treat Matylda (Jacqueline), the disabled sister of a ruthless colonial officer, Edwin Duplex (Edward Sonnenblick). Duplex, described as the “Hitler of Pondicherry,” is skeptical but allows Siddharthan to try. Within a day, the healer helps Matylda move again, proving his extraordinary skills.
As Aghathiyaa uncovers more about the house and Siddharthan, he realizes the healer might hold the cure for his mother’s cancer. This leads to a supernatural showdown between the spirits of Siddharthan and Duplex, with Aghathiyaa caught in the middle.
Jiiva delivers a heartfelt performance, while Arjun Sarja steals the show with his confident presence, making even the most unbelievable parts feel convincing. The film’s visual effects stand out, supporting its supernatural themes, though the editing feels choppy at times. Some songs feel unnecessary, and English dialogues with Western actors come across as awkward.
The grand finale—a battle between Siddha and Duplex—features impressive motion-capture animation and 3D effects. While the story gets increasingly over-the-top, it remains entertaining throughout.