Maruthi Nagar Police Station review: Varalaxmi Sarath Kumar film takes no time in becoming predictable

Maruthi Nagar Police Station review: If only the characters were better written, we could have seen a better, more interesting thriller.

Filmmaker Dayal Padmanabhan made a very strong impact with his last film, Kondral Paavam, a period thriller that rests on an unimaginable twist. However, the same can’t be said about his latest release, Maruthi Nagar Police Station, which starts off on an interesting note, but soon fizzles out and ends as a generic thriller. However, what makes it slightly unique is the fact that most of this story unfolds within a police station.

Maruthi Nagar Police Station review: Varalaxmi Sarathkumar, Arav-starrer isn't that great.

The story is very simple. Five friends, who grew up together in an orphanage become a close-knit family. They’re so close that every one of them is aware of the whereabouts of the other every single minute. When one among them ends up dead in a mysterious way one night, it leaves the other members of the family completely shattered. Hellbent on avenging the death of their dear friend, the band of friends come up with a plan to find the killer.

Archana (Varalaxmi), who plays a cop, is one among them and her investigation reveals that their friend was killed in the vicinity of Maruthi Nagar Police Station. Soon, Archana gets herself transferred to Maruthi Nagar Police Station and the rest of the plot is about what unfolds inside the station.

There are some really interesting moments in the film which could’ve been a better, tense thriller. After it is found out who is responsible for the death of their friend, the plot loses steam and becomes very generic. Aarav plays a higher-ranking police officer and the story takes a detour after he comes in. Once again, the plot has flashes of promise but never really utilizes it in a way to leave you astounded. The final twist feels like a plot trick which Dayal Padmanabhan used more effectively in Kondral Paavam, but not so convincingly here as it doesn’t generate the same kind of shock value.

More than the twists, it’s the buildup to the final reveal that really matters most of the time in a thriller. You don’t find that buildup in Maruthi Nagar Police Station, which gets very predictable after the initial few minutes. When it comes to the performances, Varalaxmi gets a meatier part and she does a pretty neat job. Arav’s character is unsure of what it wants to be till the end. If only his character was better written, he could’ve made a bigger difference with his performance.

Film: Maruthi Nagar Police Station

Director: Dayal Padmanabhan

Cast: Varalaxmi Sarath Kumar, Santhosh Prathap, Arav and Mahat Raghavendra