AR Murugadoss is preparing for a big test with Sivakarthikeyan’s Madharaasi, which is set for release on September 5th. The trailer is out and the first impression is decent, but doubts remain strong due to his recent record, especially the disaster Sikandar.
Once seen as a promising director with Ghajini, Thuppakki, and Kaththi, Murugadoss has faced nothing but setbacks in the last decade. Kaththi in 2014 was his last real hit, and since then, flops have piled up, the worst being Salman Khan’s Sikandar. After its failure, he blamed Salman Khan for missed shoots and how he managed it with CG, but audiences and critics did not accept that. His direction was heavily criticised and his controversial interviews, like calling Tamil films “educative,” only added fuel to the backlash.
The Madharaasi trailer, however, delivers an action cut that looks decent. Sivakarthikeyan’s presence brings credibility, giving the project some positive push. Yet, A. R. Murugadoss’s reputation for outdated filmmaking and repeated failures means buzz will not grow much until the film hits screens. In Telugu markets, the film has yet to to reach audiences.
For Murugadoss, Madharaasi is a make-or-break moment. The coming week will decide if he can prove he still belongs in the game or if this will close the chapter on a director once celebrated in Tamil cinema, even with just a few films.
