'The Road' review: Trisha starrer shows promise but stumbles on its journey

Trisha, preparing for a mass entertainer alongside Thalapathy Vijay in 'Leo,' returns with another female-centric film titled 'The Road', directed by Arun Vaseegaran. Following the disappointing reception of her previous movie 'Raangi,' in which she starred alongside Anaswara Rajan, anticipations for 'The Road' may not have been high. However, contrary to the low expectations, the film delivers a strong and satisfying thriller.

The film begins with a couple being involved in a carefully planned accident on the National Highway, setting the stage for two intertwining narratives. The first story follows Meera (Trisha), a pregnant woman living with her husband and son. Tragedy strikes when the husband and son become victims of one of these orchestrated accidents, turning Meera's life upside down.

The second story revolves around Maya (Shabeer Kallarakkal), a college professor known for his honesty and hard work. His life takes a downward spiral following an incident at the college. The movie explores how these two stories converge and reveals the masterminds behind these horrific accidents.

The film primarily centres on the process of uncovering the culprits and the events that lead up to it. However, it occasionally loses momentum as it relies on a somewhat generic formula. Nevertheless, the skilful execution of blending the two storylines stands out as one of the movie's significant strengths. Viewers may or may not anticipate the outcome, but it undeniably constitutes a major triumph for the film. Shabeer Kallarakkal truly serves as the movie's backbone, effectively compensating for its weaker aspects. His storyline is more compelling and heart-wrenching compared to Trisha's, despite both stories being tragedies. However, the film does have its share of illogical moments scattered throughout. For instance, Trisha's character, Meera, suddenly takes on a nearly detective-like role and effortlessly confronts villains, which, while it could be attributed to her personal trauma, at times feels excessively exaggerated.

Trisha delivers a decent performance as Meera, effectively portraying a character who is grappling with a tragedy. Miya George, who plays Meera's supportive friend, also deserves commendation for her role.

As the second half unfolds, viewers can almost anticipate the direction the plot heads for if they connect the dots before the movie explicitly does so. Up until that point, the film maintains a gripping narrative. Interestingly, the movie manages to evoke some sympathy for its antagonist, a testament to Arun Vaseegaran's attempt at a unique storytelling approach. While this approach works to a certain extent, it doesn't reach outstanding or mind-bending levels.

The movie's climax disappoints as it veers into extreme clichés. Had the filmmakers opted for a more unique approach, the movie could have become an above-average thriller. Unfortunately, its reliance on clichés detracts the movie from that potential. Nevertheless, the film deserves recognition for its attempt to introduce a fresh concept, intertwining two parallel narratives and merging them into a coherent storyline. Initially, as viewers follow both stories, they may wonder how they are connected, but the movie manages to execute this connection effectively. While it may not be a must-watch, it is likely to be a delightful experience for fans of Trisha.