Mrithyunjay Review: Sree Vishnu's intense new avatar shines in this gripping investigative thriller

Mrithyunjay Story:

Jay (Sree Vishnu) works at the Swecha newspaper, where he collects obituary advertisements. Though he performs well, he dreams of joining the Crime Bureau department. One day, while collecting an obituary ad, Jay notices something suspicious about a death. He starts investigating the case on his own and stumbles upon many crazy secrets. What those are and where they lead to is the basic story of the film.

Mrithyunjay Review

Mrithyunjay has been written and directed by Hussai Sha Kiran, and he pens a very clever thriller. The backdrop itself is very interesting and creates interest right from the very beginning. 

At the same time, a press employee investigating a murder and how he does it is organically unleashed into the setup. Also, Sree Vishnu, who was doing back-to-back comedies, has attempted something very different, making things even more interesting.

The best part of the film is the negative role played by Veer Aryan. The manner in which his role is etched in the setup is very good. Here, the villain is as good as the hero and dominates the show for the most part. This hero-villain angle is executed in a very gripping manner and makes things quite interesting.

However, the director starts things on a very slow note and takes a lot of time for the main aspect to be unleashed. Mrithyunjay starts to pick up pace only from the pre-interval point, and from there, it runs without a break into the second half with multiple twists and turns. If the director had handled matters better right from the first half, things would have been a lot better.

The scenes between the hero and his friends and a few other padded portions in the first half should have been trimmed right away. The concept is good, but once the key twist is revealed, things become a bit predictable.

However, the cat-and-mouse game between the hero and the villain, especially in the second half, is quite good. It runs on a single thread and evokes decent thrills.

The tone of the film is quite good, and the production values and slick camerawork keep the mood intact. The emotional journey of the hero has been captured quite well.

Coming to the performances, Sree Vishnu is a versatile actor, and he shows what he is capable of with Mrithyunjay. The way he sheds his comedy image and performs with solid ease in all the tense scenes showcases what an actor he is. 

All his recent films have been comedies, and the characters he played were silly and over the top. But not once while watching the film do we feel that Sree Vishnu is the same person who did such fun films. Such is his performance, and especially in the second half, he is great.

Rebba Monica John plays a cop and she suits the setup perfectly. The best part of Mrithyunjay is that the director Hussain did not add any romantic track or fun moments to dilute the film. Veer Aryan, who plays the main villain, is amazing and gives a great performance and is the one to watch out for.

Kaala Bhairava has composed the music and, more than his songs, the BGM he has composed is quite good. The manner in which his score maintains a tense atmosphere is the best part.

Sree Vishnu had a release, Vishnu Vinyasam, just a week ago. His fun performance was lauded by one and all in that film. But it is Mrithyunjay which showcases what Sree Vishnu's talent is, and he once again brings back his old charm where he used to do content-based films. Mrithyunjay is one of those, and those who love thrillers will enjoy it.

Mrithyunjay Verdict:

On the whole, Mrithyunjay is a well-made thriller that keeps you hooked for the most part. Barring a slow and dull start, the film has enough thrills and drama that are required for a thriller. Give it a watch and you will enjoy Sree Vishnu's solid performance and intriguing setup.

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