Film Review: Test

This Tamil film, with English subtitles, set against the backdrop of Test cricket now streaming on Netflix has a powerhouse of talent packed into the lead characters.

Kumudha (Nayanthara) and Saravanan (Madhavan) may not have much money, but the only thing missing from their otherwise happy marriage seems to be a child. While their marital quarrels can be quite volatile, there is an underlying bond of love and agreement on the upcoming IVF treatment that would fix the one void in Kumudha’s life.

Meanwhile, it is her work as a schoolteacher and her passion for cricket that keeps her going. Arjun Venkatraman (Siddharth) is not only the Indian cricket team’s most celebrated batting talent but also Kumudha’s schoolmate. She is often teased about this reported childhood connection by her husband, who questions how well she really knows this cricketing hero.

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As the father of her favourite little pupil at school and her cricket coach father’s most talented student, Arjun is soon introduced to Saravanan by a delighted Kumudha. Oblivious to her MIT science graduate husband’s determination to pursue his dream project of creating hydro-fuel to replace fossil fuels, his wife remains focussed only on one goal – to save enough funds for that IVF treatment. But as the hefty bill for this nears, so does Saravanan’s deadline to repay a greedy money lender who is controlled by a cricket match-fixing mafia managed by Dharmesh Agarwal (Varma).

Soon, the noose begins to tighten and even as Arjun is battling against poor form at the pitch, he is soon faced with a much more serious career crisis. Will this talented batter live up to his true potential to win an all-important Test match against arch-rivals Pakistan or will Saravanan’s blind ambition to make his scientific mark in the world cause mayhem for all?

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This well-meaning effort at an edge-of-the-seat thriller meanders off course half through, when it seems to be flailing about in different directions. The only thing going for it at that stage is the assured performances of its mega talented lead stars, who deliver some powerful performances.

However, by the time the film gets to its climactic shot on the cricket pitch, it proves a struggle to stay invested in the outcome. Sadly, this one is a missed shot despite all the makings of a winning match.