Producer turned director, S. Sashikanth makes his directorial debut with the psychological thriller ‘Test,’ a tale of three people whose lives intertwine during an international test cricket match: Saravanan (R Madhavan) a middle class husband struggling to get his hydro-fuel energy project on board with the relevant authorities, his wife Kumudha (Nayanthara) in hopes to obtain IVF treatment to get pregnant, and Arjun (Siddharth), a cricket player pressured to retire due to his declining form in the last two seasons.
The film falls flat with its underdeveloped storyline; what is showcased in the trailer as three human minds being put to the test is not fully fleshed out. The stories remain at a distance from one another while trying to merge; each story stays in its own bubble while chaos ensues around them. Characters are shown to collide with one another through minor coincidences, none of which fully engage the viewer. The shift in tone in the second half into a psychological thriller does not feel well earned. The sports backdrop is not used effectively and oftentimes feels as if the plot could have been more successfully propelled without the unnecessary distraction of the India-Pakistan test match.
Sashikanth’s David Fincher inspiration is visible through his half-hearted efforts to explore shades of grey within his characters. This was primarily done through having characters explain their emotions rather than showing them. The filmmaking technique does not resemble Fincher’s notable style, however his poorly executed replication of a dive into psychological themes does. Kumudha’s mental state is often explained to be at the brink of collapse but the acting feels forced. The audience may feel uncomfortable as the acting juxtaposes with the prim and proper nature of her hair and costume, leaving the performance feeling inorganic. Saravanan’s character arc is compelling and is something that if explored further could have resulted in the film being a much more gripping thriller. Madhavan’s portrayal is that of a madman with a lost dream and it is the music that really elevates any feelings of his state of mind rather than his performance.
Shakthishree Gopalan does her best as a debut composer to elevate sequences in the film through her score and soundtrack which primarily feature her sole vocals adding to the eerie quality the film tries to achieve.
Altogether, ‘Test’ is an ambitious debut trying to capitalise on the idea of parallel storylines and attempts its best to deliver an engaging psychological thriller. With the rise in parallel storytelling and anthology movies, ‘Test’ feels like a mix between the two. If it were made as three separate stories with references connecting them, it would have achieved far more in developing each tale and more effectively portrayed the human mind being tested. However, it leaves viewers feeling underwhelmed with its undeveloped storyline. For fans of cricket, I would highly recommend Gowtam Tinnanuri’s Telugu language sports drama ‘Jersey’ and those in search of a more gripping thriller M. Manikandan’s ‘Kuttrame Thandanai.’
Abhita's rating: 2 stars
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Official trailer for film below.