Movie Name : Test
Release Date : Apr 4, 2025
123telugu.com Rating : 2.5/5
Starring : R. Madhavan, Nayanthara, Siddharth, Meera Jasmine
Director : S. Sashikanth
Producers : Chakravarthy, Ramachandra, S. Sashikanth
Music Director : Shakthisree Gopalan
Cinematographer : Viraj Singh Gohil
Editor : T. S. Suresh
Related Links : Trailer
Netflix has finally released the much-anticipated Tamil sports drama TEST, featuring Madhavan, Siddharth, and Nayanthara in the lead roles. Directed by S. Sashikanth, the film is now streaming in Telugu. Read our review to find out if it hits the mark.
Story:
Arjun Venkatraman (Siddharth) is one of India’s top cricketers, but a bad run of form leads the board to ask him to retire. He refuses to give up. Kumudha (Nayanthara), a school teacher, wants to become a mother through IVF, while her husband Saravanan (R. Madhavan), a scientist from MIT, is working hard on a project that could change India’s future. Life puts all three through a tough test. How they deal with it is what the story is all about.
Plus Points:
R. Madhavan returns with another decent performance. While he’s played heroic roles before, he truly shines in characters with a grey shade – and once again, he proves his skill in such a role. His performance is particularly more compelling in the second hour, which helps keep the viewer engaged.
Siddharth plays his part with calmness and restraint. Though his character isn’t given much to express or say, he handles it with maturity and leads the story decently.
Nayanthara, too, delivers a fair performance. While her role doesn’t stand out initially, the second half offers a small arc that adds some depth to her character.
The supporting cast performs their roles as required. Notably, child actor Lirish Rahav, who plays Aditya (Arjun’s son), brings genuine emotion to his scenes and leaves a mark.
Minus Points:
While director S. Sashikanth managed to assemble a star-studded cast, he falls short in giving them meaningful and memorable roles. The writing lacks grip from start to finish, making the film feel hollow.
For a sports drama that also touches on crime and emotion, the film lacks intensity. There isn’t a single scene that truly grabs attention or leaves a lasting impression. The emotional depth, especially in scenes involving Siddharth, could have been much better.
Veteran actor Nassar is cast in a role that adds little to the plot – a wasted opportunity. The rest of the characters, too, lack proper development and simply move along without any strong arcs.
Meera Jasmine, cast as Siddharth’s wife, is barely given any importance in the story. Madhavan’s performance is good, but the voice dubbing doesn’t quite match his natural delivery and slightly affects the impact.
Technical Aspects:
As both writer and director, S. Sashikanth misses a golden opportunity to turn this multi-starrer film into an engaging thriller. His execution lacks energy and coherence. The cinematography by Viraj Singh Gohil is visually decent in places, but it isn’t enough to lift the narrative. The music by Shakthisree Gopalan doesn’t contribute much either, and the score fails to elevate emotional or dramatic scenes.
Editing by T. S. Suresh could have been sharper – the film feels slow and stretched. A tighter cut with a runtime under two hours would have made it more suitable for OTT audiences. On a positive note, the dubbing and production values are well handled.
Verdict:
On the whole, Test features a talented cast but ends up delivering a boring film. Madhavan stands out with a fine performance, and Siddharth and Nayanthara do their parts decently. However, the film suffers from weak writing, sluggish pacing, and poor emotional impact. In the end, Test doesn’t quite pass – it tests your patience instead. Even for fans of the lead actors, this might not be the best pick for your weekend.
123telugu.com Rating: 2.5/5
Reviewed by 123telugu Team
