Thalaivar Thambi Thalaimaiyil (2026), a wedding and funeral collide

After a long gap, this is a film with Jiiva in the lead. The core idea is interesting. What happens when a planned wedding and a funeral collide next door at the same time? It is a situation ripe for drama and humour. In Thalaivar Thambi Thalaimaiyil, the idea is handled in a measured and restrained way. If you enjoy the understated tone of Malayalam cinema translated into a Tamil setting, this film may work for you. Mangoidiots rates it as Raw.

Jiiva plays a character with the same name. He is the village panchayat president. Ilavarasu’s character, also named Ilavarasu, has his daughter’s wedding scheduled for the next morning. Jiiva is overseeing the arrangements. At the same time, an old man living next door passes away. He is the father of Mani, played by Thambi Ramaiah. Mani and Ilavarasu share a long-standing rivalry. This history complicates both events. How Jiiva manages the situation forms the rest of the story.

The film is directed by Nithish Sahadev, who comes from Malayalam cinema, and that influence is clearly visible. The screenplay moves at its own pace and never rushes. Initially, this feels like a strength. Even by the climax, the same restrained tone continues. That is where the film feels a bit flat. The character played by Prathana Nathan stands out strongly. Her role connects with the audience more naturally than Jiiva’s. Only after the climax, when the credits roll, do we get a glimpse of Jiiva’s character definition. If that had come earlier, it might have made a difference.

There are no mass fight sequences, no romance numbers, and no forced emotional manipulation. The film stays grounded as a village story. The rivalry between Mani and Ilavarasu is rooted in emotion, but it never fully lands with the required intensity. There are several scenes where light humour could have been added, especially with an actor like Jiiva, but those opportunities are missed.

Thalaivar Thambi Thalaimaiyil deserves appreciation for attempting something different in Tamil cinema. I wish the film well. With a little more engagement and emotional payoff, it would have been easy to recommend without hesitation. As it stands, it falls just a bit short.