A young co-writer to trim the preachiness, a sharp cinematographer to modernize the visuals, and perhaps a step back from the lead role to let a fresh face carry his words. Because the world needs Cheran’s voice more than ever. It just needs it to be heard, not just listened to. Have you seen Cheran’s recent film? Do you think his style of social drama still holds up, or has time passed him by? Share your thoughts below.
Let’s take a deep dive into Cheran’s most recent outing, Bakasuran , and what it signifies for his filmography. Bakasuran , written and directed by Cheran (who also plays the lead), is his most recent complete work. On the surface, it is a thriller dealing with the dark underbelly of cyberbullying, revenge pornography, and the weaponization of social media. The title is a clever metaphor—comparing faceless online predators to Bakasura, the demon from the Mahabharata who demanded a daily tribute of human flesh. cheran recent movie
Cheran’s recent movie proves that his heart is in the right place, but his craft hasn’t adapted to the rhythm of the 2020s. He is still making middle-class television plays for a multiplex, OTT-native audience. Bakasuran is not a great film, but it is an important one. It will make you angry at the state of digital safety. It will make you nod your head at several profound observations about modern parenting and online shame. But it will also make you check your watch during the long courtroom sequences and the repetitive moral sermons. A young co-writer to trim the preachiness, a
Cheran has always cast himself as the everyman. But in Bakasuran , at 53, playing a retired professor hunting 20-year-old hackers, the physicality strains credibility. While his performance is earnest, one can’t help but feel that a younger, more dynamic lead might have elevated the material. There is a growing sense that Cheran’s off-screen persona as a moral crusader is now overshadowing his on-screen character’s vulnerability. The Larger Question: Is Cheran Out of Sync with Modern Cinema? The reception to Bakasuran forces a difficult conversation. Cheran is not an irrelevant filmmaker; he is an uncomfortable one. He makes films that should be made. Cyberbullying, digital voyeurism, and the collapse of family structures due to technology are urgent topics. Have you seen Cheran’s recent film
Unlike the vigilantes of mainstream Tamil cinema, Cheran’s hero does not use a gun or a machete. He uses a VPN, a voice modulator, and a deep understanding of human psychology. This intellectual heroism is rare and welcome. The Criticism: Where Bakasuran Stumbles Despite the noble intentions, Bakasuran received mixed reviews and underwhelming box office returns. Why?
The director’s signature long, quiet speeches return. There is a scene in the second half where Sathya Moorthy confronts a young cybercriminal not with a fist, but with a devastating monologue about the weight of a father’s name and the hollowness of anonymous cruelty. For a few minutes, the film soars on pure writing.
After a significant hiatus from directing (his last directorial was Pokkisham in 2009, followed by a long gap as an actor in other projects), Cheran returned to the director’s chair with (2019) and more recently the highly discussed "Bakasuran" (2023). But the question on every discerning film lover’s mind is: Has Cheran’s recent movie recaptured the nuanced magic of his golden era, or has it become a victim of the very loud, message-driven cinema he once subtly mastered?