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.
For hardcore Cheran fans, Bakasuran is a welcome reminder of a voice that refuses to go silent. For a new generation of viewers, it might feel like a stern, well-meaning uncle giving a lecture at a family gathering—truthful, but tedious.
Cinema has evolved in the decade Cheran was away from directing. Bakasuran has a television-drama aesthetic—flat lighting, static shots, and a background score that tells you exactly when to feel sad or angry. For a film about the slick, fast-paced world of cybercrime, the visual language feels dated. Younger audiences, accustomed to the stylish thrillers of Lokesh Kanagaraj or Sudha Kongara, found the pacing sluggish. cheran recent movie
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.
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? Cheran’s recent movie proves that his heart is
However, his methodology—the slow-burn, didactic, melodramatic style—feels like it belongs to 2005. Modern audiences, even those who love “content-driven cinema,” have been trained by international OTT series and films like Jai Bhim or Soorarai Pottru to expect realism wrapped in tight storytelling, not monologues.
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. It will make you angry at the state of digital safety
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.