In Yuvaraj Dhayalan’s Irugapatru, the intricate challenges within three married couples cast shadows over their relationships, pushing them to the brink. As the narrative unfolds, we witness the parallel tales of these couples, interwoven through the lens of a relationship counselor, who intriguingly is one of the couples in question.
The marital struggles are diverse. Rangesh (Vidaarth), an IT professional, contemplates divorce due to his wife Pavithra’s (Abarnathi) post-pregnancy weight gain. Arjun (Sri) and Divya (Saniya Iyappan), in their twenties, grapple with the disappearance of the love they once shared after tying the knot. Manohar (Vikram Prabhu) is frustrated with his wife Mitra (Shraddha Rama Srinath), a marriage counselor who struggles to switch off her professional persona at home.
In a cinematic landscape dominated by violence and hero worship, Irugapatru, alongside films like Dada and Good Night, stands as a testament to the enduring power of drama and emotion. While the film may not tread entirely new ground, it skillfully narrates a satisfying tale of relational drama. At times, it delves into the realm of couples therapy 101, presenting both a strength and a drawback. The director imparts relationship wisdom through dialogues rather than utilizing visual storytelling, and the emphatic score by Justin Prabhakaran accentuates this effect.
Despite these nuances, the director maintains a lighter tone, occasionally employing humor to alleviate intense scenes. Notably, the film successfully combines serious moments with light-hearted touches, showcasing the director’s adeptness at storytelling.
The lead couples, adorned in elegant interiors and chic costumes, struggle with somewhat shallow writing, particularly in the Mitra-Manohar track. Their sanitized approach to relationship conflicts feels more like a glossy commercial than an authentic portrayal. Nonetheless, Shraddha Srinath and Vikram Prabhu manage to inject enough conviction into their roles to make the characters believable.
On the other hand, the Arjun-Divya relationship faces more serious challenges, with emotional abuse surfacing in Arjun’s behavior. However, the film falls short in exploring the depth of their love and the reasons to salvage their crumbling relationship. Despite this, the young actors deliver compelling performances, drawing some empathy from the audience.
The standout segment of the film lies in the Ragnesh-Pavithra track, which proves the most relatable and well-performed. Vidaarth’s portrayal of Ragnesh’s seemingly chauvinistic concerns takes a poignant turn in a heartfelt monologue, while Abarnathi brings a charming naivety to Pavithra. This episode, however, runs the risk of perpetuating unfair body image standards for married women.
Despite its flaws, Irugapatru remains engaging, leaving viewers with the warm, fuzzy feeling that well-crafted feel-good films often evoke. Yuvaraj Dhayalan succeeds as a filmmaker in delivering an emotionally resonant narrative.
