Dhanush starrer, Idli Kadai, has hit theatres worldwide on October 1, 2025. The film, directed and produced by Dhanush, stars him in the titular role of ‘Murugan’. The other pivotal characters in the film include Nithya Menen, Arun Vijay, Shalini Pandey, Rajkiran, Sathyaraj and many others. The film opened to positive reviews.
Idli Kadai’s storyline
Idli Kadai is a story of ‘Murugan’, played by Dhanush, whose father, Sivanesan and mother run a humble idli shop in a small village. Murugan has been a witness to his parents’ hard work while running the shop, and as he grows up, he decides to pursue a career in catering. He gets a job at Vishnu Vardhan’s hotel. His daughter ‘Meera’, played by Shalini Pandey, falls in love with Murugan, and as they set to get married, Murugan’s father passes away.
He rushes back to his hometown and postpones his wedding, which doesn’t go well with Vishnu Vardhan and his family. The billionaire’s son, Ashwin, threatens Murugan, but he pays him no heed and decides to run his father’s idli shop.
The second half of the film mostly features a showdown between Ashwin and Murugan. As the story progresses, the audience learns that although the billionaire businessman, Vishnu Vardhan, accepts Murugan for his daughter, he lays down a condition that he must leave his roots behind. However, as Murugan loses his father, he realises that he can never leave his roots. The film glorifies the sacrifices made by parents, and Dhanush did complete justice to his role, conveying his feelings through his acting.
Idli Kadai’s high and low points
Though Dhanush was mind-blowing, as he portrayed a middle-class man rooted in his culture, the characterisation of Vishnu Vardhan, Ashwin, and Meera was driven by cliches. It was Nitya Menon’s character, ‘Kayal’, who was loved for her chemistry with Dhanush. However, her limited screen time was highly disappointing.
The VFX featuring Sivanesan as a protective veil was unmissable. The father-son bond depicted in the film was the highlight. However, Idli Kadai falls into a predictable plot, and the second half turns into a hero-villain angle, digressing from the original story.
Idli Kadai X reviews
Dhanush has been garnering praises for his effortless performance in Idli Kadai. The music by GV Prakash was also highly appreciated. A user wrote, “Idli Kadai is simple and beautiful. Though a predictable story and slow-paced, it’s emotionally connected. GV’s songs and music support each other well. Intro sequence, Kannukutty scene and Pre Interval Idli Taste Scene Super.”
Many heaped praise on Dhanush and Nithya’s chemistry and wished for more screen time for the duo. Penning the same, another user wrote:
“Family drama unfolds at a slow pace, with heavy sentiments, especially in the Dhanush–Rajkiran scenes. Dhanush–Nithya Menon chemistry is engaging as always. Sathyaraj, Arun Vijay and Shalini’s characters fail to make a strong impact on the audience. As usual, Dhanush’s acting is good, but director Dhanush, Boring screenplay.”
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