Test – When Life Throws a Yorker and the Film Just Bats…Meh
Release Date : 04 Apr 2025
Test swings big but barely makes contact. A star-studded lineup can’t save it from flat writing and uninspired direction. A film that should’ve been a boundary ends up as a dot ball.
Director : S. Sashikanth
Starring : R. Madhavan, Nayanthara, Siddharth, Meera Jasmine
Duration – 146 Minutes
Netflix’s Test, directed by S. Sashikanth, brings together a dream cast—R. Madhavan, Nayanthara, Siddharth, and Meera Jasmine—for what promises to be a gripping Tamil sports drama. On paper, it has everything: cricket, science, IVF, emotion, and patriotism. But somewhere between the pitch and the projector, Test ends up being more of a slow burn than a sixer.
The story follows Arjun Venkatraman (Siddharth), a star cricketer facing retirement after a string of poor performances. Refusing to bow out, he holds onto his bat while the board pressures him to quit. Meanwhile, Kumudha (Nayanthara), a dedicated schoolteacher, dreams of becoming a mother through IVF, while her husband Saravanan (R. Madhavan), a scientist from MIT, is on the brink of a project that could change the course of India’s future. It’s an ambitious storyline, tying together personal battles with national stakes. Sounds epic, right? Well… the drama never quite hits the emotional sweet spot, and the screenplay stumbles over its own ambition.
Madhavan, as always, brings a solid performance to the table. He’s particularly compelling in the second half, where his character’s layers start to unfold. There’s a darker, morally grey side to him here, and it works—though the voice dubbing oddly takes away some of his natural flair. Siddharth plays it calm and collected, handling a rather stoic character with subtle grace. Unfortunately, the script gives him very little to chew on emotionally. Nayanthara’s role starts off underwhelming, but she finally gets a small arc that adds depth in the latter half. Still, her talents feel underutilized. Meera Jasmine barely gets any screen time, which is a shame given her caliber. Among the supporting cast, the standout is young Lirish Rahav as Arjun’s son—his sincerity and emotional beats land better than many of the adult performances.
The problem lies mostly in the direction and writing. Sashikanth’s vision seems bold, but the execution lacks energy and cohesion. Scenes that should pack a punch instead feel flat. The film wants to be a sports thriller, an emotional drama, and a socially aware narrative all at once—but ends up doing none of them justice. The pacing is sluggish, and despite a visually decent touch by cinematographer Viraj Singh Gohil, there’s little cinematic magic. Shakthisree Gopalan’s music fails to lift the mood, and the editing by T. S. Suresh could have been far tighter. The film runs long and slow—two things that rarely work well together.
At its core, Test has a lot to say, but it struggles to say it effectively. The film has a few strong performances, notably from Madhavan, and a premise with potential. But thanks to weak character development and a lack of narrative intensity, it never quite delivers the impact it promises. Instead of a gripping match, we get a long, uneventful innings that tests your patience more than your emotions. Even for fans of the leads, this may not be the ideal weekend watch.
Final Verdict: Test swings big but barely makes contact. A star-studded lineup can’t save it from flat writing and uninspired direction. A film that should’ve been a boundary ends up as a dot ball.