As a film enthusiast and longtime admirer of Tamil cinema, excitement to witness R. Madhavan and Siddharth sharing screen space again was palpable. Both actors, fondly remembered as protégés of Mani Ratnam, have given us memorable performances in cult classics like Aayutha Ezhuthu/Yuva and Rang De Basanti. So naturally, when S. Sashikanth’s Test dropped on Netflix, we expect cinematic fireworks. What we got instead was a film that promises a gripping emotional rollercoaster, but ends up feeling like a drawn-out five-day Test match with just one thrilling session.
AT A GLANCE
Film: Test
Director: S. Sashikanth
Rating: ★★ ½ (2.5/5)
Cast: R. Madhavan, Siddharth, Nayanthara, Meera Jasmine
Streaming on Netflix, Test boasts a compelling premise: set against the backdrop of a cliché India vs. Pakistan cricket match in Chennai, the film intertwines two parallel stories. One of a former cricketer battling inner demons and another of a scientist wrestling with financial ruin and ethical crossroads. Test Netflix review
Arjun (Siddharth) is a once-celebrated batsman facing the sunset of his cricketing career. Now living a quieter life with his supportive wife Padma (Meera Jasmine) and a cricket-obsessed son, he is on the verge of announcing his retirement. Across town, Saravanan (Madhavan), a brilliant yet financially struggling scientist, is working tirelessly on a hydro-fuel project that could change the world. But dreams cost money, and Saravanan’s debts are piling up. His wife Kumudha (Nayanthara) is battling her own emotional turmoil, desperately wanting to have a child while grappling with health complications.
As the match looms, so do critical decisions. A financial crisis pushes Saravanan into a corner, and in a twist that ties his fate with Arjun’s, both men find themselves at emotional and moral crossroads. Choosing between personal ambition and larger responsibility as the hook of the film is potent. However, the storytelling rarely capitalises on the tension it builds.Test Netflix review
Performance-wise, Test shines in parts. Madhavan, as the idealistic but increasingly desperate Saravanan, delivers a mature, layered performance. His arc has the strongest dramatic weight, and he carries it well, especially as his desperation grows. Nayanthara, too, impresses particularly in a few crucial moments towards the climax. Siddharth’s Arjun, while compelling on paper, is surprisingly subdued through much of the film, only coming alive emotionally towards the very end. Meera Jasmine does her best with the limited screen time and scope her character is given.
Technically, the film is serviceable but unremarkable. The cricket scenes are among the better-shot sequences, and the emotional tension occasionally clicks during the match. But outside the stadium, the cinematography feels flat, the background score underwhelming, and the screenplay overly indulgent. At over 2.5 hours, Test is a slow burn that risks losing its audience before the emotional pay-off finally arrives.
Director S. Sashikanth clearly set out to craft an emotional sports drama with philosophical undercurrents a noble effort. But the execution lacks the finesse required to sustain interest through its stretched narrative. The first hour drags with exposition and backstories, and even when things begin to move, the tension never quite reaches a crescendo. There’s a recurring sense of “almost” a film that almost takes off, almost grips you, almost makes you care deeply.
As someone who came in starry-eyed, ready to cheer for a film featuring big names from the South Indian film industry and actors from the Mani Ratnam school of cinema, one might feel underwhelmed. Not disappointed, but definitely wishing for more.
In the end, Test is a reminder that even when you have the right team and pitch, you still need tight execution to win the match. It’s a film with heart, anchored by sincere performances, but ultimately bogged down by its own self-seriousness and sluggish pacing.
Netflix’s Test is definitely a tale of a gripping premise that falls short of a century.
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