Theertharoopa Thandeyavarige

By Susmita Sameera



Theertharoopa Thandeyavarige explores how a single traumatic incident can silently fracture a family, leaving behind guilt, emotional distance, and unresolved pain. When communication breaks down, individuals withdraw, and life slowly unravels until there is an effort to piece it back together.



The story centres on a family of four—a mother, father, daughter, and a young son. After the daughter faces an untoward incident, she is unable to confront her parents. The father, burdened by shame and unable to face society, leaves home, abandoning his wife and their four-year-old son, who grows up without understanding the truth.



Years later, the child, Pruthvi Sanchari (Nihar Mukesh), becomes a popular travel vlogger. His constant travel is less about passion and more about avoiding home. Growing up without his father, Pruthvi carries emotional baggage and resentment toward his mother, Janaki (Sithara), a single parent who runs the household through her tailoring work. Her close friendship with Vishwanath (Rajesh Nataranga) becomes a subject of small-town gossip, further distancing Pruthvi, who doubts his mother instead of seeking clarity.



Pruthvi’s life changes when he meets Akshara (Rachana Inder), an admirer of his work. Drawn to her generosity and social awareness, he falls in love with her and later learns that she is the daughter of renowned journalist Ravi Ramnathpura (Ajit Hande). Just as their relationship begins to take shape, Ravi, who had been searching for a professor connected to his work for over 20 years, dies unexpectedly.



This leads into a road journey that forms the emotional spine of the film. Pruthvi sets out to find his estranged father, while Akshara aims to complete her father’s unfinished mission by delivering something he had entrusted to her. Janaki accompanies them, and the journey becomes one of confrontation, healing, and the possibility of closure.



The film’s first half struggles with an overload of introductions and subplots, including childhood episodes, rivalries, side conflicts, and back-to-back deaths followed by hospitalisation, which makes the narrative feel uneven and average initially. However, as it approaches the interval, the film finds its emotional focus. From there on, it moves in a more engaging and heartfelt direction, allowing the themes to settle.



Several moments exploring family dynamics stand out, particularly how emotional barriers are created and how empathy can begin to repair them. Some dialogues resonate strongly and offer meaningful takeaways for family audiences.



While the film’s soul is in the right place, its structure and screenplay feel weak, preventing it from reaching its full potential. Technically, however, the film fares well. The cinematography captures the journey across multiple landscapes beautifully, and the music is soothing and purposeful.



Performances from the senior cast, Sithara, Rajesh Nataranga, Ajit Hande, and Ravindra Vijay, lend the film its emotional weight. The younger leads, Nihar Mukesh and Rachana Inder, manage to stay true to their characters and support the narrative.



For viewers drawn to travel-based, self-discovery dramas, the film offers several thoughtful elements, including references to the Ramayana, Buddha, Kannada literature, a professor’s devotion to science and education, and the life journey of a journalist from his early tabloid days to retirement, which add depth.





Despite its flaws, the film offers several meaningful moments. While it is framed as a journey to find a long-lost father, it is equally about understanding and embracing a mother who has always been present. For those seeking an emotionally driven family drama to begin the year, Theertharoopa Thandeyavarige is worth a try.