For hardcore Cheran fans, Bakasuran is a welcome reminder of a voice that refuses to go silent. For a new generation of viewers, it might feel like a stern, well-meaning uncle giving a lecture at a family gathering—truthful, but tedious.
A young co-writer to trim the preachiness, a sharp cinematographer to modernize the visuals, and perhaps a step back from the lead role to let a fresh face carry his words. Because the world needs Cheran’s voice more than ever. It just needs it to be heard, not just listened to. Have you seen Cheran’s recent film? Do you think his style of social drama still holds up, or has time passed him by? Share your thoughts below. cheran recent movie
Cheran plays Sathya Moorthy, a retired, principled college professor living a quiet life in a hillside town. When his niece becomes the victim of a deepfake pornography ring and the police prove helpless against anonymous digital predators, Sathya takes matters into his own hands. What follows is not a typical action thriller but a cat-and-mouse game rooted in psychological warfare, legal loopholes, and moral lectures. The film contrasts the vile anonymity of the internet with the grounded, physical world of family honor and personal responsibility. The Cheran Stamp: Strengths of the Film For long-time fans, Bakasuran feels both familiar and frustratingly different. Here’s what works: For hardcore Cheran fans, Bakasuran is a welcome
Let’s take a deep dive into Cheran’s most recent outing, Bakasuran , and what it signifies for his filmography. Bakasuran , written and directed by Cheran (who also plays the lead), is his most recent complete work. On the surface, it is a thriller dealing with the dark underbelly of cyberbullying, revenge pornography, and the weaponization of social media. The title is a clever metaphor—comparing faceless online predators to Bakasura, the demon from the Mahabharata who demanded a daily tribute of human flesh. Because the world needs Cheran’s voice more than ever
Cheran has always been ahead of his time. Bakasuran landed in 2023, right as India was waking up to the horrors of deepfake technology and digital arrests. The film’s first half, where anonymous callers harass women using morphed videos, is genuinely unsettling because it is not fiction—it is news. Cheran deserves credit for turning the camera on a modern demon that law enforcement is still struggling to cage.
Cinema has evolved in the decade Cheran was away from directing. Bakasuran has a television-drama aesthetic—flat lighting, static shots, and a background score that tells you exactly when to feel sad or angry. For a film about the slick, fast-paced world of cybercrime, the visual language feels dated. Younger audiences, accustomed to the stylish thrillers of Lokesh Kanagaraj or Sudha Kongara, found the pacing sluggish.
For over two decades, Cheran has occupied a unique space in Tamil cinema. In an industry often dominated by mass heroism, larger-than-life action, and star-driven vehicles, Cheran has been the soft-spoken chronicler of the common man. His films— Autograph (2004), Thavamai Thavamirundhu (2005), Mayakannadi (2007)—didn't just tell stories; they held up a mirror to middle-class morality, family fractures, and societal hypocrisy.