The movie’s name reflects the setting—a small town where the story unfolds. It was a welcome chance to see Kamal Haasan in a familiar role. It felt like a long time since I’d seen him dressed and speaking like that, particularly his Tirunelveli accent was remarkable. As expected, his acting and facial expressions dominated the film; no one else could quite match his skill. It's safe to say the movie belonged entirely to him. I found myself really drawn into the 'Yeya En Kottikkaara' song—it’s a very Tamil song, and if you appreciate that kind of music, it resonates deeply. The story is adapted from the Malayalam film ‘Drishyam,’ which itself was inspired by the Japanese novel ‘The Devotion of Suspect X.’ I haven’t seen the original Malayalam movie, but I have watched the Japanese version based on the book. There weren't any significant comparisons beyond the central crime; everything else seemed completely reworked to appeal to Indian viewers. The writer claims it wasn’t an adaptation or inspired by either source, though. I understand that this film emphasizes emotion and portrays the characters as feeling more remorse than the Malayalam version did. Rajinikanth was initially considered for the lead role, but I'm glad it went to Kamal Haasan; he seemed perfectly suited to play Suyambulingam. He has a way of easily drawing out emotions from the audience. Since ‘Sivaji,’ he’s been ideal for those kinds of parts. There were many moments where I was impressed by his performance, especially during the final scene when he finally breaks down with guilt. I don't feel that seeing the original is essential. Each film industry in India has talented actors, and this one assembled what I hear are some of the best. So I’d suggest choosing your own language version or the one closest to you. Remakes offer a chance to correct any shortcomings in the original. Because the same director was involved, I think viewers should decide between the original and this one, given the realistic depiction of a rural family. If you prefer something more flashy, especially if you’re not familiar with Indian cinema, Bollywood is always an option. 9/10

Source on TMDB