The highly anticipated Suriya-starrer Kanguva, which hit theaters worldwide on November 14, has been facing significant criticism over its excessive noise, 3D scenes, and comedic elements. However, actress Jyothika, who is also Suriya’s wife, has come forward to address the negative reviews and defend the film, asserting that the backlash appears to be a planned defamation campaign.In her heartfelt response, Jyothika clarified that she was not writing as Suriya’s wife but as a fellow actress and a movie enthusiast. She praised Kanguva as a cinematic spectacle and expressed her pride in Suriya, stating, “So proud of you Suriya, for the actor you are and how you dare to dream to take cinema forward.”
Jyothika addressed the specific criticisms aimed at the movie, urging people not to judge the three-hour film solely based on its initial 30 minutes. She lauded cinematographer Vetripalanisamy’s work, highlighting it as a groundbreaking effort in Tamil cinema.
Expressing surprise at the intensity of the negative reviews, she commented on the double standards in film criticism. “I’m surprised with the negative reviews from media and certain fraternities, as it’s not done by them to this high level for the most unintellectual big-budget films I have seen earlier with age-old stories, where women are stalked, double meaning dialogues are spoken, and have the most over-the-top action sequences,” Jyothika wrote.
She pointed out that many critics had overlooked the movie’s strengths while focusing on its shortcomings. She lamented the fact that such negativity emerged on the very first day of the film’s release, often before the first show even concluded.
In her concluding remarks, Jyothika encouraged the film’s team to stay proud despite the criticism. “Be proud Team Kanguva, as the ones commenting negative are doing just that and nothing else to their credit to uplift cinema!” she stated.
Acknowledging that the first half-hour of Kanguva might be noisy, Jyothika emphasized that flaws exist in most films, particularly those that attempt bold and ambitious storytelling. “So that’s only fair, especially in this kind of a film wherein one experiments largely!” she added.