‘Test’ Review: A Riveting Start That Falters in the Final Overs

Madhavan, Nayanthara, and Siddharth shine in a morally layered sports drama that blends cricket, ambition, and personal dilemmas—only to lose momentum when it shifts gears into thriller territory.

Cricket may be a religion in India, but Test, the directorial debut of Sashikanth, aims to explore more than just the pitch. Weaving together the lives of three emotionally conflicted individuals—Indian cricketer Arjun (Siddharth), his childhood friend Kumudha (Nayanthara), and her husband Saravanan (R Madhavan)—the film builds its story around personal dreams, sacrifices, and the moral compromises we make in pursuit of them.

Arjun is a cricketer struggling with form and national expectations, desperate to prove himself in an upcoming India vs. Pakistan match in Chennai—a potential career-defining moment. Meanwhile, Kumudha, a school teacher, is emotionally invested in her IVF journey, while her husband Saravanan, an MIT-educated scientist secretly working on a hydro-fuel project, battles financial ruin and looming threats from loan sharks. As their individual paths intersect with a police investigation into match-fixing, Test explores the complex web of ambition, ethics, and desperation.

Writers Sashikanth and Suman Kumar craft rich, layered characters facing relatable dilemmas. Kumudha and Saravanan’s marriage is a tug-of-war between personal aspirations and mutual love, while Arjun’s single-minded focus on cricket makes him distant from his family. These characters, flawed yet compelling, are the film’s backbone.

The first half of Test is engaging and well-paced, focusing on character depth and emotional build-up. But the shift to a high-stakes thriller involving match-fixing dilutes the intensity. The narrative begins to meander, making the film feel longer than necessary, especially in the second half.

Still, what keeps the movie afloat are its stellar performances. Madhavan brings quiet intensity, Siddharth delivers with restraint and vulnerability, and Nayanthara offers a standout portrayal of a woman torn between love, motherhood, and friendship. Her chemistry with Madhavan is particularly affecting, while Meera Jasmine leaves a mark in her scenes opposite Siddharth.

The technical aspects largely support the storytelling. Shaktishree Gopalan’s music is emotionally resonant, and Viraj Singh’s cinematography captures both the intimacy of domestic spaces and the grandeur of cricketing moments. However, TS Suresh’s editing could have been sharper—at 2 hours and 25 minutes, the film tests the audience’s patience toward the end.

Test is a film with a solid premise and terrific performances, but it doesn’t quite stick the landing. Sashikanth shows promise as a director, and while the film may not be a perfect innings, it’s worth a watch for its performances and thematic ambition.

Test is currently streaming on Netflix.