Anupama Chopra reviews Tourist Family, where debutant director Abishan Jeevinth transforms what could have been a grim tale of illegal immigrants from Jaffna Sri Lanka to Chennai into a surprisingly life-affirming narrative. The film follows Dharamdas (M. Sasikumar) and his family as they navigate their new life in a Chennai colony, with Dharamdas' innate goodness driving the plot forward. Unlike typical migrant stories that lean into despair, Jeevinth blends comedy with drama to deliver moral lessons about kindness, compassion, and inclusivity without being preachy.
The heartbeat lies in the family unit – Dharamdas, his wife Vasanthi (Simran), older son Nithushan (Mithun Jai Sankar), and sharp younger son Mulli (Kamalesh Jagan) – rather than a single protagonist. Sasikumar's face exudes the goodness necessary for this too-good-to-be-true character, while the director creates memorable supporting characters including a compassionate cop and a stern boss whose armor Dharamdas manages to pierce.
Though the film isn't subtle about its messaging and the button-pushing can be blunt, the abundant humanity and amiable characters make it hard to resist. In our current world state, this vision of people helping each other become better human beings feels as fantastical as a Marvel film – but worth aspiring to.
