DNA Movie Review: Atharvaa Murali, Nimisha Sajayan starrer is a thrilling and intense concept, troubled with outdated narration

Pink Villa

6 days ago

DNA, starring Atharvaa Murali and Nimisha Vijayan in the leading roles, hit the big screens on June 20, 2025. Following a month of release, the film is now available to stream on the OTT platform JioHotstar.
If you plan to watch the movie on the streaming platform, here's our Pinkvilla review for you to check out.
The Plot
DNA is an action thriller film that features the story of Anand and Divya. The former is distraught in his life after his girlfriend died, which leads him to turn to alcohol. As he is spiraling downward, his father views him as irresponsible and even causes Anand to humiliate himself in front of his brother's prospective in-laws.
Eventually, Ananda is placed in a de-addiction center, and after his discharge, his marriage is arranged with Divya, a woman with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD).
Despite learning about her condition, Anand accepts her into his life, and they lead a happy marriage. However, after she gives birth to a baby boy, Divya is convinced that it is not her child and that someone has replaced her child.
While everyone else refuses to believe her, even doctors label it as postpartum psychosis, Anand trusts his wife. How he and Divya manage to find the truth forms the entire movie.
The Good
The most significant positive aspect about DNA is the fact that the main characters are extremely well-knit. Neither the male nor the female protagonists of the movie are perfect, and the writing that went into defining them with such flaws is what makes them a watchable pair.
Starting off as if it's an emotional drama, it slowly evolves into a thriller with an interesting concept. In addition to the layers of characters that unfold with each act, Atharvaa and Nimisha deserve praise for their balanced performances. Their subtlety and nuances are what made the movie strike a chord.
Regarding the technical aspects, the cinematography by Parthiban is to be praised for its striking visuals. Moreover, with multiple musicians crafting the tracks, the background score by Ghibran has to be called perfect for this intense tale.
The Bad:
The negative factors of the film are its outdated screenplay and poor execution. The film holds together well with its concept and premise, making one feel compelled to watch it from start to finish.
However, the place where it fails is maintaining consistency in its progression. A film that is so tightly knit does not seem to stand out due to the high volume of clichés it contains. While a few instances here and there would have been fine, the movie is marred by predictability, which causes it to lose the audience's attention.
The Performances:
As mentioned earlier, DNA holds quite a prominent role as a film due to the leading actors. Both Atharvaa and Nimisha make the best of these complex characters, bringing out engaging moments.
While both of them were great, Balaji Sakthivel and Ramsh Thilak need to be mentioned as well for the standout moments. Moreover, Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub also does a great job.
Watch the trailer here:
The Verdict
DNA is an intense action thriller that undoubtedly stands out as a fresh experience from Tamil cinema in 2025. While there are moments that become a letdown while watching, it remains a fulfilling watch with powerful performances.