‘Sigma’ movie review: Sundeep Kishan anchors Jason Sanjay’s debut that plays too safe

Sundeep Kishan and Faria Abdullah lead debut director Jason Sanjay’s heist-action drama, which has some interesting ideas but ultimately struggles to break new ground

Published - October 02, 2026 04:33 pm IST

Sundeep Kishan and Faria Abdullah in the film | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

Storylines exploring the nexus between illegal gambling dens and crime networks have been overdone in Indian cinema. Within the heist-action genre, it is rare to find something that feels new. The title of Sundeep Kishan and Faria Abdullah’s Tamil film, Sigma, alludes to the Gen Z idea of a “cool quotient” and an underdog protagonist navigating chaos.

The film has been in the news because it marks the directorial debut of Jason Sanjay, son of Tamil actor and Chief Minister Vijay. Like Aryan Khan, Jason has chosen to work behind the camera rather than in front of it for his debut.

When Sigma opens with a large hidden vault and a curious key that could easily be mistaken for an antique artefact, it is clear that Jason isn’t entirely treading new ground. A kingpin (Sampath Raj) who owns the vault, another character entrenched in the drug trade, and male and female protagonists facing financial crises all belong to a familiar template.

Guru (Sundeep Kishan) is introduced as a bridge between millennials and Gen Z. He carries forward his mother’s library, runs a YouTube channel for audiobooks and even experiments with an AI-generated voice to attract more listeners. There is a warmth to the character, rooted in the library’s origins, even if it barely makes money in the digital age. The rundown house and his friend Dr Neil’s (Raju Sundaram) old car are reminders of a bygone era.

When Guru and his pet dog are threatened by moneylenders over a large sum borrowed by his father, he looks for a way out. Jason takes considerable time setting up the premise and the many characters inhabiting its world.

There are a few seemingly interesting ideas along the way. RJ Sam (Faria Abdullah) is in a situation similar to Guru’s, realising that her father’s antique store is no longer a viable source of income. She, too, wants a better financial life. It is clear that Guru and Sam will eventually team up to make some quick money, along with their motley gang of friends, who are novices in the world of crime but soon find themselves taking on deadly antagonists.

The depiction of the crime network is where the sense of déjà vu sets in. There is a drug cartel, a nightclub that doubles as an illegal gambling den, and a host of characters who will happily double-cross each other for personal gain.

The only variation comes in minor details, from references to Bruce Lee and Enter the Dragon to Caesar as the plot thickens. Perhaps it is the director’s way of paying homage to his favourites.

Art director Benjamin M attempts to blend old-world charm with cool-looking set pieces, whether in the library or the casino. Cinematographer Krishnan Vasanth’s warm-toned lighting mimics the natural light streaming through the library’s large windows and adds texture. S Thaman, meanwhile, moves away from his familiar high-octane score.

The screenplay attempts to weave easy, occasionally silly humour through the film. Some of it, particularly in the initial graveyard portions and the pre-interval episode, where comic bits are interspersed with action, works and helps sustain interest. Later, however, the humour feels forced. It falls somewhere between the comedy seen in the films of Venkat Prabhu and Nelson Dilipkumar, without consistently hitting the right notes.

A host of characters from the gambling and crime world come into play, each with their own ambitions, but the resulting turns become increasingly chaotic and uninteresting. There are occasional flashes of ingenuity, such as the placement of a spy camera and Guru’s attempts to stay two steps ahead of the cartel, but such ideas remain sporadic.

The carnival sequence and the scenes of crime lords crossing paths inside a house quickly run out of steam. Amid all the confusion, the urgency of why Guru and Sam need the money never registers strongly enough.

Sundeep Kishan shoulders the film with sincerity and is convincing as a vulnerable underdog. Faria’s character has some agency, and the actor makes her presence felt. Others, including Raju Sundaram and Anbu Thasan, are integral to the plot but don’t quite stand out.

For a debut backed by a recognised production house, I could not help wondering why Jason chose to play safe rather than push the boundaries of the conventional heist-action drama. There are flashes of promise, but a fresher storyline would have announced his arrival with greater confidence.