Madurai To Theni is supposed to be based on a true story and the story is narrated with a simplicity that is endearing and believable. Unfolding in almost real-time, the film tells a simple love story in a no-frills, unhurried approach. But it works because of its interesting backdrop, local flavor and disarming realism.

Aravind Vinodh, who is from Madurai, plays a man who has gotten a job as a teacher at a village near Theni and is all set to board the Madurai-Theni bus to get there. At the busstand, its love at first sight for him when sees a girl(played by Srithika) and he also ends up saving her from an accident. He is pleasantly surprised to find her(accompanied by her dad) on the same bus and her coy glances and smiles convince him that she likes him too. So he is ready to take the next step but it doesn't turn out to be easy.

Most of the film happens on the bus traveling the titular route and this provides a different setting for the film and its budding romance. The entire episode on the bus feels rather unique since it is not story-driven. It simply recreates a long bus ride with the attendant characters and incidents(like the demonstration for drinking water). With Aravind and Srithika forced to communicate non-verbally, not much happens with the romance during this time and so there are no developments that move the story forward.

Still, the film holds our interest with its local flavor and mix of characters. The people on the bus, whether its the boy next to Aravind, the old woman with an eye-patch, the midget next to her or the irate daughter-in-law, are a colorful but realistic bunch. As the camera is positioned inside the bus for the most part, we temporarily become passengers on the ride too as we listen to their conversations, arguments and comments about their lives, issues and the films being shown on video. There are two segments - one has a man who has a question about his loan and the other has a man who has a bunch of vessels but doesn't want to pay for them - intended as overtly comedic segments but they aren't funny enough and the interactions between the passengers raise more laughs.

The final act reverses the situation in that the setting(a village, the panchayat, etc.) and the characters(the strict parents, the short-tempered uncle, the friendly shopkeeper, etc.) are more familiar but the story moves forward with a good pace. The realism is maintained in both Aravind's straightforward approach and the stubborn reactions of Srithika's relatives. Things remain realistic until the very end and dialogs in the climax from Aravind, Srithika and Singamuthu are strong and meaningful.

While a better cast would have probably improved the effectiveness of many of the jokes, the actors and actresses here don't do a bad job. Aravind is likeable and is natural even if a little stiff. Srithika looks simple but is convincingly strong during her conversations with her family and in the climax. Among the supporting cast, the actor who plays Aravind's friend Kalyanam and the actresses playing Srithika's mom and the daughter-in-law look natural.