‘Pannaiyarum Padminiyum’ a love story on four wheels

By Mythily Ramachandran

Here is a pannaiyar (landlord) who busts stereotypes.
Living in an obscure village of Tamil Nadu, his warm and unassuming nature earns him a special place in the hearts of the villagers. Always ready to help, he is a landlord who enjoys sharing his radio and television with the village folk. Even his landline is open to the public for use during emergencies. In short this pannaiyar is magnanimous to a fault. And who do you think takes advantage of his goodness?
His daughter, who is married now, often visits her parental house with the sole aim of taking back with her something she covets.
When her mother admonishes her for her scheming attitude, the pannaiyar chides his wife reminding her that she was their only child.
The pannaiyar’s life takes a new meaning with the arrival of Padmini, rather a Premier Padmini, a vintage car entrusted to him by his friend, who leaves the village on a holiday. 
Completely smitten by the new car, the pannaiyar behaves like a child with a new toy. And since he cannot drive, he asks Murugesan, a young man from the village to jump into the driver’s seat. For Murugesan too, it is love at first sight.
So when the pannaiyar wishes to learn driving he feels threatened and fears the day when he would become redundant. But all the pannaiyar wants is to drive his wife, Chellamma, to the temple on their wedding day. After that he assures Murugesan that he would not get into the driver’s seat. 
Debutant Arun Kumar’s feature grew from an earlier short film of a simple thread pivoted around a man’s love for a car.  Kumar’s story grows at its own pace like the vintage car, yet holding viewers’ attention with brilliant acting.
Carving his characters with a fondness Kumar has brushed them up with little quirks.  Peedai, the handy man at pannaiyar’s house who is despised for his remarks that always portends bad luck to others. Then there is the little boy who is fascinated by the car, everyday on way to school. He counts money to save Rs. Ten to pay Peedai, for that magical moment when he would get behind the wheels.
For a change, this film does not resort to toilet humour to tickle the funny bone. Situational comedy keeps viewers chuckling.
Kumar lets in a whiff of fresh air as he portrays the love between the pannaiyar and his wife. Teasing each other one moment and squabbling over trivia another time, this elderly couple’s love draws a smile.
Kumar’s players have their failings too. So besotted are the pannaiyar and his driver with Padmini, they start believing that she belongs to them. It is the landlord’s wife, who reminds her husband, that the car was theirs to keep only and ought to be returned to the owner when his daughter visits them.
If Vijay Sethupathy slipped into the role of Murugesan with the ease of a driver, Jaya Prakash played the perfect foil to him as the big hearted and naïve pannaiyar.  Bala Saravanan, who earned praise for playing the pannaiyar in the short film turns a different person altogether as Peedai. Thulasi as the pannaiyar’s wife delivers her character with aplomb and one that cannot be forgotten. And of course the two young women, who in brief significant brief roles, Neelima Rani as the pannaiyar’s daughter and  Aishwarya Rajesh as Malarvizhi, Murugesan’s love interest, leave their mark too.
Just go on this ride that will certainly leave you enthralled and at the end of it, if you are left wondering like the little boy about Padmini, you ought to blame Arun Kumar.

‘Drishyam’ brings back the Mohan Lal we love

By Mythily Ramachandran

Mohan Lal’s films are eagerly awaited and ‘Drishyam,’ is no different. The legendary actor who in his 35 years-old career has explored umpteen roles, gets into the skin of George Kutty, a father to two school going girls and turns this ordinary soul into a romantic hero.
Playing a common man is something that Lal has always done with a natural ease and in ‘Drishyam,’ he wins hands down.
George Kutty manages a cable television business in a small town of Thodupuzha. A film buff, he is forever hooked onto films.  A class four school drop-out, George Kutty is married to Rani who has studied beyond class four, but could not clear class ten. While George Kutty is tight fisted, Rani strikes a contrast with her yearning for the good things of life which apart from shopping and eating biriyani in a hotel includes sending her two daughters to an English convent instead of an ordinary English medium school.
Theirs’ is a happy household with the usual chaos mingled with cackles of laughter, so typical of an Indian middle class home.
But the joy is cut short with the arrival of Varun, a teenager who takes George’s family on an unexpected journey and that becomes a test of their love and commitment towards one another.
Carving each character with great care director Jeethu Joseph orchestrates this saga with a pop rapture.
Little throw away details like Kutty always chiding his family for leaving the lights switched on, adds a realistic touch to the narration.  And when you have comfortably settled down in the Kutty household, Jeethu springs upon viewers a surprise when they least expect it. From surprise to shock, this family drama turns into a gripping thriller.
And, when the law abiding George Kutty is arrested the film surges ahead. As the scenes unfold, you wonder will he and his family ultimately succumb to the pressure of the policemen.
With a brilliant screenplay, Jeethu narration is almost flawless. Abetting him every step of the way is a terrific ensemble cast of actors who shine individually and in tandem. While this film joins the list of Lal’s best performances, Meena after a hiatus, shares a wonderful onscreen chemistry with Lal. The two child actors Ansiba and Esther fit into the Kutty family beautifully. Surprising viewers with an incredible performance is Kalabhavan Sajon as a cop with negative shades. Siddique as the bereaved father of a teenager is at his subtle best.
Without sounding preachy, Jeethu points out the flaws some of us parents make when we decide to compensate money with time for our children. Keeping in tune with today’s times, he rings it clear, how a cell-phone can become an instrument of blackmail.
As the climax scene rolls, George Kutty and Joseph have the last laugh leaving the audience stunned and asking: ‘Why did I not think of that before?’ Because until then without their realizing George Kutty’s problem had become theirs to solve.
‘Drishyam’ is an unforgettable picture, shorn of irrational fight sequences and mindless dance numbers.
This is the Mohan Lal we fell in love with through his earlier films, sans his larger than life images of his subsequent films.
Don’t miss ‘Drishyam.’ Go for it with family and pop corn in hand.

Oru Indian Pranayakatha

 By Mythily Ramachandran

Iman Siddharth, President of the Youth wing of a political party has pinned great hopes on the leadership post following the party leader’s demise. But things do not move according to his expectations. Dr. Vimala, another candidate of the party wins the seat. Naturally Siddharth is angry and dejected.
Around this time, his mentor, Uthup Vallikadan, the party’s district president asks him to assist a family friend, Irene, an NRI, who has come down from Canada to shoot a documentary film. 
Initially not keen on this work, Siddharth finds it hard to resist when Irene offers him Rs. 2000 per day, more so being unemployed at that time.  
One night the police call Irene to the police station for a verification. Siddharth rushes to the police station to help her. At the police station he learns that behind the documentary film making project, Irene has another motive to visit India, in particular Kerala.
So who is Irene and what is her story?  Questions baffle Siddharth. And when he finds the answers, his empathy for her takes him on a different journey altogether where the two discover love for each other.
Veteran director Sathyan Anthikad known for poignant family dramas explores a different theme in this film. A simple story whose characters have been well etched, ‘Oru Indian Pranayakatha,’ is an enjoyable film.
Fahad Faasil plays an aspiring politician from a middle class home, with his father working in a petrol bunk and dreaming of the day when he would fill up his son’s car. The family ambience in Sidharth’s home is captured beautifully with his grandmother, a lover of Hindi often talking to him in the language.
Then his two sisters, one in college and the other with a failed love story in her past and working as a nurse, it’s like a story happening next door.
Not sparing the Indian political scene, the film shows clearly the hypocrisy of the leaders and the workers, where personal gain rides over party aims. Innocent as Vallikadan keeps viewers in chuckles.
The versatile Fahad as Sidharth is a natural, complete with the charms of a wily politician.  Subtle, yet commendable Amala Paul brings alive her Irene well onscreen. 
Scripted by Iqbal Kuttipuram ‘Oru Indian Pranayakatha,’ this is a feel good film that you can enjoy and for budding politicians there is a message to take home.

 ‘Silence’ a family thriller keeps you hooked

 

By Mythily Ramachandran

Arvind Chandrashekhar (Mammootty) is a lawyer practicing in Bangalore and his impressive career record earns him a promotion as a Judge. Eager to share this news with his parents, Arvind visits them with his wife and two children. A phone call mars Arvind’s joy, when an anonymous caller questions him on his ability to become a judge. 
From that one call, to stalking him everywhere, the anonymous caller intrudes into Arvind’s life becoming a threat to his family.
The film picks speed when Arvind’s son is found locked inside his school bus. It’s time to take serious action, decides Arvind and he reports the matter to his friend Neil, an IPS Officer.
Who is this caller and what does he want? Wonder Arvind and Neil as they embark on a pursuit to trace the face behind the anonymous voice. Prakash’s narrative succeeds in building up a momentum to hold viewers’ attention, especially the first half. Thrilling scenes include a car chase when Arvind is being followed by another car and he decides to go into reverse gear. That was beautifully staged.
You wait with bated breath as Arvind has almost pinned the caller with the police on his heels that have been following his calls, but then fate intrudes and once again we are left wondering: ‘Who is he? What does he want? Just like the protagonist.
And when on this investigative trail, Arvind discovers his error in an old case; he takes it upon himself to rectify this slip before donning the cloak of a judge.
Stylish screenplay enhanced further with Mammootty’s performance, ‘Silence’ is a good entertainer. Playing a cop is not new to Anoop Menon, who was brilliant as one in Malayalam film, ‘Traffic.’ Ratheesh Vega’s background score added to the thrill.
Produced by Afseena Saleem, ‘Silence’ is based on Y.V.Rajesh’s script.