Pannaiyarum Padminiyum

My review: Pannaiyarum Padminiyum

When was the last time one felt watching the movie is not just sitting in a theater and staring at the screen but getting transported to the time, landscapes and the cultural milieu of the happenings on screen. "Pannaiyarum Padminiyum" is one such rare gem that sucks you deep into it and leave you highly satisfied having been able to experience rather than just watched it. The narrative eloquence of the first time writer-director S.U.Arunkumar coupled with richness in his visual conception of scenes belies the fact that he is a debutant. 

In my opinion the best part of the movie is its pace. It moves at such an apt pace that it allows time and scope for the viewers to get themselves involved with the movie. You laugh when the characters in it laughs,  you cry when they do cry and when they miss the car you also tend to miss it as a result when finally when the inevitable happens you brim with joy along the protagonists. And emotional reciprocity that the movie so effortlessly kindles in its viewers bears testimony not only the power of the writing but also execution and performances from the cast as well.

It is a story not only about the "Pannaiyar" and his prized possession, the Premier Padmini car but also what it means for its driver Murugesan, "cleaner" Peedai, Pannaiyar's wife, the kid who saves money with a desire for front seat, the condescending automobile mechanic who happens to be the only one around there, Panniayar's daughter, and not the least, the mini bus driver who often indulges in a "race" with it. And the heartening part is that each of these characters get a full arc to speak and get a decent conclusion of their parts which is not forced-in.  

Vijay Sethupathi astounds you with his knack of picking up the right scripts. Once again he excels in the role of driver Murugesan, only person who knows how to drive a car. The gamut of emotions he effortlessly portrays onscreen is there for you to see and enjoy. His acting is getting more and more effortless with every one of his movies. The powerful eyes of his is put to maximal use here and they do most of the acting, especially considering the fact that movie has equal importance to emotions and enactment as much as to dialogues. Jayaprakash in the role of his lifetime is a revelation. He too has come a long way from his "Mayakannadi" days. One has not seen him as expressive as he is in this movie. He has managed to camouflage his urban looks by means of his brilliant acting as a naive Pannaiyar. 

Thulasi is yet another pillar for this movie. The veteran actress is in full flow through out. It takes guts on the part of the director to bring to the forefront the geriatric romance that too in a poetic manner with the danger of it getting too simplistic and comical always lurking by. And part of the appreciation should also go to both Jayaprakash and Thulasi for their dignified portrayal. Bala as Peedai is another one who amazes us by the sheer showcase of talent. It has been a long time since one witnessed such a decent as well seamlessly written comical character on screen. He needs to be taken seriously by the Tamil cinema industry and he promises a lot.  Ishwarya Rajesh is good too. She acts well, speaks the language and is pleasing to the eyes too. 

"Unakaga pirandaene" is one of the best melodies in recent times. It is almost a  seamless confluence of Ilayaraja and A.R. Rahman. Brilliantly done by debutant Justin Prabhakaran. An impressive debut for the youngster. Only thing is he could have toned down a bit with his background score at certain points. With experience he will get to know the power of silence.

Gokul Benoy is a magician with his camera. Since the director relies as much as on the visuals as his pen the part of cinematographer becomes critical. And Gokul has managed to come out with his head held high. The closing shots of the "Unakaga pirandaene" song is still in the back of my mind as I write this, what framing !, what lighting ! , what composing!!   

If a powerful screenplay is one which manages to evoke triumph in us when we see a housefly take on a mighty villain, then what you call a screenplay where a non-living thing like a car manages to make you cry when it leaves you and makes you laugh with joy when it gets back to you. Intelligent, brilliant, world-class,.....you may add on as many adjectives as you want, here is a movie that can't be ignored nor its director. 

Bottomline: An experience to cherish. 

4/5