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Moviecrow.com
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Pannaiyarum Padminiyum Review - A Pleasant Drive
Bharath Vijayakumar
Those who are familiar with the short film version of Pannaiyraum Padminiyum would know that it is a very simple story. It is indeed a challenge to make a feature film that runs over two hours with the same basic knot. Debutant director Arun Kumar has successfully overcome this challenge without any commercial compromises
Plot
True to the title Pannaiyarum Padminiyum is about the emotional bond that grows between a Pannaiyar (Jayaprakash) and a Padmini car that is left in his custody for a few weeks. His fondness for the car leaps in bounds and he hopes that it remains with him forever. The car also becomes a source of pride for his dear ones that include his wife(Tulasi) and his driver Murugesan(Vijay Sethupathy). Whether the car remains with them and the subtle emotional play that happens between these characters with the car as the pivot, is Pannaiyarum Padminiyum for you.
Cast
A big hug to Vijay Sethupathy for continuing to do these sorts of films!!! His presence does bring a sizeable audience for these films which usually would have to rely on positive word of mouth. As Murugesan he charms with his nonchalant performance. This is certainly a performance and a film that he can be proud of. Jayaprakash in the most important role of the film is absolutely brilliant. As the naive and good hearted pannaiyar he amazes right from the first frame. Just watch the scene at the start where he hops towards the car when it first comes to his possession just like a kid would pounce on a candy. That this man is an able performer is well known through the supporting characters that he has played all along. But carrying the soul of the film from the start to the end is something different and Jayaprakash comes up with a performance that makes it difficult for us to even think of an alternate actor in this role. He is matched equally by Tulasi who plays the perfect foil. With her expressive eyes she is a bundle of emotions. The cute little tit for tat battles that this aged couple play which keeps their romance fresh is so endearing on screen. Bala(who played the driver character in the short film) as Vijay Sethupathy's sidekick lights up many scenes. His counters that work as comedy punches has been used most judiciously which works well. A little overdone and it could have resulted in monotony. Aishwarya makes a neat impression in her short screen time.
Crew
Debutant Justin Prabhakaran tunes are soothing with each song being a pleasant listen. The songs too have been captured poetically. Cinematographer Gokul Benoy has captured the scenic beauty of the countryside as well as the detailed interiors of the houses beautifully. There is a particular shot when the main focus is given to empty cooking vessels as the scene of action happens in the background. In a film that tries to establish the bonding between humans and an inanimate object such minute nuances which act as subtle references is an enriching experience to the audience. Editor Sreekar Prasad has not rushed any scene and makes this pleasant drive worthwhile. A National award winning technician working with this young team is praiseworthy.
Direction
Arun Kumar has made a film that is emotionally fulfilling. There will be people who might feel that the magnitude of the emotional connect shown with the car is slightly exaggerated. But this film stands out because of that. For those of us lost in wild pursuits it shows that there are so many minute joys in life that we miss out. It is a film that captures the intricacies of human emotions beautifully. The film does not move at a rapid pace. But this is a film which is supposed to be like this. It makes you invest your time in the characters and embrace yourself with their emotions.
Bottomline
A pleasant drive sans any bump that makes you soak in unadulterated emotions and leaves a smile in your face.
Rating
Indiaglitz.com
http://www.indiaglitz.com/channels/tamil/review/17137.htmlwww.indiaglitz.com/channels/tamil/review/17137.html
Pannaiyarum Padminiyum - Hop on, for a touching drive ahead!
Alright everyone the landlord, the chauffeur and his car are here finally. You've seen them on the small screen, get set for a pinch of entertainment as the real hero "Premier Padmini" car will drive through the memory lane. Vijay Sethupathy is back in no lesser than a weeks' time after his disastrous Rummy and along with one of the best character artists currently Jayaprakash, so what are they up to?
The Padmini car:
Sometimes the title of the movie voices the film's thought and sets around the theme so that it makes the movie goers enter the screen with whats in store. PP is one such film, where the selfless affection of an old man on his car makes you feel that little things in life do matter. The plot is set in yesteryear where there used to be one Telephone, one Television, and yes one car in the whole village!
Attakathi Dinesh plays a cameo in this movie, and the movie traverses back in time as he starts the flashback in narration. The movie is set in the backdrop of Melur village with Jayaprakash as the Pannaiyar and Thulasi as his wife. He is the only man in the town who owns Radio, Television, Telephone and the entire village depends on him. None of the scenes are heavily placed and Arun does a commendable job in weaving out the events one by one without much fuss and in one such situation pannaiyar's brother leaves town and hands over the keys of the Padmini car till his return.
The plot is centered on this car, and from then on the life is not the same for the Pannaiyar and his folks. Vijay Sethupathy's entrance as Murugesan the only man in the town to possess driving skills comes in handy at a medical emergency, and Arun's wonderful story telling thickens the bond between Pannaiyar, his driver and of course the car. For long Tamil Cinema has never witnessed such a mature love, the tender care and affection portrayed between Jayaprakash and Thulasi has been put up in such a goose bumpy way, yet again kudos to the director.
Again, there are no oh 's and ah's effect in PP, as Arun is quite careful in handling this tender subject with a slow screenplay. The love part between Vijay Sethupathy and Ishwarya gives a sense of drag to the screenplay with the song placement irking now and then, however they look void taking the movie's plot as a whole.
The Car and the people:
This might be one of Vijay Sethupathy's sweet performances as the man looks comfortable in what he does, playing the role of Murgesan the chauffeur totally spot on. Jayaprakash makes a wonderful character artist no doubt and from the days of being a school teacher in Pasanga he indeed is a revelation! Thulasi's innocent looks certainly gives the charmed feel and the unfathomable love on her husband and car makes her acting performance praiseworthy. Rest of the cast make their presence felt, Ishwarya cute and cuddly, Bala the guy who originally played in the short film making his comic sense do the talking as "Peedai" the loyal servant. Sneha and Attakathi Dinesh do their cameo bit quite cleanly.
Arun's direction deserves much more than appreciation, one for coming up with a clean family entertaining movie, two for bringing out a full length picture out of a short story. The unintentional love that we take on few things can really mean a lot, and picking this sensitive subject Arun has showcased how a car comes into the life of ordinary people and parks with a heavy heart.
All said, the movie chugs along snail pace, and the screenplay could have been a little quicker for the sentimental scenes look very stretchy and could have been made thinner.
Gokul's portrayl of the rural outskirts is crystal clear and does a neat job in cinematography. Justin's music is breezy and the number "Unnakaga Poranthanae" deserves applause all around.
Verdict: This car parks way inside the bottom of your heart!
Star: 3.5/5
Behindwoods.com
http://behindwoods.com/tamil-movies/pannaiyarum-padminiyum/pannaiyarum-padminiyum-review.html
Men generally share a deep emotional connect with their vehicles, be it a cycle or a two wheeler or a car. There have been memorable movies based on this unique love affair'. Debut director S.U. Arun Kumar spawns a tale out of this very bonding that exists between a Pannaiyar' (a much respected man in the village) and his car. This car becomes like a family member for almost the entire village and the tale spanning many years, is narrated through a young man who shares a long history with the car.
Vijay Sethupathi is at the center of action most of the time and puts up an earnest and lifelike performance as Murugesan, the driver who works at the Pannaiyar household and is almost like their son. Vijay's hairstyle is reminiscent of Superstar Rajini's flowing long hair in the 80s and he carries the typical son of the soil' looks. Vijay also has a little romance running with a girl in the village, played by Iyshwarya Rajesh.
We also have young comedy actor Bala Saravanan putting up a truly entertaining show as Peeda', Murugesan's sidekick. This young man seems to be a natural comedian and he makes it look so easy with his facial expressions, accent and body language. Bala lightens the mood and often enlivens the proceedings with his antics.
Ultimately, Pannaiyarum Padminiyum (PP) is mostly about the beautiful relationship that exists between Mr. and Mrs. Pannaiyar, played remarkably by Jayaprakash and Thulasi. Such a mature romance hasn't been showcased in a more endearing manner in recent times. The way they address each other as Kelavan' Kelavi' Vaaya' Poya' is actually cute. Jayaprakash shows his caliber as an actor whenever he exhibits the deep love that he has, not only for his wife but also towards his car. Thulasi is establishing herself firmly as a superb onscreen mom and wife.
Neelima Rani is effective playing Pannaiyar's ever-demanding daughter while Attakathi' Dinesh plays a cameo role where he expresses more than he talks.
Composer Justin Prabhakaran impresses with his lilting melody tracks such as Onakkaga Porandhene', which is a lovely little part of the movie and a story by itself. The Jayaprakash - Thulasi relationship is placed on a different pedestal thanks to this number. Justin also aids the movie's mood with his background score.
PP's landscape comprising barren but scenic countryside reminds us of movies such as Veyyil. The highlight of Gokul Benoy's work on the camera is the way he showcases the car as an important character in the movie.
No wonder, Vijay Sethupathi spoke highly of both Justin and Gokul, as promising debutantes to look forward to.
Among the downsides, PP moves at a slow pace with few redundant scenes as the plot doesn't have enough depth. We have a lot of screen time devoted to Pannaiyar's attempts at learning to drive and also scenes to keep emphasizing the importance that the car carries in the village. The beautiful Enga Ooru Vandi' sequence, early on in the movie, was itself sufficient to firmly establish the lovely place that the car holds among these people. The movie's running time of more than 150 minutes could have easily been cut short. The tale would have been more concise then.
But the director makes sure that the audience leaves the hall smiling thanks to the way he has ended the tale. Arun Kumar and Editor Sreekar Prasad also score in the manner in which they are able to hold the audience's attention, despite a shallow plot, a slow moving narrative and a long running time.
Verdict: Brims with charm, sentiment and carries a lot of feel-good factor.
( 3.0 / 5.0 )
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