Movie Review - Pokkisham

Actor – director Cheran's Pokkisham created a lot of hype and hoopla before its release. It promised a romantic tale between a couple, who lived miles apart and their only mode of communication was - love letters. Produced by Hithesh Jhabhak, the movie post-release, certainly lives up to expectations but with only one eye-sore – moving at snail's pace.

The movie begins more like an off-beat one with a youth coming across his father's precious collections – love letters that he wrote and the ones he received in his younger days.

Call it Cheran's intelligence to use Kolkata and Nagore as the story's backdrop. Both the places have rich varied culture of its own and the viewer can easily identify himself with the place where the story occurs.

If the love letters penned by the couple is the USP of the movie so is the backdrop. Art director Vairabalan deserves all praise for coming up with props that resemble the early 1970s Kolkata and narrow streets of Nagore. The trams, rickshaws pulled by men, post offices and the hospitals have been recreated well.

Complimenting him is cinematographer Rajesh Yadav. He captures the crowded Kolkata at its pristine glory, while the dry barren lands of Nagore is brought out well in his lens. Also the flashback scenes involving Cheran and Padmapriya have been captured on a different tone using Super 35, making it a technically rich film. Sabesh Murali's music is equally appealing. Specially his background score for the 1970s portion is enthralling.

Initially it begins as a comparison between the contemporary love and the romance of the 1970s settles down into a romantic story of Lenin (Cheran), who works as sailor.

Mahesh (Aryan Rajesh) comes across a bunch of letters while searching a property document in his house, when his mother is away. Shocked to know that they were rich treasures of his father (who passed away a few years ago), he opens to read them and his surprise increases. They are all letters written by his father in his younger days to his lover Nadhira (Padmapriya), a Tamil student from the family of an orthodox Muslim family in Nagore.

A flashback reveals that in 1970, Lenin had come across Nadhira in a hospital. Soon they come to know each other But Lenin is forced to join his work at Kolkata Port and hence he leavees Tamilnadu. But soon he starts to write letters to Nadhira ( which is the only mode of communication then). Soon the good-natured Hindu boy falls in love with Nadhira. But sequence of events lead to the couple not joining hands together.

After reading all the letters, Mahesh decides to realise his dad's dream. He goes on a mission to track Nadhira and hand over a bunch of letters left by his dad, which were not delivered to her.

Cheran, who doubles up as director and actor has played both part exceedingly well. It's a role that he is comfortable doing it. Though one-dimensional at few places, he lends grace and dignity to the character. All credit should go to Padmapriya, who brings to light the travails of a woman, who is caught between his family and his lover.

Pokkisham is a treasure trove for those who would have loved or loved by some one. However had Cheran made it more pacy and racy, Pokkisham would have been mor touchy.

All said, it is a movie to be adored and admired by those in romance.