Coming from Balu Mahendra’s school of filmmaking, Ram is considered to be a Tamil film director who has no shivers when it comes to portraying delicate topics and in-your-face situations on the big screen. Through his journey, he has broken a ton of stereotypes, giving rise to scenes which are etched in the minds of a film viewer forever. However, his latest outing in Peranbu smashes all the limits that he has set so far, providing a gut-wrenching experience on the whole. The film does have its own share of downers but redeems itself beautifully at the end to come out with flying colours.
Ram’s brilliant narrative is exclusive to him, as he makes use of ten chapters to bring out his story. With Theni Eshwar’s gorgeous shot composition, the filmmaker constantly hits your head and heart at regular intervals. The first half of the film which progresses majorly in a lonely hilly area focuses on the relationship between the father and the daughter, proper character establishment and the play-in of an important character in Anjali.
Come to the second half, and the film takes some really gutsy routes, breaking the innumerous taboos that one comes across in the society. After a point here, Ram makes your jaw drop at every tenth minute, so much that it actually becomes uncomfortable to watch for even the strong-hearted. One thing that Ram does not allow is the introduction of a cliché-ridden plot point, which makes the film stand out strong from all the other counterparts in its genre circle. The beautiful writing of the characters that come into the play is where Peranbu wins, more so because of the stellar, flawless performances that the director extracts.
It is indeed a magical performance from the master Mammootty, who shoehorns in a terrific show that will be bookmarked forever. Thanks to Ram for writing a character that owes to his all-amazing acting potential, which has not been explored over the past few years, with the severe brilliance being beaten with every passing scene. Watch out for the long list of single takes, where Mammootty rules the roost. He also deserves special applause for agreeing to do this film, something that almost all actors would think thrice and eventually drop. Equally matching up the megastar’s performance is Baby Sadhana as Papa, channeling an extremely earnest and worthy performance which surely would have taken up days of practice. At some instances, Sadhana overtakes Mammootty’s efforts and steals the show, making her an artist to watch out for in the future. Both the Anjalis attend two separate halves of the film prove their mettle with solid contributions.
While Theni Eshwar’s camera does exactly what the film demands, Yuvan Shankar Raja generates great versatility in the different chapters of the film. His sublime score is a beautiful accompaniment to the proceedings, as he also lets the silence play its game at some important scenes instead of diluting the effect with music.
Toting up, Peranbu is a hugely hard-hitting and heartbreaking film that narrates the sorrowful and wildly challenging tale of a troubled man and his child’s upbringing. Some parts feel exceedingly raw, but it is a film that deserves one’s attention and will definitely be talked about in the future. If you’re a film buff who wants to see world cinema in the Tamil cluster, make your way into this one.
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