Erupt: Putham Pudhu Kaalai — Movie Review
Where hope, new beginnings and second chances meet
Amazon Prime Video’s recent stint with a solid lineup of Over The Top (OTT) releases hasn’t been, well, solid enough. Sure, there were a few exceptions, like Fahadh Faasil’s brilliant lockdown thriller C U Soon, and Shoojit Sircar’s underrated social satire Gulabo Sitabo. Still, the overall OTT scene hasn’t been great to say the least, with Prime Video’s missteps (Penguin, Silence and V, to name a few) especially being apparent.
But on the 30th of September, Amazon took us all by surprise when they announced Putham Pudhu Kaalai. An anthology of five films, shot entirely during the lockdown — that too by a host of directors who have established a distinct place for themselves in Tamil cinema.
Soon, word spread and anticipation amplified after the release of a very vibrant trailer and soundtrack. There was hope, present not just as the core element of the film, but for Prime Video too. “Miracle do happens” goes a line in one of the five flicks.
Is Putham Pudhu Kaalai the miracle the OTT scene’s been waiting for? Read on!
Ilamai Idho Idho
Director: Sudha Kongara | Cast: Jayaram, Urvashi, Kalidas Jayaram, Kalyani Priyadarshan
New Beginnings. Mark these words and we’ll get back to them later.
Ilamai Idho Idho is where Putham Pudhu Kaalai dawns (pun unintended). The part begins with a narration by R. Madhavan as he talks about love and how it is all about how your significant other makes you feel.
We see a very enthusiastic Rajiv Padmanabhan await the arrival of Lakshmi Krishnan, as S. P. Charan’s (his voice, positively reminiscent of his late father by the way) Manmadhan Naandhaana plays in the background. The bell rings and we see both Jayaram and Kalidas Jayaram open the door in subsequent shots. Standing outside are Urvashi and Kalyani Priyadarshan, with their opening shots placed in succession too.
Love is all about how your significant other makes you feel.
The story proceeds as the lockdown begins and the couple(s?) start to spend the next 21 days together, the relationship evolving and maturing as the days pass.
Jayaram and Urvashi are terrific even as they get introduced to us. The Panchathanthiram pair is still fresh, quirky, lovable and relatable — all at the same time. The same goes for Kalidas and Kalyani too, as they sparkle with an equal or even higher magnitude of energy and enthusiasm, making it difficult for the viewer to pick one pair as their favourite. The “Oho Endhan Baby” montage is evidence enough to vouch for the same.
G.V Prakash’s songs work big time and the technicians score points too. The tale is very well constructed and brings the metaphor of how love makes you feel to life — kudos to the writers for that. While the story itself isn’t new in itself, Sudha Kongara has to be appreciated for weaving an interesting narrative out of a generic plot.
The crux of the story is the pair’s New Beginning and how they eventually reach there and reveal it to their respective families. The conclusion is gentle and heartwarming, while also not being the most coherent. But if we’re talking New Beginnings, Ilamai Idho Idho’s flaws can be forgiven, for it is probably the best tale out of the five to start this anthology.
Avarum Naanum — Avalum Naanum
Director: Gautham Menon | Cast: M.S. Bhaskar, Ritu Varma
The lockdown begins and we see a woman walk up the path leading to her estranged “scientist” grandfather’s place, disinterested in having to stay with him for the next few weeks. She (Ritu Varma, in a subdued yet powerful role) asserts to the viewer that he never connected with her family, even when they made the efforts to. He (M.S. Bhaskar, brilliant as ever) on the other hand, describes his anticipation as he cheerfully awaits her arrival. The story begins as they meet and exchange greetings; the perspectives of both the leads being laid out clearly even before the plot unravels.
She thinks of him as the traditional old grandfather, who requires the assistance of someone younger. He, on the other hand, surprises her by announcing dinner over WhatsApp, fixing her WiFi router and even going on so far as to impress her colleagues during a sales team presentation.
Everything goes by breezily until she raises the question of why he disowned his family. The plot opens up further as he elucidates his estrangement, and culminates beautifully as the grandfather and granddaughter find a new friend in each other (the rendition of Kanna Thoodhu Poda by Bombay Jayashri, which plays in the background throughout the climax is simply divine).
The tale is charming, down-to-earth and probably the most relatable of all (I, for one, have had a lot of experience with video-call interrupting grandparents). The grandfather-granddaughter pair start sharing an excellent chemistry as the tale proceeds (New Beginnings, once again); M.S. Bhaskar stands tall, once again, as one of the best senior performers of our time.
You laugh as you see him laugh. You weep as he sheds tears.
That is how good the actor in M.S. Bhaskar is. Govind Vasantha has his way with flutes and the score is soul-stirring. Gautham Menon and team’s efforts are stellar, with the pre-climactic conversation being an emotional high point (P.C. Sreeram and Reshma Ghatala deserve a special mention for the cinematography and script, respectively).
While AN-AN is a more mature and slightly melodramatic tale compared to Ilamai Idho Idho, it is positioned the best and works big time as a heart-warmer. As long as Gautham Menon gives us more such flicks, we wouldn’t mind welcoming an ENPT once in a blue moon.
Coffee, Anyone?
Director: Suhasini Maniratnam | Cast: Komalam Charuhasan, Kathadi Ramamurthy, Suhasini Maniratnam, Anu Hasan, Shruti Haasan
The third tale in the list is not just a film about a family, but can we say, by a family too? Excluding Kathadi Ramamurthy (Thuppariyum Sambu, anyone?), it is an extremely refreshing flick by the ever exuberant Hassans and Ratnams.
Siblings Valli (Suhasini) and Saras (Anu Hasan) return home to meet their ailing mother Soundara (Komalam Chaaruhasan) and father, Mahendran, while the couple’s youngest daughter Ramya (Shruti Haasan) stays back in Mumbai, not willing to meet them. Soundara is in a coma and Mahendran refuses to hospitalize her, further worrying Saras and Valli. The rest of the story deals with the fate of Soundara while also portraying how the sisters try to make amends and overcome their differences.
In many ways, “Coffee, Anyone?” is a version of Louise May Alcott’s Little Women for the Kollywood audience.
We see the sisters face their personal trials and tribulations, with Soundara being the pivot that brings them together. They unite in an effort to try and cure their mother, but end up finding the cure for themselves in their parents. The entire segment beams with positivity and the trio of sisters are a delight to watch; their performances are natural and never overdone.
Kathadi Ramamurthy excels as the honest father and even more so, as the caring husband. The technicalities are spot on, especially with Selvakumar’s cinematography and Satish Raghunathan’s music elevating the already evident positivity in the Mahendran household.
Coffee, Anyone? is definitely a generic tale of getting back to your roots and finding respite there. But what works best in it are the wonderfully conceived moments and how they lead up to the very fulfilling conclusion, however contrived they individually might seem. There is always hope-hope that things will get better regardless of the circumstances; hope that there will be a day when you concoct the perfect coffee. And for reigniting that hope, one definitely has to be grateful to Suhasini Maniratnam and team.
P.S. Watch out for the scenes where the sisters connect individually with Soundara. They give hope (once again) that there still are directors who can stimulate emotions with such ease.
Reunion
Director: Rajiv Menon | Cast: Andrea Jeremiah, Gurucharan, Leela Samson
Fourth in line is yet another tale of New Beginnings, but one that revolves around two friends from school. Vikram (Gurucharan, sweet and refined!) is a practising orthopaedician who quarantines himself at home, after one of his patients tests positive for COVID. Landing at his doorstep is Sadhana (Andrea Jeremiah), a musician and Vikram’s friend from school, after her scooter breaks down (destiny?). Unable to get back home due to the lockdown, Sadhana begins staying with Vikram and his mother Bhairavi. Unbeknownst to the viewer initially, Sadhana holds her own set of hassles. What follows is how her New Beginning with the mother-son duo redeems her of her trepidation.
The lead pair is amazing here. Andrea and Gurucharan shine as the extroverted singer and sensible doctor, respectively. Their friendship is well-defined and forms a solid base. But it is ultimately Leela Samson who completes the story.
She is graceful as always (the Bhavani we all loved in O Kadhal Kanmani) but this time, she holds more vigour. You can’t help casting a smile across your face as Vikram asks Sadhana to go easy on a cocktail and Bhairavi mocks him for being such a nerd. No wonder she is named Bhairavi, synonymous with courage and gumption (Reminds me of a certain Apoorva Raagangal). The segment primarily deals with a serious issue, something very prevalent now; but it never becomes a fantasy and resolves the issue overnight.
Like its predecessors in the anthology, this film too instills hope with a plethora of pleasing moments.
But if there had to be one segment that pales in comparison to the others, it had to be this. While the relationships are portrayed well, this segment lacks individual character depth. You never root whole-heartedly for Sadhana, and the purpose of Vikram’s character isn’t fully justified. Nivas. K. Prasanna’s score is a good accompaniment while the same cannot be said for the cinematography, which ends up being amateurish at best.
But Rajiv Menon certainly has to be commended for dealing with such a complex subject. The lockdown has been particularly difficult for growing artists in the entertainment industry and this segment reflects just the same.
Flaws aside, Reunion stands testament to its title and works well as a tale of redemption and finding the right path. A few breakdowns on the way there wouldn’t be an issue then, would they?
Miracle
Director: Karthik Subbaraj | Cast: Bobby Simha, Sharath Ravi
Last of the lot is Miracle, a twisted tale of hope that shows the effect of the lockdown on two petty thieves. Bobby Simha and Sharath Ravi are lazing around one morning, watching a shaman explain about the occurrence of miracles. Simha proposes an offer that would help them make some big money. Ravi, initially reluctant, comes around and eventually agrees to the plan. Together, they set out to execute the heist on a night that’d not only change their lives, but also someone else’s.
The placement of this tale as the last one in the series makes sense owing to its uniqueness.
“Miracle” too is a story that deals with hope and New Beginnings, but unlike the others, it is twisted in its own, downright funny way.
The best thing about Subbaraj’s screenplay here is that, while it is clearly predictable, you still anticipate what is to follow. His love for the short-film genre only seems to grow by the day, and it is evident here too. The director’s trademark climactic twist is also present and it packs a significant punch. Bobby Simha’s performance is notable — but Sharath Ravi is exceptional. Be it the scene where he casually jumps over a compound wall while holding a car tyre or when he realizes his folly in the end, the man is a complete package.
With no music director aboard and relying only on his script and his favorite editor, Vivek Harshan, and cinematographer, Shreyaas Krishna (known for his work in Jil Jung Juk, yet another story about a car. Coincidence?), Karthik Subbaraj certainly has brought out a miracle (pun unintended, again). He is, without a doubt, one of the few directors who understand the power of the script and a film’s technicalities. May you provide quality cinema to us forever!
Miracle is probably the best conclusion that the makers could’ve asked for. It is quirky yet preachy in a distinct Karthik Subbaraj-ish style. Do not miss it!
Ultimately, Putham Pudhu Kaalai ends up not just as a tale of hope, second chances and New Beginnings. It acts as a New Beginning itself for Kollywood and Amazon. The audience can start anticipating more such anthologies from the South Indian film industry, while Amazon would begin to look at capitalising on quality works such as these.
How good will they be? Only time will tell.
But until then, relish this New Beginning straight from the heart.
(I’m sorry. Did I mention New Beginnings somewhere before?)
