PONMAGAL VANDHAL is produced by Suriya and is written and directed by JJ Fredricks. PV becomes the first Tamil film to release post covid. It also is the first big Tamil film that hits the OTT and not the theatres.
PV is an attempt at court room drama that has an engaging premise, a very strong and sensitive issue that it wants to argue. The film begins rather very meekly with doses of melodrama and poor construction of events clearly showing the lack of naivety in its writing. Despite being a supposedly investigative court room thriller the movie is as unsurprising as the summer sky for the viewer and the court room exchanges are as cold as the Ooty weather. The over the top courtroom are fabricated with a lot of artificial and commercial elements and yet do not entertain.
The film has a bevy of heavyweights catwalking without any strength in their characters. Jyothika seems to have taken a special interest in heroine centric films but then continues to express her limited expressions as in her previous films. Bhagyaraj is his typical self. Parthiban is wasted in an important role that has ironically limited dialogues. Thiyagarajan is good when he does not talk. Pratap Pothen is OK. Pandiarajan has little to do while Vinodhini is good.
Ramji behind the camera has done a good job especially with his lighting indoors. Govind Vasanthan’s music is decent. Editing by Ruben’s is found wanting. Dialogues are very average and direction is rudimentary.
PONMAGAL VANDHAL despite its DRISHYAM like settings and a strong message suffers from lackadaisical narration and a simulated atmosphere blistering with logical loop holes.
PONMAGAL VANDHAL – PULAMBAL !!
2/5
B.U.Shreesha
