Paranthu Po / Fly Away

Parandhu Po - Such an exciting movie especially the child artist - 'Mithul Ryan' as 'Anbu' did a such an excellent job of acting in lead role and full credits to him for show casing his acting skills and he stole the show completely. 'Shiva' as 'Gokul' and 'Grace Antony' as 'Glory' made up a pretty good pair and their acting was on top notch in this particular movie subject and suited them very well.

As parents of 'Anbu', the bonding between them and the way they both took care of the kid in odd age group as he was naughty and made it interesting with cinematic touch and kept us very engaging. I like the way this movie is taken which is completely light-hearted and very interesting to see how life should be approached with lots of positivity and how kids take us in their own beautiful path. Other actors Anjali, Vijay Yesudas did a pretty good supporting role. Director Ram has given a gem of a movie to the audience. Its a family subject but very well suited for all age groups.

Overall, a very refreshing and exciting movie for the audience to enjoy and relive the moments of the movie and connected us with reality.

I wasn't entirely sure how Ram's thesis-styled writing would marry into Shiva's comedic sensibilities (and one-liners), but they work like wine and cheese here. Shiva's constant replies in English seamlessly tickle the funny bone. At the same time, the film itself offers a wealth of engaging commentary on parenting, unplanned adventures, reconnecting with nature, and acknowledging our flaws and quirks. The road trip story is further enriched by N. K. Ekambaram's scintillating rural visuals and the presence of performers such as Grace Antony, Anjali, and Aju Varghese only help.

Grace especially shines in a scene where she bumps into her sister. Her character, while missing the road trip parts of the plot, still feels so integrally written into the proceedings. She's sure to land more roles (with depth and meaning) in Tamil after this. The surprising star here is Mithul Ryan (as the wacky, always-curious, and innocently adorable Anbu), who cracks the assignment spectacularly. My only major gripe is with the "explanatory" songs, which kinda ruin the visual beauty of some scenes. Otherwise, let's "keep flying."

Staying with the 'Slice of Life' genre in Kollywood, Paranthu Po has received a lot of good reviews and is finally on streaming.

The film urges you to take a break from 'life' every now and then, to not only look after what your children want, but also after what the child within wants, no matter how old you are. As a story - Good. It's not your traditional "setup, problem, resolution" storytelling but more of a "go with the flow" type of type. You'll be disappointed if you expect a 3-act structure. The story story simply starts and ends like a regular day.

The acting, messaging, music - All good. As a film - Good for the most part. Siva and Grace were good. So glad the kid in the movie wasn't portrayed as a 'smartass know-it-all' kid for comedic purposes. Some negatives - I don't know if the whole nostalgia baiting "crush" segment was necessary, felt forced. You may feel it's slow, even that it drags along, in the 2nd half.

The film says "Happiness is right there, waiting to be found, if you know where to look" - easier said than done, especially in this economy. While it wasn't the feel good movie I thought it would be, it's still a good one-time watch that leaves you with several things to reflect on - your parents, your kids - if you have any, and the amount of work one has to put in, to simply exist in this day-and-age.

Sound plays a major role in this film's emotional impact. Arul Murugan's sound design and M. R. Rajakrishnan's audiography create a world that feels immediate and immersive. From the ambient noises to the intentional silences, everything works to serve the emotional rhythm.

Rajashekaran's color grading, Karthik Kambettan's VFX, Jaikumar Vairavan's stills, and the team behind the film's publicity and creative campaigns - Twenty. One. G (Pravin P. K) and On The House - all contribute to a consistent, aesthetic and emotional identity. The teaser edit by Pradeep E Ragav deserves a mention for setting the tone right from the start.

Credit also goes to producers Ram, V Gunasekaran, V Karupuchaamy, and V Shankar for backing a film that prioritizes artistic integrity over commercial calculation.

Director and the actors/actresses need to be complimented for a very good, family entertainment movie with a message for parents. Director RAM has come up with a simple, powerful story and has done a very good job extracting the best out of even child actors Mithul and Jess. The pain of middle-class life is expressed very well by the lead actors - Shiva and Grace. Young Mithul must be a very good dancer. Simple story but with an important message of the need for parents to spend time with their children. Compliments to the whole team for a good family entertainment which seems to be rare nowadays.