Poomaram

This movie is much more than what many people saw in theatres. One the person who've went through the backlights of a youthfestival of a college will feel this movie. This is such an underrated musical classic. This movie reminds me of the old french and spanish classics. But it is a malayalam classic!

He uses a bare bone structure of a story that deals with the rivalry between two colleges in an intercollege art festival competition to showcase the impact of art in life and the different facets of the usual art festival in colleges of Kerala.

This film made me want to go to college again and experience all these things which I used to watch from a distance when I was in college. Even though studying in a college that didn't encourage such activities much, these were still part of that life and as an introvert, I used to be part of a few off-stage events and watch everything else. This film stays true to that life for the most part almost like a documentary using cleaner footages of those art-activities. The history of the famous artists who were part of Maharajas college and their focus on the art itself made me wish I had studied there.

The nostalgia factor is heavy with this film, I can't believe I won't be a part of anything like this anymore. Two years after college and this is the first time I am truly missing everything. The only problem with the film was the ending, it was a bit sudden and forced which almost makes it look ridiculous, they could've gone for a simpler ending and still convey the message. But even in his previous films Abrid Shine have tended to make mistakes that come from good intentions.

I liked the way this movie was shot and it was based on a theme which was not touched by many other directors/writers in the industry.

Standout performances was by Joju and by Neeta Pillai (though I didn't like Irene, personally).

It is very relatable and sweet. It's just the end which is not very real and conclusive. Visually and musically beautiful.

Indians love to talk seriously and boast about their college days. When you meet an Indian for the first time, he is prone to bore you to death with his college exploits . He would give you details about frolics that you have no interest in. I guess it makes up for the lack of sex during his youth. I am only joking.

Abrid Shine (famous for directing Action Hero Biju) has made a whole movie about his college days/ memories. Poomaram is centered around a college youth festival and the competition between Maharajas college (a mixed college) and St.Teresas (a girls only college) in Kochi. And though the film is boringly blowhard at times, it is not without charm!

I remember being clueless during my college days. My classmates were mostly scumbags (showing glimpses of what they would turn into as adults) and I do not remember any of them being idealistic. But the students in this film are portrayed as being principled and idealistic, which was a bit hard for me to digest. The best moments in the film are the lighthearted ones like the scenes in the police station and the students practicing for the college fest. The worst moments are the ones where these kids whine and pretend to be idealistic.

Newcomer Neeta Pillai and Kalidasan impress as the leaders of their respective colleges. Joju George steals the thunder in his brief appearance as a cop. The scenes with him reminded me of Abrid Shine's best film Action Hero Biju. I think some of the material that Abrid Shine omitted from Action Hero Biju might have made it into this film.

Some reviewers called Poomaram a documentary. They are not wrong. But I am surprised that Abrid Shine chose a documentary style treatment for this film. There are times when he cuts loose and make things entertaining. Those were the best moments in the film.

(5.5/10)