Ponman

After a pretty long while, I got to see the kind of Malayalam cinema that's very rooted to its region (Kollam, in this case). The lead characters (Basil as gold dealer PP Ajesh, Lijo Mol Jose as the bride Steffi Graf, Sajin Gopu as the groom Mariyano, and Anand Manmadhan as the bride's brother Bruno) are all established in a slow-and-steady fashion. One thing leads to another, and gold needs to be arranged (as dowry) for a wedding. Yes, we're talking about "progressive", "modernist", and "100% literate" Kerala. The transactional nature of weddings still prevails in several parts of the state (if that's unbeknownst to many), with the brides often having no say in the actual event.. and that also includes the choice of accepting or rejecting a groom. There have been several films set in this story backdrop, but what makes Ponman unique is its approach, its locations, and most significantly, the shades attributed to its leads.

Ajesh is such an interesting protagonist, and the way the screenplay moulds him into someone who's willing to take risks and go any lengths to get his job done, is spectacular. This is one role where I felt Basil Joseph's acting chops were put to excellent use, as the character is one that evolves, and the arc is justified. He isn't the invincible hero; heck if you tell me prior to watching the film that there are physical altercations between the slender Ajesh and the hulking Mariyano with the former coming out on top, I would immediately be exclaiming "NO WAY!". Not only does the film deliver splendily in that regard, but what's even more interesting is how the writing builds to this particular boiling point.

In most movies that involve dowries, the leading lady is often relegated to someone who sits in a corner and cries the whole time. But Steffi is written (and performed) in a very candid, very responsive manner. The dialogues spoken by her and Ajesh are concentrated and carry a lot of depth, making their scenes memorable. Their deliciously first-rate performances also make it worth your while. DoP Sanu John Varghese returns to Malayalam after Malik and Ariyippu with a bang-those night shots against the Kollam backwaters look absolutely brilliant. The way he captures a muddy fight sequence between Ajesh and Mariyano is also incredible. Justin Varghese comes up with a soundtrack that seamlessly blends in with the locations, the characters, and their dire circumstances. I have not read Nalanchu cheruppakkar by G. R. Indugopan, but my gut says that director (and production designer) Jothish Shankar did great justice to the source material. Also, the subtle underlining of dank humour in several scenes (special mention goes to Deepak Parambol as Jesus, in two different scenes) REALLY worked for me.

On the downside, even at 2 hours, the first half can come across as slightly draggy (i.e. Until the core conflict emerges) because the film is super-focused on laying out its key characters and their somewhat familiar dilemmas. This, however, gets solid payoffs in the second half, making the overall experience a good one!

Let's start with the positive aspects of the film. In terms of performances, everyone delivered a solid act, especially Basil and Sajin Gopu. Anand, who played the character of Bruno, and Sandhya Rajendran, who played the mother, also stood out with their performances. Another highlight was Justin Varghese's music, which I personally enjoyed.

Speaking about the story, the film is based on Indugopan's novel Nalanju Cheruppakkar, and for a debut directorial attempt by Jyothish Shankar, it has been executed quite well.

Now, if there are positives, there will naturally be some negatives too. When adapting a novel into a film, certain cinematic elements need to be added to enhance the experience. However, this film feels like an exact translation of the novel, which is why the second half felt a bit underwhelming. As an audience, we expect certain developments, but they never materialize.

For example, the conflict between Basil and Sajin Gopu's characters regarding Ponnu was left unresolved. Another instance is the mention of Thalavettichira, which initially created fear and intrigue but ultimately amounted to nothing. These elements, if developed better, could have elevated the film.

The climax, too, could have used a bit more intensity and depth. If some additional dramatic elements were included, the film could have been a perfect package.

That being said, it's still worth a watch. These are purely my personal opinions, and others may have a different perspective.

A movie about dowry like never before, with so much social commentary that doesn't feel preachy - only Mollywood can do this. Will Akshay Kumar remake...?

This film was terrific from an acting standpoint. I didn't expect Sajin Gopu (Ambaan from Avesham) to play a grey shade role this convincingly, dude's convey a fear that you wouldn't expect from Avesham. Lijomol Jose and the support characters were good, but this was a Basil Joseph show.

The film questions the pressure on a family for gold as dowry. Madilyil Jewelry - lol. Apparently it's a thing...? Lijomol's Steffi starts off as a certain character, undergoes a transformation that makes you want to support but also not, at the same time. You want to blame everybody but you see why they do what they do...there are so many layers to this film that you can keep discussing but everything seems subtle.

All that said, I dunno why I was expecting another Jaya Hey or a humorous film but I suppose it's not fair to expect that from all Basil movies. Regardless, this was totally worth the watch and will surely make it to Mollywood's top 10 films of the year.

Rating - 4.5/5

A raw, intriguing and emotional family drama portrayed through brilliant screenplay and exceptional performances.

The plot of the story revolves around the Gold dowry system prevailing in the marriage institution set on the backdrop of a coastal town in Kollam and how a Gold broker gets entangled in an emotional and survival protest among two families forms the crux of the story.

Hats off to you Jothish Shankar in envisioning the story penned by G R Indugopan and delivering an absolutely brilliant movie on screen along with Justin Mathew. This movie has got life in it. The filmmakers has effortlessly landed the audience to the backdrop of Kollam and its underdog culture through the opening folklore song and coastal settings. The first 15 mins moves steadily forming background for the story to take shape and progress while the latter half giving too many enlightening and satisfying moments through articulate dialogues that leaves you awe,surprised and inspired. The director has placed peak moments for both the lead actors in the story showing their head on head performances. This movie is a clear example of how well a realistic story plot can be put to life connecting family drama,emotions,betrayal, brotherhood,friendship in perfect harmony.

Spectacular performances by Basil & Lijomol showing distinct layers of their characters. Stunning performance by Sajin Gopu and his body language,mannerisms and the way he conveys his emotions through his eyes was outstanding. Anand Manmadhan has given a career breaking performance in this movie as an underdog. Sandhya Rajendran who played the mother character has also made an impressive delivery. Deepak Parambol,Reju Sivadas,Jaya Kurup & Kiran Peethambaran also made notable performances.

Marvellous and realistic frames by the veteran Sanu John Varghese along with Justin's impressive songs and BGM's elevated the movie experience. Chitra Chechi's voice when heard with the natural serene frames was an absolute bliss. Kudos to Nidhin Raj Arol for giving a life moving cinematic experience. Hats off to Jothish Sankar & Kripesh Ayyappankutty for giving the natural and earthly tone to the set works and prawn culture setups in giving life to the underdog performances.

A must watch movie on big screens with family to see the raw and realistic life in pure bliss and experience some life moving moments.

Emotional family drama portrayed through brilliant screenplay and exceptional performances.

The plot of the story revolves around the Gold dowry system prevailing in the marriage institution set on the backdrop of a coastal town in Kollam and how a Gold broker gets entangled in an emotional and survival protest among two families forms the crux of the story.

Speaking about the story, the film is based on Indu Gopan's novel Nalanju Cheruppakkar, and for a debut directorial attempt by Jyothish Shankar, it has been executed quite well. Collectively Good Performance from all the actors ! Strong roles for both Sajin Gopu & Lijo mol Jose.