The storyline may not stand scrutiny. Claimed as a thriller, ‘Pournami Nilavil,’ the romance-murder mystery has holes, which are best left untouched. What engages the viewer, however, is the sincere acting. Simple but apt backdrops also contribute to the interest of this low-cast play — set in a village called Nariyur — presented by Prasidi Creations, a new troupe.
A lawyer and his detective friend have a visitor, who swoons even before he could introduce himself. He is taken to hospital and with the material on his person and his lodgings, the duo infer that he is Surya, a fugitive from justice, having been jailed for a murder, which happened ten years earlier in Nariyur. So off the two head for the village in search of clues. The story by veteran T.V. Radhakrishnan unravels mostly as flashback segments, which do cut into the narrative flow.
Panchatcharam (Anandram), a prominent person in Nariyur apprises Sundaram and Mohan of the circumstances in which Marudanayagam is killed, Surya is arrested and handed life sentence. Narmada, his lover, turns a witness for the prosecution in court. That a naive Surya does not engage a lawyer to argue his case makes it easier for the police. Panchatcharam also mentions the lurking ghost of Marudanayagam. The investigating friends meet Mahadevan, Surya’s friend, and Narmada. It is not difficult to identify the real culprit. The interest, therefore lies in how he is going to be exposed and justice meted out.
The Ayyanar temple is the stage, where much of the drama, including the murder(s) unfolds, on a full moon night, with the stern looking village deity watching as a mute witness. But not so mute after all, as Narmada observes. It is his grace, which sends the city duo on the heels of the culprit and sets Surya free, she says. Logic is thrown to the winds as the story shifts back and forth in time. Lights (Cheta Rav), sets (Johnson) and music (Guhaprasad) aid the proceedings as the climax is reached within 90 minutes — the short duration again a blessing. Young and casual, Ambi Raghavan and Girish Venkat keep the interest alive. The two are directors too. Rajasri as Narmada is adequate. Vinod Muthian as Mahadevan, Suresh as Velayudam and Anand as the unscrupulous prosecutor hit the right note.
The porous plot notwithstanding, ‘Pournami Nilavil’ gives an opportunity for Team Prasidhi to test its stage skills and it is not wasted.