I am narrating to you a few chapters from my life, to make you understand how blessed your lives are,” - the film begins with a voice note.
Chennai:
Ram’s decision to narrate a melo-dramatic film, with one of the finest actors in India, is the film’s biggest plus. There is a scene, where Mammooty finds it difficult to explain to his disabled daughter that mentrual bleeding is natural and not harmful. His eyes expresses it all. The film begins with Amudhavan (Mammooty), a middle-aged man, deserted by his wife, moving into a secluded place near a hill station, along with his daughter, Paapa (Saadhana), who is affected with cerebral palsy. In the next scene, we realise that his decision was nothing but as an outcome of frustration, seeing the indifferent attitude of his own family members and society towards his daughter.
Ram builds up the drama in a such a way that the protagonist is someone who longs for love, similar to his disabled daughter. There are scenes, where even Amudhavan finds it difficult to understand the needs of Paapa and fails to win her love. At one point, he realises that hiring a caretaker might help his daughter, as she enters her teens. That’s when Vijayalaxmi, (Anjali) comes into their life. Revealing further might spoil the entire plot. However, what see is a world that’s harsh, cruel and indifferent to a few.
The second half is all about how situations bring him back to the routine city life and how he deals with the teenage problems of his disabled daughter as a single father. Meera (Anjali Ameer), a transgender-sex worker who is introduced to the audience in the later half, steals the show. The last chapter, that is described by the director as ‘Peranbu’, revolves around her.
Though Yuvan Shankar Raja’s background score is subtle, it helps to elevate the emotional scenes in a most realistic way. After Taramani, Anjali’s performance is quite impressive and something to watch out for. Save the best for last. A 14-year-old actress performing as a disabled girl, afflicted with cerebral palsy is not a joke and Sadhana has given her best. Its one of the most realistic performances that we ever came across in recent times. Some stories deserve to be told and Peranbu is one such.
Little do we know that in the next few minutes, director Ram, who has made critically-acclaimed films like Thanga Meengal and Katradhu Tamizh, will take us on a journey that hits us hard and travels with us for years to come.
Though the film is all about a long standing relationship between a father and his disabled daughter, what makes Peranbu stand out from the rest is that it is intense and bold. The film doesn’t deviate from reality and open doors for discussions, on topics that are considered as taboo.
Ram’s decision to narrate a melo-dramatic film, with one of the finest actors in India, is the film’s biggest plus. There is a scene, where Mammooty finds it difficult to explain to his disabled daughter that mentrual bleeding is natural and not harmful. His eyes expresses it all. The film begins with Amudhavan (Mammooty), a middle-aged man, deserted by his wife, moving into a secluded place near a hill station, along with his daughter, Paapa (Saadhana), who is affected with cerebral palsy. In the next scene, we realise that his decision was nothing but as an outcome of frustration, seeing the indifferent attitude of his own family members and society towards his daughter.
Ram builds up the drama in a such a way that the protagonist is someone who longs for love, similar to his disabled daughter. There are scenes, where even Amudhavan finds it difficult to understand the needs of Paapa and fails to win her love. At one point, he realises that hiring a caretaker might help his daughter, as she enters her teens. That’s when Vijayalaxmi, (Anjali) comes into their life. Revealing further might spoil the entire plot. However, what see is a world that’s harsh, cruel and indifferent to a few.
The second half is all about how situations bring him back to the routine city life and how he deals with the teenage problems of his disabled daughter as a single father. Meera (Anjali Ameer), a transgender-sex worker who is introduced to the audience in the later half, steals the show. The last chapter, that is described by the director as ‘Peranbu’, revolves around her.
Though Yuvan Shankar Raja’s background score is subtle, it helps to elevate the emotional scenes in a most realistic way. After Taramani, Anjali’s performance is quite impressive and something to watch out for. Save the best for last. A 14-year-old actress performing as a disabled girl, afflicted with cerebral palsy is not a joke and Sadhana has given her best. Its one of the most realistic performances that we ever came across in recent times. Some stories deserve to be told and Peranbu is one such.
Peranbu
Director: Ram
Composer: Yuvan Shankar Raja
Cast: Mammooty, Sadhana, Anjali, Samuthirakani, Livingston, Anjali Ameer, Aruldoss
Synopsis: A middle aged man, deserted by wife, decides to live off the grid to take care of his daughter, afflicted with splastic cerebral palsy. Things get worse, when he starts dealing with his daughters teenage problems and needs
Rating: 4/5