Penguin release highlights: Keerthy Suresh gets rave reviews

Here's what celebrities, film critics and fans are saying about Keerthy Suresh's latest release, Penguin.

By: Entertainment Desk | Chennai | Updated: June 20, 2020 8:01:01 am
Penguin Penguin is streaming on Amazon Prime Video. (Photo: Amazon Prime Video)

Keerthy Suresh starrer Penguin has finally started streaming on Amazon Prime Video. The trailer of the Eashvar Karthic directorial released recently and promised a gripping affair. Made in Tamil and Telugu simultaneously, the mystery-thriller is among the films that have taken the direct-to-OTT route during the lockdown owing to coronavirus pandemic.

Penguin is bankrolled by Karthik Subbaraj, Kaarthekeyen Santhanam, Sudhan Sundaram and Jayaram. The technical crew of the film comprises Kharthik Phalani and Anil Krish for cinematography and editing, respectively. Santhosh Narayanan has composed the music for Penguin. Its trailer hinted that Penguin revolves around the kidnapping of a child and follows the struggles and agony of a distraught mother as she comes face-to-face with a mask-wearing monster who seems to have developed a taste for blood and gore.

It is the second major Tamil movie to premiere on Amazon Prime Video. Last month, Jyotika’s Ponmagal Vandhal also released on the OTT platform and was made available for streaming on the same day in over 200 countries. “It has already been nearly two years since I had a release. At this point, during the lockdown, having a release is huge for me. I always think that everything happens for a good reason, and this is probably one of them,” Keerthy noted. “Everything has its own advantages and disadvantages. The main thing I will miss is the ‘theater feel.’ Being a thriller film, watching it in a theater is completely different (experience). On the other side, there are great advantages of being on an OTT platform,” she added. Apart from Penguin, Sushmita Sen starrer web series Aarya also releases on Disney+ Hotstar today.

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Follow all the latest updates about Keerthy Suresh starrer Penguin.

16:36 (IST)19 Jun 2020
Check out the lyric video of the Penguin song 'Kolame'
16:08 (IST)19 Jun 2020
'Edge of the seat thriller'

“The chilly sequences and great visuals of a misty hill station in #Penguin adds to the film. Such a nice experience with the interesting twists and turns. The #Penguin is an edge-of-the-seat thriller,” shared user @Balugowri12.

15:39 (IST)19 Jun 2020
Some stills of Keerthy Suresh from Penguin

The official Twitter handle of Amazon Prime Video shared some stills of Keerthy Suresh from her latest release, Penguin. 

15:10 (IST)19 Jun 2020
'career best acting'

“#PenguinReview   first half OK . @KeerthyOfficial career best acting. No unwanted songs. @Music_Santhosh music worked out well. Climax could have been better. 3/5 #AmazonPrimeVideo #KeerthySuresh #PenguinOnPrime,” posted user @smartnawin88 on Twitter.

14:43 (IST)19 Jun 2020
'Keerthy Suresh is the heart of this movie'

User @BeingManas2 posted via Twitter, “Watched #Penguin .This movie defines the unconditional love of a mother for her kids.Loved the mother pregnant character character of thalaivi @KeerthyOfficial .She is the heart of this movie.The twist is not satisfying.A good watch movie ♥️😍 #PenguinReview #PenguinOnPrime.”

14:28 (IST)19 Jun 2020
'Keerthy Suresh won't disappoint'

“Though d twist is guessable what stood out in d entire film is @KeerthyOfficial along wid lil kid n a pet🙏Thalaivi for a reason!So natural while emoting her emotions n Surreal Actin as a pregnant woman!Watch d film!She won't disappoint u❤️🔥💥 #PenguinOnPrime #KeerthySuresh,” tweeted user @iampramoda.

14:04 (IST)19 Jun 2020
'Keerthy Suresh the only saviour of the movie'

User @sundargokhul shared on Twitter, “#PenguinReview - A good 1st half followed by avg 2nd half @KeerthyOfficial the only saviour of the movie.. Even her silence created the emotions in many scenes. no wonder she is this era's Nadigaiyar thilagam!! A bit more support from other supporting cast is what i felt lacking.”

13:39 (IST)19 Jun 2020
'Final twist was ultimate'

User @SantoshRao01 tweeted, “What a movie, its Just awesome, @EashvarKarthic sir Fantastic movie You Make it. @karthiksubbaraj sir its like Hollywood movie. @KeerthyOfficial acting was next level. @PrimeVideoIN #PenguinOnPrime Final Twist was Ultimate.”

13:20 (IST)19 Jun 2020
'Brilliant performance'

“Watched #PenguinOnPrime. @KeerthyOfficial Top notch & brilliant performance. The drama unfolds today and just loved it. @karthiksubbaraj Congratulations to the team. Take a bow #Eashwarkartic,” user @Venky24847279 posted on Twitter.

13:03 (IST)19 Jun 2020
Planning to watch the film? Catch the trailer here:
12:44 (IST)19 Jun 2020
Viewer heaps praises on Keerthy Suresh

User @iam_mallika wrote on Twitter, “#PenguinOnPrime @KeerthyOfficial you are so brilliant at what you do. Every scene and every emotion shows how skilled you are. The movie is interesting in parts. One time watch. Certain scenes were shot very well. The ending dialogue Heart suitHeart suitHeart suit.”

12:21 (IST)19 Jun 2020
Aishwarya Rajesh on Penguin

Actor Aishwarya Rajesh tweeted, “Now #Penguin streaming on @PrimeVideoIN do watch it with your entire family and enjoy lockdown stay home stay safe ... @KeerthyOfficial @EashvarKarthic @karthiksubbaraj @StonebenchFilms @PrimeVideoIN #PenguinOnPrime.”

12:00 (IST)19 Jun 2020
'Excellent screenplay'

User @ganeshravuri shared, “#PenguinOnPrime starts well, but loses steam midway. Keerthy's credible performance, excellent cinematography and captivating BGM work in its favor, but is weighed down by mediocre storytelling.”

11:37 (IST)19 Jun 2020
'Worth watching'

User @Sainathd07 posted on Twitter, “A Decent 1st half and excellent 2nd half. #Penguin movie is a slow thriller and worth watching on ott.The overall #PenguinReview Is a nice watch for thrill lovers.The #Penguin is not an edge seating thriller,but is a nice experience with the twists in the movie.#PenguinOnPrime.”

11:28 (IST)19 Jun 2020
'Keerthy Suresh nails it'

User @Ramya1494 wrote on Twitter, “Watched #Penguin movie on Prime. #KeerthiSuresh nailed it. Her acting as pregnant woman in the movie is soo soo good. But but disappointed with the ending. #PenguinOnPrime #Penguin #PenguinReview.”

11:08 (IST)19 Jun 2020
Penguin: Our verdict

Indianexpress.com Manoj Kumar R rated Penguin 1.5 stars out of 5. In his review, he writes, “Fans of blood and gore may find some solace in some places: a long sequence in an abattoir-like room, bathed in blood-red light, leaking dead human parts and sharp weapons and a crazed killer, seems straight out of chopped-flesh Hollywood whodunits. But the grisly bits do not add up to much when the plot is so weak, and takes so long to get to the point.”

He further added, “Keerthy Suresh tries to make the best of a bad job, and is quite a sight when squaring up to monsters, but the proceedings let her down.”

Read more | Penguin movie review: The Keerthy Suresh-starrer is quite ludicrous

10:41 (IST)19 Jun 2020
'First half was completely engaging'

“#PenguinReview #KeerthySuresh 's  complete show. Cinematography & screenplay. First half was completely engaging, infact gives you a thrilling feel. Second half seems to be slow, scenes are not gripping. overall that thrill factor was missing  #PenguinOnPrime,” shared user @GoofyGhosts on Twitter.

10:21 (IST)19 Jun 2020
'Fantastic thriller'

“Personally, it's a fantastic thriller, good twists n turns. Reliable plot with genuine screenplay. Nowhere you will feel bored. Extraordinary acting by @KeerthyOfficial Director, oh man take a bow. Finally one good film #penguinreview,” tweeted user @OkkaduCultFan.

10:03 (IST)19 Jun 2020
'One woman show'

User @ziyantmohd posted on Twitter, “Just finished streaming of #Penguin. One woman show @KeerthyOfficial as usual ur performance vera level. Superb emotional thriller!!! Also dop was amazing, #PenguinReview.”

09:50 (IST)19 Jun 2020
'Interesting first half'

“#PenguinReview - 3.25/5 @KeerthyOfficial fantastic acting. Interesting first half, interval block🔥. Problem is the second half and the reason behind the kidnapping. Overall - good watch. @Music_Santhosh #PenguinOnPrime #KeerthySuresh @PrimeVideoIN,” user @lovewithcinema posted on Twitter. 

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National Award winning actor Keerthy Suresh is playing such an intense character for the first time in her career. Talking about picking Penguin after Mahanati, Keerthy told indianexpress.com, "After the release of Mahanati, it took about six or seven months for me to find the script that I wanted. I was looking for a very good women-centric film in Tamil, like how Mahanati was for me in Telugu, and that script was Penguin. It took a while for me to meet Penguin." Further talking about the film's gripping plot, she added, "I loved Eashvar’s narration. He narrated the script to me for over four hours. And still, I couldn’t feel it was a four-hour-long narration. And the (film’s) genre. I have not done a film in the thriller genre before. The movie is completely about motherhood. Probably, by the end of the movie, every mother is going to feel that I am a superhero."

Karthik Subbaraj, known for directing films like Petta, also revealed what he liked about Penguin. He told us, "The premise of Penguin is attractive. A mother, who is also pregnant, in a situation in which she has to push herself to find her missing child sounded very interesting. The film also has a lot of other interesting elements, which makes us feel anxious about what is going to happen next. I told Eashvar Karthic that if he can make the movie exactly the way he narrated, it will be a big hit." He lauded director Eashvar Karthic too. "I think Eashvar has very good technical sense. After writing the script, he knows how to pick the right location, visual tone, mood and costumes that fit it. He has a very good sense of filmmaking. He is also a talented writer. He is very good at writing lengthy scenes. He slowly builds up a scene to a high point of tension," Subbaraj said.

With several films which were awaiting release due to the lockdown and shutting down of cinema halls, producers are now gearing up for their OTT premiere. Speaking on this new trend and if there will be a surge in Tamil films being made for the web, Karthik Subbaraj said, "I think it will be a welcome change. Say, for example, last year, we produced several movies including one with Aishwarya Rajesh by a new director Gautham and another film with Vaibhav by (newcomer) director Ashok. But, when you take these movies to the market, there are challenges like finding theaters. If a movie doesn’t fulfil some conventional parameters, then it is perceived as a risk in the theatrical circuit. I think OTT platforms will open up new avenues for filmmakers. Say, I like a script which is experimental. You don’t know how it will work in theaters, but an OTT platform is ready, I can go ahead and produce it. It also creates a good balance. I don’t think it is even possible for all movies to release directly on streaming platforms. There will be films made for theater. For example, we are waiting for theaters to open for my film Jagame Thandhiram. The producer has no idea to give the movie to an OTT platform. Things have to come back to normal at some point. It cannot go on like this."

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