Love thy neighbor as thyself (Matthew 22:37-39) Sembi lives with her grandmother far away from people. A cheerful child dreams of becoming a doctor, and in the meantime helps her grandmother sell honey to local shopkeepers. One day their peaceful life comes to an end when a group of visiting guys commits violence against a defenseless girl. Whether justice is available for the poor, or how not to remain indifferent to someone else's trouble, this is what the heroes of this story will tell us.
Visually very beautiful film tells about the disgusting act of young people who do not care, because the Pope is a deputy. Prabhu Solomon’s social drama succeeded from the point of view of the problem raised so that a simple plot is almost invisible against this background. The genre is positioned as an adventure drama, and the beginning really hints at some action, which in fact is then lost among long conversations. Although it can be attributed to the disadvantages of such a serious topic, probably not. Prabhu was most likely concerned with social overtones rather than entertainment content. But to give him credit, he prepared the background for his plot very carefully. Throughout the film, the viewer is surrounded by dizzying natural beauty. Maybe, of course, there is computer graphics, but it still looks very picturesque.
I was somewhat confused by the accents that the director placed on some of the characters. Watching the trailer, it may seem that the main character will be an elderly woman. At least she's close-up everywhere. But in fact, whether the actress was unsuccessfully selected (which I am more inclined to), or whether she was prescribed such a role to “sit and not show up.” Kovai Sarala is generally considered one of the best comedians, and perhaps, like all the workers of this genre, she dreams of a great dramatic role. That’s the only reason I get her into this movie. The actress, unfortunately, showed an absolute lack of natural emotions and this was aggravated by a frightening face-mask, apparently the result of the unsuccessful work of the makeup artist. Her tense sobs, alas, did not cause any sympathy for her grandmother, but they should have. Further, in the second half of the film, she something completely quiet, although she was supposed to protect her cub like a lioness, but suddenly a completely stranger took her place.
Ashwin Kumar, you could say, debutante in the lead roles on the big screen. Filmed quite a long time ago, but only in 2022 he was finally transferred to the major leagues. In the context of the chosen topic, it was clear that the director wanted to approve Ashwin as the defender of the humiliated and insulted. The first thing that comes to mind is the angel of God in the flesh. Very nice appearance, kind eyes and a nice smile. These same characteristics make it almost a foreign object among the locals, or rather among the passengers of the bus, where the entire second half of the action takes place. The hero himself is something unreal, and it seemed that at a certain moment he just melts into the air. On the other hand, it was conceived by the author as a voice of conscience for people who suddenly became involved in the problem of a little girl. Or rather, it was this guy who pushed them all to the realization that you can not leave a child in trouble. He has accomplished his mission.
Now about the real main character, about Neil, who played Semby. The girl first appears on the big screen, but immediately declares herself as a very professional actress, if in the future she connects her life with the movie. To be honest, it’s a little unfair that the credits put her in the background, although in the film itself she is given a quite significant role. She showed the real genuine emotions, which will undoubtedly elicit a response in the soul of each viewer. Here the director unmistakably guessed with the heroine. I think in part because of her unparalleled performance, the film received positive reviews from critics as well as a good rating from the audience. Also, Neil paired with Ashwin looked much more profitable than with his screen grandmother.
If the cast is more or less clear, the advantage was on the side of pretty heroes, then you can move on to the essence. The film, as usual, was divided into two parts - one tells about the crime that happened, and the second tells about the search for a solution to the problem and, accordingly, about the punishment for criminals. Of course, a lot is brought to unreality, but if you do not cling to such artistic fictions, it will go. The director clearly tried to impress the public, let’s forgive him for the sake of beauty and justice. What happens on the screen does not carry any intrigue in itself, the ending is quite expected and it is aimed at affirming good over evil. Prabhu ends with the words of the biblical scripture, saying almost directly that humanity is no less important than the triumph of the law. If you've noticed, a lot of South Indian films are about religion. God does not only do good deeds, but also performs retribution through the people themselves. So it's all in our hands. There is no doubt that the film deserves attention. The only thing, it is not created for entertainment, so if you want to pass the evening, then at some point you can catch a slightly different mood. I highly recommend it for viewing. Good day, everyone!