Kurangu Bommai (Tamil, 2017)

The no-nonsense approach from the debutant director Nithilan to maintain utmost focus on the moments that matter the most, deserves all the credit – especially the Bharathiraja monologue and the subsequent sequence that exudes high quality writing.

The director does due diligence to maintain the air of gloom and suspense in what is basically a sad story rather than indulging in distractions as done in scores of other movies – making the movie one of a rare kind that unflinchingly delivers a raw message. Hyperlinking narratives from the point of views Kathir and Ekambaram give a breath of fresh air to the presentation as well.

Each character in the movie has defined roles and sketched to finest details possible. Even the standard heist prop, the bag with the valuables has its own point of view – so important that it fittingly claims a place in the title of the movie. Elango Kumaravel breaks the gentleman’s image created by his previous movies and revels in this negative role.

Kathir and his weird acquaintance with a petty thief Sindhanai, needed a measured performance and Vidharth does just that after having rocked his previous roles this year to similar measure. Talk of moving hearts, Bharathiraja still manages to do that as Kathir’s father and the way he delivered his monologue before the end is one that will remain etched in memory

A lot of loose ends in the narrative are left untied by the time the movie ends. The real purpose of the homeless couple who missed their child tied to the back of a truck and the intentions of Elango’s accomplice who remains on the edge throughout, are a few instances.

Too many critical junctures in the movie are left to the mercy of lucky coincidences like Kathir getting the bag and phone of his father, which could have benefitted from more attention.