Putham Pudhu Kaalai (2020)

Putham Pudhu Kaalai is a superbly compiled anthology film, taking the audience along a varied emotional journey with each story.

Picking up subjects like a budding romance between two senior citizens and slapstick comedy, to the emotions behind coming to terms with death and bereavement, the 5 directors have come together to deliver a charming potpourri that entertains and also leaves behind a lasting impact.

Out of the five different storylines, I felt that Shruti Hassan really shone in the segment 'Coffee, Anyone?' directed by Suhasini Maniratnam.

M.S Bhaskar's nuanced performance as a lonely grandfather in Gautham Menon's 'Avarum Naanun - Avalum Naanum' and Andrea Jeremiah's captivating portrayal of a drug-addicted aspiring musician in Rajiv Menon's 'Reunion' were the other highlights.

Considering that the creators not only shot within the restrictions of a lockdown but rather used that context to extract heartwarming stories deserves commendation.

Recommended.

Fmovies: A movie was simply well and good, I specially love the acting of kalidoss jayaram, he acted as jayaram. Each story ends with a smile and positive and the vibe of the movie is great and I submerged in love with this.

Gautam Menon's ms baskar version the best , what an acting from Bhaskar , the way he created the emotions and yet not allowed it to slip away , he brilliantly controlled it

Best acting I have seen by any actor across the world in last 5 years or so

Putham Pudhu Kaalai fmovies. Really liked the order in which the movies were arranged. Suhasini's "Coffee anyone" is just fantastic, loved it! The feel it gave, and the performance of the artists.. It was an amazing experience! And the ending by Karthik's "Miracle", just bliss..😄

Putham Pudhu Kaalai turned out to competently made, given the expertise of the directors helming it, but some of the storylines didn't exactly require a lockdown backdrop and would have worked fine as standalone shorts. The anthology starts strong with Ilamai Idho Idho, featuring Jayaram, Kalidas, Kalyani, and Urvashi. While it's about two senior citizens rediscovering love, there's novelty in the way it's presented: through the eyes of their younger selves. It works due to the cute chemistry that both the young and senior actors share, and while not too layered, the generally breezy nature of the narration helps.

The second story Avarum Naanum - Avalum Naanum is about a grandfather and a granddaughter reconnecting with each other after many years. Once again, Gautham Menon resorts to using voiceovers, not trusting his ensemble to let the relationship and its nuances unravel on its own. It does get better, thanks to a stunning Ritu Verma and an ever-dependable M S Bhaskar. The story doesn't peak, yet has its beautifully emotional moments. The circumstances of the lockdown don't really add to the story though.

The third story Coffee, Anyone? is my least favorite pick. On paper, this story must have sounded truly heart-warming. But on screen, it appears rather dull. The lockdown is of no consequence to the plot. There's a heavy dose of melodrama and a lot of ideas (like the youngest daughter running away from home, the oldest daughter's son being dyslexic, and late pregnancy) that are only briefly touched upon. The performances too, feel a little forced.

The fourth story Reunion sees two college friends (one, a doctor with a super progressive mom, and the other, a bar singer) Sadhana and Vikram, unexpectedly reuniting at the latter's house because of the lockdown. When Sadhana's coke addiction is exposed, it doesn't write her off as an unrelatable person. Rajiv, instead, takes a more informed stand at the whole thing and tackles it better than most filmmakers would. That closing freeze-frame was a nice touch!

The final and most interesting story among the lot, Miracle is directed by Karthik Subbaraj. This is the only story that moves out of its indoorsy comfort zone and revolves around a couple of thieves and a struggling filmmaker. With quirky dialogue and a funny last-minute twist, Miracle benefits from the bromistry between Bobby Simhaa and Sharath Ravi. It also stands out as the only story that veers away from the upper-middle-classness of the rest.

On the whole, Putham Pudhu Kaalai is a mixed bag, but thankfully one with more positives than shortcomings.

Liked all the stories, last one was my most favourite.