True Premam

I rarely do movie reviews. In fact I can't remember the last one I did. I've been meaning to do one on Ohm Shanthi Oshaana for a while now but never got the chance. I spend a lot of time on Quora of late and came across this question: Is the Malayalam movie "Premam" overrated? Of course I started answering it and got carried away.  Re-posting it here:

Picture courtesy: http://www.nowrunning.com/nivin-pauly-as-a-youth-politician/112237/story.htm

Spoiler Alert Ahead! As of today Premam has run 250 days in Indian cinema theatres. This movie has been carried by the hero, played by Nivin Pauly, and by the magic woven by director Alphonse Putharen. That we cannot see any one else play Malar is neither here nor there, though Sai Pallavi is not without talent. All three women play a pivotal role in the hero’s life complete with curly hair, pimples and psycho-fiancé. What can I say that hasn’t already been said by others?

                 

I love the comic relief right at the beginning as George tries to write “orange” in Malayalam, the background chatter of his mother with the fish lady, the breaking of the song from the joyful Aluva Puzhayude to the sombre Deiva Sneham. The scenic beauty of small town life in Kerala is truly breath-taking, making you long for your grandmother’s house and her crisp pazham-pori, that perfect accompaniment to the monsoon rain. Guys and girls alike could relate to the story told entirely through George's experiences. Missed calls to Mary’s house, winning over the trust of her Dad which later backfired on him, to agreeing to help her out with his nemesis all lead us to believe he is a good guy at heart. His two friends are also adorable in their steadfastness and loyalty to him, making us believe that the underlying thread in Premam is not just about romantic love but also the love of brotherhood. They screw up academically in high school, and pursue Computer Science in college together – only to have George end up being the owner of a rather charming bakery (aptly named Agape) and a pro-red velvet caker (making up words here - Premam does that to you), a huge deal more interesting than his initial goal of working for Sutherland post-graduation.

Both men and women love the “bad-boy” college guy with the shades and well-groomed beard, the walking in slow motion to dangerous music, the kicking of sand into the air as they tied their mundu with eerie synchronicity. Everything about those scenes screamed “gangsta” – till they got down to the lame ragging of college juniors. One cannot help but smile at the sudden breaking into sentimental Tamil melodies by his friends, and the hilarious college lecturer / sports instructor duo who gave us a deeper, more human aspect to the otherwise morose image of college lecturers, the references to Bharata-natyam and Kutchi-pudi when Malar offers to teach them a dance. We were all as stumped as the 3 guys when she pulled some of the coolest dance moves I have seen in a while.

As a parent I’m not sure how appropriate it was to have them drinking on college campus, but it does happen, and subsequently there was a Dad called in by the Principal, a dad that every college guy in India wishes was their dad – played succinctly by Renji Panicker. Over all, I noticed most George’s attitude and self-confidence that was unwavering from the beginning of the movie to the end despite all his heartbreaks. Of course by the time he meets Celine and skips all romance for a proposal you can sense a certain vulnerability in his eyes, the bracing of the body for a rejection, which he got and also handled very well. His emotional response when Malar cannot remember him is a scene that will stay with me for a long while, so rare is it to see men portrayed as such in Indian cinema, especially those who thrive on their public macho image. They cry for their country, their mother, a brother or a friend but rarely for a girl they love. More than anything, the film conveyed love without any physical touch between the lovers. There was enough chemistry, love, awe and admiration conveyed through the eyes of the women in this story – not just Malar and Celine but also the two other girls who are his college-mates, whose names we do not know but whose eyes follow him as he saunters into the classroom with practised nonchalance. He was the Mary to their George, the crush we all love to look back on with nostalgia, to a time when life was much less complicated, when our hearts were not as jaded. It’s suffices to say we’re all in love with Premam, because Premam rekindled our hearts and made us all young again.