Production: Neelam Productions Cast: Anandhi, Kathir, Yogi Babu Direction: Maari Selvaraj Screenplay: Maari Selvaraj Story: Maari Selvaraj Music: Santhosh Narayanan Background score: Santhosh Narayanan Cinematography: Sridhar Editing: RK Selva
Production: Neelam Productions Cast: Anandhi, Kathir, Yogi Babu Direction: Maari Selvaraj Screenplay: Maari Selvaraj Story: Maari Selvaraj Music:Santhosh Narayanan Background score: Santhosh Narayanan Cinematography: Sridhar Editing: RK Selva
Produced by director Pa Ranjith, Pariyerum Perumal is directed by Mari Selvaraj. Kathir and Anandhi play the lead roles while Yogi Babu appears in a supporting role. Santhosh Narayanan has scored the music for this one.
Pariyerum Perumal is a story of companionship. A story with a deep sense of passion for a partner. A simplistic story, that has a heart of it’s own! It tracks the relationship between Pariyerum Perumal and his dog, Pariyerum and Jothi Mahalakshmi, Pariyerum and the rest of the world.
The movie set in 2005 in Puliyangulam in Tirunelvali and it opens with Pariyerum Perumal (Kathir) and his friends bathing their dogs in a small pond and having fun. Soon, they see yet another group walking towards the pond. And through their conversation, we come to know that they are from a lower caste whereas the other group belongs to an upper caste. Pariyan and co leaves the place, but the former realizes that his dog Karuppie is not with him. Much to his shock, he sees Karuppie tied to the railway track but before he could run and save, tragedy strikes. Those are distressing moments and the potent Karuppie song that follows gives us a hint of what’s in store.
The story quickly moves and now Pariyan wants to pursue law and he enrolls in the law college in Tirunelveli. And when the principal questions him about his future goals, he says he wants to become a doctor. ‘Doctor?’ asks the puzzled principal. ‘Yes, like Dr. Ambedkar,’ he replies.
He faces embarrassment because of his poor English. His classmate Jothi Mahalakshmi (Anandhi) aka Jo belonging to an upper caste lends a helping hand and eventually develops a soft corner for him. Things do not go well with Jo’s cousin (Lingeesh) who studies in the same class. When the innocent Jo invites Pariyan to her sister’s wedding he is humiliated to the core and beaten up badly. But Jo is not aware of it! Though Pariyan starts avoiding Jo, the latter is not willing to let go her friendship without knowing the reasons for his behavior. This is when Jo’s family, who are threatened by their relationship, decides to bump off the lower caste Pariyan with a hired killer. The rest is all about how Pariyan overcomes all these oppressions while taking things in his own stride.
Mari Selvaraj also commendably portrays how honor killings are passed off as accidents and suicides. He intercuts Pariyan’s story with episodes of an aged man who is a hired killer and is proud of murdering lower caste people falling in love with upper caste, calling it proudly ‘Kula saamikku Seiyyara Sevai (It’s a service to my family deity).
Kathir is the best choice for the lead protagonist and he carries the entire film on his shoulders and has given a nuanced performance. His speed and agility warrants mention. And the kind of hard work he has put in is inconceivable and it shows! Anandhi is equally impressive as a naïve girl and pulls off the emotional scene in the pre climax portion with ease and élan. Yogi Babu as Pariayan’s friend once again proves his versatility in comedy and scores for the most part. Marimuthu has given a neat feat. The old man who does honor killing is menacing.
Sridhar, the cinematographer has played a crucial role in the outcome of Pariyerum. The cinematography is very appealing and the single takes have been aced by the actors. The cuts are neat, except for very minute lags. Selva RK can be credited for the same.
Kathir is extremely impressive as the titular character and his box of expressions is deep. His growth and maturity as a performer are just wonderful to watch. ‘Kayal’ Anandhi has an interesting character to play and she does a convincing job of it. Yogi Babu, as usual, brings the laughs and also plays an important supporting role. An old man who played the role of a killer, was simply menacing and his performance deserves praise as well.
