I was fascinated by Thankar’s casting, his excellent story telling ability and more  interestingly at the way he was the live wire of this adaptation of his own novel. I was angry to think that THIS movie had to pay the price of not getting screening rights earlier!

         I felt shame because of the almost total absence of the strong Malaysian Tamil cinema going force for this heartwarming cinematic journey called Pallikkoodam.

         Why are there no huge banners and massive media coverage? How then can we expect the Malaysian audience to come out and give their support to something as beautiful as Pallikkoodam which I am sure will be an awe inspiring experience for all to watch?

          The movie starts with the appalling condition of a village school that the government agrees to shut down, upon the trustee’s request. Sneha as Kogila is the founder’s grand daughter who comes up with the brilliant idea of reaching out for support from successful former pupils.

           In walks Thankar as Kumarasami, the school failure, who is assigned to bring back the most successful alumni of the school from his own batch, Narain who is now a District Collector.

          Thankar Bachan as the opinionated, simple villager is the central figure that reunites his old pals and has practically lived the role. On the whole, all in the Pallikoodam cast have done an impeccable job of delivering their end of the bargain.

          Narain as the poor boy who achieves big success while paying many a heavy price along the way-the biggest of which is losing his lady love over caste and status feuds, carries his role with so much conviction as does the surprise package, director Seeman.

           Seeman makes his debut as Muthu, who runs away from the village under dire circumstances only to become a successful movie director. His understated acting as the mediator caught between his angst driven friends, compliments the fiery performances of Thankar and Narain.

           Watch the director’s touch in the scene where the successful, refined Vetri and Muthu struggle with their emotions as their poor buddy Kumarasami delightfully rummages through Muthu’s old clothes meant to be given away to the servant. The rapport and camaraderie between the three friends is masterfully captured by director Thankar Bachan.

            Sneha as the long suffering, ill fated lover/ later school teacher, does her role with aplomb as we have come to expect of her. She’s a class act from start to finish but I was most impressed in the scene where she cringes in pain and hurt with her face on the blackboard, after coming face to face with her disgruntled lover, in the same classroom where she now teaches.

           Shreya Reddy as the single woman who comes as a visiting nurse to the village, is shaping up to be our very own Nanditha Das. The way she breaks down after being groped in her own bedroom and when she is publicly humiliated in the village [for loose morals!]are just two scenes where she excels.

           With jaw dropping performances, both girls have proven what Tamil actresses are capable of when given the opportunity. There were no figure hugging, ultra revealing outfits or location shooting in expensive foreign countries. Neither did they have to be saved by the hero after gravity defying fight scenes! Yet, Sneha and Shreya [the Thimiru actress not the Sivaji sex symbol] walk away with dignity.

            As Pallikoodam goes back and forth in flashbacks, we get to experience the themes of suffering, loyalty, friendship, perseverance, bigotry and hope quite vividly, which speaks volumes for the cinematographer and screenplay writer Thankar Bachan.

           Thankar also shows an on location picturization of a racy song [Rosemary] that shows an ample bosomed actress flashing her assets as she duets with a heavily made-up ‘hero’. Why? I interpret it as a frustrated Thankar venting out at an audience that seems to be gravitating towards glamorous, skimpily attired actresses and formulaic heroes!

            I could be wrong. Maybe I’m reading too much into his motives. Maybe it was just meant to be an added attraction, lest people label Pallikoodam as a drab art movie, which it is not.

           Fact is, Pallikoodam is far from that. It is a feel good movie with poignant, touching moments, plenty of nostalgia, good humour and a jolly happy ending. Thank you Thankar Bachan for dragging Tamil cinema back to the right direction.