'Putham Pudhu Kaalai' review: A soul-stirring film which makes for a perfect weekend watch

• Directors: Sudha Kongara, Gautham Menon, Suhasini Maniratnam, Rajiv Menon, and Karthik Subbaraj.
• Cast: Jayaram, Urvashi,  Kalyani Priyadarshan, Shruti Haasan, Suhasini Maniratnam, Anu Hasan, Kathadi Ramamurthy, among others.
• Reviewer rating: 4/5

Also Read | Will There Be A Season 3 Of 'The Boys' On Amazon Prime Video? Read Here

The plot

Amazon Prime’s recent drop, Putham Pudhu Kaalai is an anthology film made by five known South Indian film directors namely, Sudha Kongara, Gautham Menon, Suhasini Maniratnam, Rajiv Menon and Karthik Subbaraj. The movie narrates the tale of characters in different segments, which come from different age groups, however, have a similar inclination towards their family or friends, when love strikes. Set in the backdrop of a COVID-19 lockdown, the movie puts forth unseen human emotions which are hardly ever shown in Tamil cinema onscreen.

Also Read | Anirudh Ravichander Birthday: 10 Songs Of 'Pakkam Vanthu' Singer To Listen To

Putham Pudhu Kaalai is all about love, hope, desperation, vulnerability, companionship and poverty, which is perfectly weaved into the lives of these characters, who are tangled in a tale of enthralling chemistry, irrespective of the nature of their relationship with each other. Putham Pudhu Kaalai offers clichés in abundance, however, allows your mind to wander, advising it to be hopeful, with its unique storytelling. The directors have hit high notes in exploring the depths of human emotions, as it presents the adversities and vulnerabilities of love, however, showing how wonderful it is to fall in love.

Also Read | Will There Be A Season 3 Of 'The Boys' On Amazon Prime Video? Read Here

What works well?

The backdrop of the COVID lockdown has worked very well for the film, as it successfully shows how difficult it is to be there for someone (without actually having to be there). To sum it all up, Putham Pudhu Kaalai is light on the mind and easy on the eyes. However, what makes the show so enthralling is the mindful work of the directors, who have managed to stick to the basic premise and have not explored ‘unwanted’ areas to make the film ‘majority-friendly’. 

Speaking of the actors’ performances, Jayaram’s work in Ilamai Idho Idho comes as a breath of fresh air, as the actor has managed to break his 'comical' image with his work. Meanwhile, Andrea Jeremiah and Leela Samson fit perfectly into the characters allotted to them. On the other hand, MS Bhasker’s performance in the series uplifts the cliché 'fun dad' episode. Overall, Putham Pudhu Kaalai is a soul-stirring weekend watch.

Also Read | Anirudh Ravichander Birthday: 10 Songs Of 'Pakkam Vanthu' Singer To Listen To

(Image credits: A still from Putham Pudhu Kaalai)