'Peranmai' - adventure with social message

By Aravindan DI, Film: 'Peranmai'; Cast: Jayam Ravi, Ponvannan, Vadivelu, Oorvasi; Director: Jananthan; Rating: ***

Director Jananthan, who impressed everyone with his earlier outings "E" and "Iyarkai", has attempted to make an adventurous venture laced with some social message.

At the outset one must applaud Jananathan for trying out different things without resorting to the routine masala formula. He has tried to provide a clean adventurous experience without bothering about love, duet, and comedy.

Peranmai might remind you some Hollywood flicks like "Predator", "Rambo" and "Apocalypto". But Jananthan tries to present it with a social message focussed on a tribal community. He has also attempted to take on the attitude of upper caste people towards others and the fight between have and have-nots.

The filmmaker talks too much about casteist attitude and insensitive approach of the higher officers and girls belonging to upper classes. Some of the dialogues should are so volatile that they are muted by the censor board members.

Coming to the story (thankfully we have a story to tell after a long time), Dhuruvan (Jayam Ravi) is a first generation graduate from a tribal family. He works as a forest ranger who trains NCC cadets. His superior Ganapathy Ram (Ponvannan) often insults him as he hails from a tribal community. Dhuruvan takes five girls of a college (Dhansika, Maha, Liasri, Saranya and Vasundhara) on a trek to the forest. The girls who hate Dhuruvan hatch a conspiracy to get him punished by his superiors. They are made to feel for their deed, as they come to know of his outstanding personality inside the jungle.

Dhuruvan and his group accidentally come across 16 foreign terrorists who plan to foil Indian Space Research Organisation' bid to launch a rocket, by sneaking through the forest. The terrorists led by Anderson (Roland Kickenger) take on Dhuruvan and the girls.

Meanwhile, Ganapathy Ram, suspecting Dhruvan, starts an operation to find him and 'rescue' the girls. He starts believing that Dhuruvan might have raped and killed a girl, and issues a shoot-at-sight order against him. The rest of the movie deals with how Dhuruvan completes the mission to foil the plan of ultras.

Jeyam Ravi, hitherto considered a romantic young hero, takes a new dimension in "Peranmai". He is at his action-best. He is quite impressive as a masculine hero. However, his dialogue delivery leaves much to be desired.

All the five girls play their part. Special mention should be made of Vasundhara and Dhanishka. Ponvannan fits the bill well while Hollywood actor Roland Kikenger does well too.

Vidyasagar's background score is appealing and Sathish Kumar's cinematography captures the dense jungle at its pristine glory.

--IANS