'Pon Manickavel': A murder mystery that's lost its plot
19-November-2021
Director Mugil Chellappan's 'Pon Manickavel' is a run-of-the-mill entertainer with all those elements that were considered essential for commercial success in Tamil cinema at one point in time.
The film begins with a brutal murder. The Chief Justice of a High Court is first shot dead and then beheaded. The case baffles cops as there are four bullet marks on the body of the judge, but no bullets. Adding to their problem is the fact that the bullets used to kill the judge haven't been fired from the same gun. Two are of one kind and the other two, of another.
As pressure mounts on the administration to crack the sensational murder case, the cops have no option but to bring in one of their best, Pon Manickavel (Prabhu Deva). How he gets to the bottom of the case is what the film is all about.
The film starts off on an impressive note, but almost immediately, loses focus. It gets busy showcasing and establishing the altruistic nature of the hero, instead of sticking to the investigation.
If one sequence shows how the hero employs kindness to get the information he requires from a man being interrogated, another shows him coming to the rescue of a disgruntled policeman serving under him, thereby winning his loyalty.
The film doesn't just stop there. It shows how Pon Manickavel is a dutiful husband to his wife Anbarasi (Nivetha Pethuaraj), waiting outside an examination hall for her to finish her exams when he must be out there investigating a sensational case.
Watch This TWL Video
After it is done glorifying the hero's character, the focus once again returns to the case at hand. Certain portions that are crucial to the case, however, are just narrated in a hurry, making the plot lose its intensity.
The film could have been a lot more engaging, had unnecessary fight-and-song sequences been cut.
On the performance front, Nivetha Pethuraj as Anbarasi does a neat job. She hasn't got much to do, but she dazzles in those portions in which she appears.
Prabhu Deva, who plays a cop for the first time in his acting career, isn't entirely convincing as Pon Manickavel. The actor does impress in certain sequences, but he looks too lean in certain other sequences, especially those with fights.
Suresh Menon as Arjun K. Maran comes up with a commendable performance as does late director Mahendran, who plays the character of Nasrathulla.
The film's biggest asset is its music. D. Imman's background score is just fantastic. It plays a crucial role in helping the director convey the mood of each sequence to the audience. K.G. Venkatesh's visuals are clean and clutter-free.
In short, 'Pon Manickavel' does have a story, but sadly, it isn't entertaining or engaging enough.- IANS
More Headlines
Trinamool To Hold Protest Rallies On Monday Against Amit Shah’s Ambedkar Remarks: Mamata Banerjee
Five-Time Haryana CM Om Prakash Chautala Passes Away at 89
DMK Plans Protests Across Tamil Nadu Over HM Shah’s Ambedkar Remarks
BJP MP Alleges Rahul Gandhi Pushed Him, LoP Dismisses Claim
Passengers May Face Inconvenience With ‘Rail Roko’ Protest In Punjab
Trinamool To Hold Protest Rallies On Monday Against Amit Shah’s Ambedkar Remarks: Mamata Banerjee
Five-Time Haryana CM Om Prakash Chautala Passes Away at 89
DMK Plans Protests Across Tamil Nadu Over HM Shah’s Ambedkar Remarks
BJP MP Alleges Rahul Gandhi Pushed Him, LoP Dismisses Claim
Passengers May Face Inconvenience With ‘Rail Roko’ Protest In Punjab