Some of the best screenplays in cinema history feature characters that create a certain impression at first, but much later, make us question and change our perspectives about them. But it's also important to have these characters evolve or make certain choices that look convincing to us. So it's a cause for celebration when you get a film that has put in the work to ensure that it makes the audience work too — to figure out who they should be rooting for, who they most identify with, or make them look at unrelatable characters in a new light.
Ponman, written by GR Indugopan and Justin Mathew, marks the directorial debut of production designer Jothish Shankar, who has worked in films such as Kumbalangi Nights, Bramayugam, and Android Kunjappan. His work in Ponman is a testament to the fact that all that knowledge and expertise he gained working with some of contemporary Malayalam cinema's most sensible and game-changing filmmakers has eventually worked in his favour.
Ponman is one of those rare films where not even one second is dull or boredom-inducing. Every character has a purpose; every character has a clear reason for doing what they do; every character has their share of vulnerabilities; and every character is answerable to somebody.
Basil Joseph plays a gold dealer named Ajesh who arranges to 'rent' a certain weight of jewellery for weddings, to people who may not have the necessary means and time to provide for the bride. It's a heavy-risk job because it's a matter of survival and credibility.
The initial stretch of the film, where one character's unrestrained ego creates a mess for everyone associated with him, provides the necessary fodder for some superbly written, high-intensity drama that later follows. Without giving anything away, I will say that something goes seriously wrong that causes a massive headache for Basil's character who is a picture of desperation, confidence and arrogance all rolled into one.
Though gold is the source of all problems in the story, the film doesn't forget to remind you that it was someone's knee-jerk reaction that started it all and caused a snowballing effect similar to what we saw in the film Ayyappanum Koshiyum. Beginning with the bride's mother who is deeply concerned about creating a certain impression in front of others, to the bride who has to bear the burden of problems created by the men around her, to the men who are born to circumstances that test their mettle and their principles... everyone's reputation is at stake.
I don't think we can really say that Ponman belongs to just one character or actor. It's as much a story that belongs to Lijomol Jose, Anand Manmadhan, or Sajin Gopu as it does to Basil Joseph. This is one of those films where we can clearly remember the names of all major characters. All these actors are aptly cast, and once the film is done, we cannot imagine anyone else in the roles of Basil Joseph, Anand Manmadhan, Lijomol Jose or Sajin Gopu. These actors were cast for a damn good reason.
This is also one of those films that give us a clear sense of the geography in which the story is set, the mood of a city, its people, events, shopping complexes, or lodges. Whenever the story switches from a city segment to a hamlet or vice versa, we find it easy to keep track of the progression of the events. It also accommodates enough time to get us acquainted with every character so that we get a better understanding of their backgrounds, personality traits and motives.
Interestingly, it doesn't follow the same background-revealing approach for every character. In the beginning, some are kept at a distance and much later, when things take an unexpected turn, the film takes a brief moment to show us the background of a particular character to inform us that this is the person for whom the film's heart really beats.
Even some of the supporting characters make quite an impression, like Deepak Parambol whose presence takes care of the occasional comic relief, like when he plays Jesus in a play when something serious is happening on the other side. It looks as though even God is powerless and it's up to the humans to take care of their business themselves.
Cinematographer Sanu John Varghese's camera captures the pulse of the film's locations in a way that we rarely get to see in movies. Even when things get quite intense, he captures the action in a coherent manner, with the expert editing of Nidhin Raj Arol serving to enhance it. Justin Varghese's music sounds refreshingly new and is fused in the most suitable places without interfering with the narrative rhythm.
Film: Ponman
Director: Jothish Shankar
Cast: Basil Joseph, Anand Manmadhan, Lijomol Jose, Sajin Gopu, Deepak Parambol
Rating: 4/5