Padmini
Introduction
Onto the next release of the weekend(yes, the leftovers are still on) and I have finished watching the new Malayalam film Padmini which is now streaming on Netflix. By now you know my love for Malayalam cinema but the film gave me another reason to be excited for it. And this is because, the film is directed by Senna Hegde who had previously directed the phenomenal Malayalam film Thinkalazhcha Nishchayam, a film that I highly recommended to watch if you haven’t on SonyLiv. That film definitely established my faith in the director who did weave a heartwarming tale of confusion and chaos against the backdrop of a wedding which was underway. And while the Malayalam film industry is going through a minor lull(relatively speaking), I had my hopes pinned up on Padmini to bring back my enthusiasm to life(related to Malayalam films). That said, does Padmini manage to impress, lets find out.
Story & Screenplay
Padmini follows the story of a man who refrains from getting married again after his wife leaves him on the night of his wedding. Will he find love again? Now I have purposely kept the plot of the film vague to avoid any spoilers which would disrupt your viewing experience but the story here is hilarious to the core and accounts for an enjoyable watch. The screenplay standing at 2 hours does create some interesting situations with respect to the character dynamics that makes for a thoroughly entertaining watch!
The drama does begin on a hilarious note with all the voiceovers that paint a picture of an ongoing wedding which is underway. The entire picture is so accurate with a tinge of humour that it does put a smile on your face instantly. Soon, you are introduced to the new married couple on their first wedding night together who decide to take a stroll following a powercut. In a hilarious turn of events, the bride has her lover waiting for her for them to escape, thus leaving the husband behind. This prelude of 10 minutes does sets the ball rolling for the rest of the drama to follow.
The proceedings are engaging and meticulously written even with the references that act as a foreshadow for things to follow. In fact, I was often questioning as to why time was being invested in some of the subplots while slightly diverting from the main plot. But all of those references slowly started to make sense with the drama unfolding further. Another interesting aspect of the writing was its character development that often results in a bout of humour. Yet, it is a poignant satire that acts as an undercurrent after the halfway mark that truly hits home. I won’t be divulging much details about the case to avoid spoilers but it did tackle such a relevant issue in the most hilarious manner possible.
The events leading up to the final act are interesting while primarily being centered about the ‘hunt’. However, I did feel that the final act was quite underwhelming as the flow in the screenplay was stalled while giving a feeling of the writing manipulating the plot as opposed to a natural progression to the end. Had the focus shifted to the court case before the final act(in a slightly more elaborate manner), it would have made a little more sense which was the missing link between the two events. But overall, the screenplay does work in generating humour while also leaving you with a lingering sense of poignancy.
Dialogues, Music & Direction
The dialogues are hilarious and written with a sense of quirkiness that makes for a solid impact. The music and BGM are good and blend well with the drama, at times adding to its humour quotient as well. The cinematography is excellent capturing many frames with a tinge of humour. The editing is crisp and sharp only minutely faltering towards the end. Director Senna Hegde does a phenomenal job yet again in weaving a tale which is genuinely funny while also forcing you to think on the situation that the protagonist finds himself in. The drama was engaging and the director deserves full marks for that.
Performances
The performances are absolutely brilliant here. Anaswara Rajan as Monisha, Ganapathy Poduval as Rahul and Malavika Menon as Laya manage to impress despite a limited screen time. Althaf Salim as Siju and Anand Manmadhan are hilarious and do manage to tickle your funny bone. Sajin Cherukayil as Jayan was such a joy to watch as a goofy but regressive guy who suffers from suspecting his partner every now and then. He was hilarious to the core.
Vincy Aloshious as Smruthy may not be a very affable character given her actions but she does a wonderful job in bringing out the psyche of her character with a tinge of humour. Madonna Sebastian as Padmini(trigger warning for her name : 😅) looks pretty and pulls off her character with a lot of dignity. Aparna Balamurali as Sreedevi is wonderfully restrained and just so affable, and she is brilliant to watch. Kunchacko Boban as Rameshan does a phenomenal job as well in a character that had a calm demeanor with sudden bouts of anger. This showcased his mindset of the negativity and the depression that he was undergoing in a balanced manner. A trust Kunchacko to pull off this complex character with ease!
Conclusion
Padmini is a hilarious joyride with stellar performances that makes for an enjoyable watch. Available on Netflix.
