Sweet Kaaram Coffee
Introduction
It is a Thursday but the new releases have started pouring in already! Unlike the last weekend, this weekend is packed with so many new releases that I will have to work overtime! But who is complaining! So without wasting any time, I finished watching the first season of a Tamil webseries Sweet Kaaram Coffee which is now streaming on Amazon Prime.
It was last year that I had predicted in my review of the Tamil series Tamil Rockerz that things will get better as far as the webseries content from down South is concerned. That was at the time when the film industries from the South were hitting it out of the park in the shorter format(movies) while not having quite translated their success in the longer format(webseries). One year later, things have changed and the progress has been slow yet steady. There have a been a few gems that have come out which has given me hope for even better content in the days to follow. As far as Sweet Karam Coffee was concerned, I knew nothing about the show, yet the drama gave me a feel good vibe to it. So then does the series Sweet Kaaram Coffee manage to make you day sweeter, lets find out.
Story & Screenplay
Sweet Kaaram Coffee follows the story of three women of a family belonging to three generations, who set out on an impulsive roadtrip following certain issues in their household. The story does have a sweet little vibe to it in what was essentially a slice of life narrative. The screenplay standing at 8 episodes ranging from 30 odd to 40 odd minutes each does make for a compelling watch wherein you are invested in the journey of the protagonists.
The drama does open slightly on a wobbly note wherein the three protagonists are introduced while acquainting the viewers with their issues with the ‘men’ in their lives. Now why I say wobbly was because the events did seem to be slightly cliched and manipulated as opposed to being organic. And that can be an issue wherein you are presenting the issues directly without the viewers being aware of the baggage that the characters are carrying. But after a minor blip, the fun begins when the protagonists impulsively plan a roadtrip. And as the road trip genre goes, the events are always fun to witness!
The drama is a slow burn and requires patience to allow its flavours to seep in. The proceedings are layered and engrossing with the drama quickly staging frequent flashbacks that help you understand the characters better. This was important given how the viewers needed to be invested in the characters and their journey of self discovery. And this was perhaps the strongest element of the drama which did ooze of a positive vibe throughout. The events showcased are heartwarming and I was particularly impressed with the cultural representation of the different places that the protagonists visit. Each place did have a different flavour with different set of people that made for such a refreshing watch. In between, there was a little attempt at a multiverse with one character of a very popular show on Amazon Prime(surprise surprise). Do check that out as well.
At its core, the drama does make a mark with the emotions. But on the slightly downside, certain scenes are prolonged that really make the emotions linger on for more than I would have liked, particularly in the final act. The scenes could have been a little more concise as the point being made was getting repetitive. Having said that, certain issues that would have to face in their daily lives is nicely tapped into and it was certainly a liberating feeling to watch them go on a roadtrip which was also in many ways inspiring. The final act does resolve quite a few threads while setting up things quite well for its next season. Overall, the screenplay is pretty well written and makes for an ideal watch over a leisurely rainy afternoon.
Dialogues, Music & Direction
The dialogues are conversational and there is a sense of positivity to the conversations which are refreshing to watch. The music is beautiful and blends so well with the drama. The BGM is subtle but quite breathtaking with the manner in which it is used. The cinematography comprises of some beautiful frames that captures some scenic locations beautifully while keeping the vibe of the drama intact. The editing is pretty good as well. The costumes are peppy and quirky representing each character wonderfully well. The director’s chair is shared by three individuals namely Bejoy Nambiar, Swathi Raghuraaman and Krishna Marimuthu and all of them manage to capture the vibe of the drama quite well. Yes, there does seem to be breaks in the style of a few episodes which is understandable but it doesn’t hamper the overall impact of the drama.
Performances
The performances are wonderful here. Sampa Mandal, Amrutha Srinivasan as Young Deva and Padmavati Rao as Deva all have their moments to shine. Kavin Jay Babu as Rajaratnam, Ranjini Prabhu as Young Sundari, Dev as Karthik, Bala Suresh as Bala and Samyuktha Viswanathan as Young Kaveri are first rate and they leave a lasting impact. Alexx O’Nell as Robert and Ayesha Kapur as Julia are absolutely wonderful to watch. Vamsi Krishna as Vikram has such a wonderful presence onscreen in a job does beautifully well.
Lakshmi as Sundari is such a joy to watch in a very layered character with complex emotions. Madhoo as Kaveri looked beautiful and was wonderfully restrained in her character that had so many fears and insecurities to begin with. Santhy Balachandran as Nivi is simply outstanding here, and she does showcase her vulnerability and emotions wonderfully well. The three of them feed off energy from each other resulting in a wonderful joyride.
Conclusion
The first season of Sweet Kaaram Coffee is a refreshing little road trip laced with positivity and self discovery that makes for a splendid watch. Available on Amazon Prime.
