Excess of double entendre spoils a sensitive tale

In ‘Petromax’, five characters narrate a single story, interacting directly with the audience.

Four abandoned babies grow up in an orphanage. Once they (three boys and a girl) are employed, they are advised to leave the orphanage and lead a meaningful life. They (Nagabhushana, Arun Kumar, Sathish Ninasam, Hariprriya) find it difficult to get a house on rent as no owner is ready to permit three unmarried boys and an unmarried girl to stay together.

The search for a house brings them to a realtor’s office, who in turn strikes a deal with an elderly woman, whose past is heart-wrenching. How all six tales merge and become an independent tale forms film’s climax.

Director Vijay Prasad tries to redefine the tried and tested idea of the mother-son relationship. The flick has valuable lessons for parents, youngsters and society at large. Scenes involving K S Sridhar, as head of the orphanage, and Vijayalakshmi Singh, as helpless mother, are relatable. The philosophy they preach remains most interesting aspect of the film. Every character is perfectly cast, with Vijayalakshmi Singh being the best of the lot.

The first-half tests the patience as the screenplay drags unnecessarily. The second-half is better as it sheds light on the complex nature of human relationships.

Prasad’s excess dose of double entendre spoils the content’s seriousness. It is frustrating and embarrassing in many places. The double meaning dialogues don’t sync with the film’s content. ‘Petromax’ is a one-time watch as the filmmaker fails to repeat the magic of his two previous outings ‘Neer Dose’ and ‘Sidlingu’.