Pasanga

Herald an honest effort that reaffirms our faith in clean cinema. Doff your hats to Pandiraj for his bold maiden effort.

His ‘Pasanga’ is joie-de-vivre. Encouraged by the rousing reception ‘Subramaniapuram’ received, producer-director Sasikumar and music director James Vasanthan return with another winner — ‘Pasanga’ (Kids/Children).

Like the earlier off-beat flick, ‘Pasanga’, a paean to childhood, is delightful indulgence.
Not that ‘Pasanga’ is free from familiar faults and foibles.

The pitfalls notwithstanding, ‘Pasanga’ is praise-worthy providing untinted perceptive peek into the idyll childhood is.

Adeptly assisted by all-around contribution — soulful music, picturesque cinematography, pristine art, impeccable performances — kids and adults alike, Pandiraj’s ‘Pasanga’ is bravura picture.

Pandiraj’s eclectic screenplay concerns a clutch of children at a government school in Virachilai, Pudukottai, where bully Jeeva Nithyanandam (Sriram) and his boisterous bunch — Pakkada and Kuttimani, rule the roost.

There arrives studious and helpful Anbukkarasu (Kishore), driven by circumstances at home, who cocks a snook at Jeeva and his bratpack.

That Jeeva’s sister Keerthana admires Anbu rubs salt into Jeeva’s already bruised self-importance. Capturing quirks, quarrels, camaraderie, angst and anxiety, et al, of these children with dollops of adolescent humour and hungama, ‘Pasanga’, a coming of age movie, strums your heart-strings.

Running parallel is the romance between Anbu’s uncle and Jeeva’s elder sister, a school teacher.

Prosaic yet profound, ‘Pasanga’, subtly driving its homily, makes for a fine family fare.