Knocked out: My quick take on Amazon Prime’s Tamil film “Sarpatta Parambarai”
Let me rephrase my comment made in one of my earlier movie reviews that the Malayalam Film industry is way ahead when it comes to movie making, but after watching this Tamil film “Sarpatta Parambarai” I have no hesitation to state that the Tamil film industry is ready to challenge the Malayalam movie makers. This movie is written and directed by PA Ranjith who had earlier directed Thallaiva in Kaala and Kabaali. PA Ranjith always comes up with a story of underdogs and he always wears caste equations on his sleeves.
This is a story of boxing clans who have boxing bouts more for pride than for prize money. Since this movie is released just after Toofan, hence the comparisons are bound to happen. (Toofan turned out to be a mild breeze in front of this Sarpatta). Arya plays kabilan, the protagonist he is kept away from boxing by his nagging mother because she had lost Kabilan’s father due to boxing (incidentally father was a champion boxer). As the movie progresses Kabilan gets sucked into boxing and becomes a champion.
For the first time, I enjoyed this XXL-length movie which is nearly 3 hours long, thanks to the wonderful screenplay and PA Ranjith s direction you are glued to the seats. The creative guys have recreated the 1975 era (emergency period with political upheaval) beautifully, the camerawork is simply outstanding, for a change, there are no meaningless dance sequences (which Tamil movies are known for), the choreography of boxing bouts is outstanding and the cherry on the cake is the performances by the extraordinary ensemble of cast. Whosoever who comes in front of the camera hits a sixer, Kabilan nagging mother, his possessive wife, a caretaker and well-wisher Anglo-Indian neighbor, fierce & spiteful antagonist, everybody gave a knockout performance. But the limelight was hogged by Pasupathi who plays the coach and head of the Sarpatta clan (boxing school), for me, this is a Kattappa moment. And the hero Arya, for him this is a rocky moment, he looks and moves around like a seasoned Pugilist.
It is said that most successful movies have a very powerful villain (Remember Gabbar, Mogambo & Shakaal), here too the antagonist played by John Vokken and his funny sidekick (rose) played by Shabeer is too good. But for tad lengthy screenplay and metaphoric (use of blue color, Buddha statues in the ghetto, there is one scene where the hero is literally ‘stripped’ off and his blue colored shorts is pulled off) underplay of caste divide which in my could have been avoided, the overall movie is damn good.
If you have watched Toofan last week then it’s a must-watch for you as it will demonstrate how a movie on Boxing sport is made, if not, you can avoid Toofan and watch this Tamil movie its paisa vasool and I am sure you will be knocked out
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