Parimala and Co Review: Pandiraaj has earned fame for his ability to discover humour, heart and warmth in the mundane family dynamics, so there are a certain amount of expectations that Parimala and Co brings to the table. The film, headed by the ever-reliable Jayaram and Urvashi, tries to mix thriller with domestic comedy, and puts a middle-class family in the heart of a perilous situation. The veteran duo adds the film’s biggest edge, giving it a seamless chemistry, charm and comic timing even in the most rudimentary scenes. They’re joined by a sturdy supporting cast of characters such as Sandy, Mysskin and Yogi Babu who provide moments of entertainment. But with the best intentions and great actors, Parimala and Co can’t keep a balance of its contrasting genres. The comedy, does not really land until a couple of times, the thriller aspects don’t really build the tension until a few times and the script doesn’t quite maximize on the potential of the crazy setup.
The film is about a middle class couple, Jayaram and Urvashi, who are raising their two daughters. When the younger daughter falls for a local strongman, played by Sandy, their lives suddenly take a dark turn. He is constantly harassing and intimidating her, and finding ways to control the people around him through his influence and criminal connections. The story is about whether or not the family can get out from under his thumb and escape the threat that is looming in their midst as their issues escalate.
Of course the best part of the movie is the collaboration between Jayaram and Urvashi. Their chemistry is easy and every scene they appear in is more interesting. To see them cohabit once again is simply a joy! Their acting abilities are one of the biggest reasons for enjoying the movie. Especially Urvashi, who has once again proved herself to be one of the finest Indian film actors. She always gets the timing right with her reactions, the words and expressions just right and understated – and she always brings a smile to her audience’s faces. However, Jayaram complements her beautifully in some scenes as well, particularly the scenes where he challenges her with his sharp counters, observations. They are two of the main actors in the film.
The daughters – Sanjana Krishnamoorthy and Ananthika Sanilkumar – are also good. They do a decent job in the script in terms of character development and both actors play their roles convincingly. Sandy plays the part of the antagonist brilliantly and adds some humour here. In places, his style even seems to be the same as that of Leo. Though he may not be a specific character that is too well developed, he still somehow makes himself present.
Other interesting cast members include Mysskin, who has a pivotal supporting role. His character is a welcome injection of dynamism to the film’s latter half. Some of the comic moments are in the scenes with Mysskin, especially in the climax scenes, and with Urvashi. Even Yogi Babu gets a cameo and gets a few funny timing jokes out in the open before he leaves the narrative.
Sadly, a major flaw in the film is its failure to execute what it promises—genre crossover. It tries to be a dark comedy thriller, but does not give either of these elements the attention they need to make it stick. The sense of humour is only there in bits and pieces, primarily when Jayaram, Urvashi, Mysskin or Sandy are present. The humour doesn’t always work so well outside those times. There are a lot of supporting characters that are not very well developed, and not much room for memorable comedic moments.
The thriller component is even less successful. I always felt there was a pressure to make it tension-filled, and yet still funny. However, the balance never materialises. Not a lot of suspense; the screenplay seldom does much to arouse a viewer’s curiosity about what is to follow. The mystery does not draw me in—just the way the story advances from one scene to another without any particular emotional investment.
The editing further muddies the waters. There are a few sections which seem to be put together hastily. There is an occasional lack of smoothness between scenes that can result in the film’s feeling disjointed. There are many sequences that seem like they aren’t necessary and could be cut short a lot. There was a need for some more editing as it could have been tighter and the whole thing could have been more interesting. Rather, the film often drags on for too long with little to no contribution to the plot by too many scenes.
I wasn’t happy about some of the depiction of communities and localities. Sandy’s character and the world around him constantly makes a connection to a certain area and crime and smuggling. Generalised depictions may be misrepresentative and simplistic. Cinema is most effective when it delves into individuals and not broad generalizations of communities.
The screenplay itself’s quality is no strong enough to elevate the material. There are a number of scenes that fail to carry dramatic weight and the story line doesn’t always keep going. There was a climactic twist at the end, but I didn’t find it very surprising. There’s a lot of anticipation for the reveal and it doesn’t have the same impact as it may have had otherwise. The build-up to the twist is also not as precise as would be required to make things pay off.
Although there are a number of shortcomings, the main reason that Parimala and Co. is watchable is its lead actors. Jayaram and Urvashi bring warmth, charm and humour to the mundane scenes. Their performances make the film never boring. But a good cast cannot save a bad thriller plot, bad comedy, bad editing, and a script that is a predictable formula.
Finally, Parimala and Co is a decent film with a talented cast and a concept that doesn’t make the best of either. I liked parts of it, especially in the Urvashi and Jayaram, but I didn’t feel it could have been so much fun and impactful had it been scripted more sharply and executed better.
Rating: 2.5/5
