Pasanga

There is a thoughtful ringtone running gag in the movie. It jumps at you suddenly and you think it is one of those set pieces incorporated by separate comedy tracks using scores from old movies to create the comic mismatch effect. But it is not. It is the ringtone playing and provides for some original laughs.

The movie works because of that original writing and real characters. Where do directors like Sasikumar and the new guy – Pandiaraj, find these actors? Vega is the only known face and all the performances are first rate. Vega and the guy who plays her love interest have some of the best lines and their romance is built up wonderfully.

For a film titled Pasanga, the performances of the kids is mandatory. The kids do it beautifully and their antics are lovable for the most part. Dandilsa and I had this small discussion on how kids are irritating in many movies. Even in few moments in Anjali. Thankfully, not the case here. They are all quite natural. Everything from the ragging, Kamal Haasan spoofs, Vijay Kant spoofs, the manipulative nature, the competetive spirit – works.

What I personally liked in the concept is the fact that nobody is evil. Especially, the initially predictable school teacher character who is also Jeeva’s father. There is no nepotism or any other issue that would have driven the movie on a different tangent. This also proves to be the downside for the movie where things are mostly feel good, that the director has no clue how to wrap it up. Thats the reason you get an awful last hour introducing melodrama that was thankfully avoided until then. And not to mention the incongrous emotional ending for a movie that had realism written all over it. In Pandiaraj’s defense, he probably wanted to give a nod to Anjali.

Do yourself two favors this week. Watch Pasanga. And vote!