Ram’s films are becoming increasingly difficult to process as a whole, demanding a second watch. The worlds he builds through his films can best be described as Ram’s Universe, which is populated by characters that are flawed, volatile and more importantly, real. But, Amudhavan (Mammootty) in Peranbu is the least judgemental of Ram’s protagonists.
The film opens with a voice-over by Amudhavan, narrating a few significant episodes from his life, urging us to realise how gifted we are. It’s like taking a peek into someone’s deeply personal journal. For every chapter in Amudhavan’s life, Ram uses nature as a metaphor to show the character’s transition — his state of mind, for instance, mirrors nature’s various moods, such as its beauty, cruelty and surprises. A self-centred Amudhavan returns from Dubai to take care of his spastic daughter Paapa (Sadhana in a breakout performance). His wife just left him for another man. Amudhavan may not be a good husband, but he hopes to be a great father.
- Director: Ram
- Cast: Mammootty, Sadhana, Anjali and Anjali Ameer
- Storyline: A devastating tale of a single father, whose spastic daughter comes to terms with her sexuality
He leaves the city and relocates to a secluded place, away from society. Paapa, on the other hand, despises the mere presence of her father. In one of the most cruel scenes, he asks what Pappa wants and she replies, “Amma.”
The first half hour or so beautifully sets the drama. The father and daughter eventually bond. But their happiness doesn’t last long as issues start to surface. This is when Peranbu is replete with Ram-ness. A sub-plot about Viji (Anjali), who makes a fleeting appearance as a caretaker, is playfully served as an unintentional comedy of sorts. The scene where Amudhavan meets his estranged wife or the one where he calls marriage “legalised prostitution” is quintessentially Ram.
The character arc of Meera (Anjali Ameer), a transgender sex worker, is perhaps the film’s single greatest achievement. Peranbu relishes the opportunity to question several norms that are brushed off in society.
One could understand why Ram was persistent about casting Mammootty. Because, no other actor would have had the courage to take up such a complex character and yet, pull it off convincingly without having to emotionally manipulate the audience. Watch out for Amudhavan’s helplessness when he discovers that Pappa is no longer a paapa , but a woman. Watch out for the scene where one can literally see Amudhavan’s mind oscillating in the presence of Viji. The film brings back the Mammootty we have been missing lately. Theni Easwar’s pensive cinematography gives an impression of watching an Iranian film. Closer home, the tonality is very similar to that of Ram’s mentor Balu Mahendra. For, the frame-within-frame style of cinematography captures the depth of the scene and shows the film’s most intimate moments.
In Peranbu , Ram takes up a delicate subject that’s hardly been explored in mainstream cinema. It also makes us think on certain societal taboos that we wouldn’t have otherwise cared for. There have been films about people with disabilities.
Peranbu is a rare film that humanises their issues, and drives home a necessary point: that it’s normal for differently-abled people to have sexual feelings. As a reviewer, it’s not my job to influence readers. But I know this is exactly what I’m doing now: iIf there’s one film that needs to be cherished on the big screen, it is Peranbu .
