Movie review - Pattalam

Debutant director Rohan Krishna, who worked as assistant with Priyadharshan and Santosh Sivan, has come out with a movie that is strikingly different from the rest. At a time when college campus and romance among the students form the crux in movies, Rohan has opted for life among students in a school. The emotion, camaraderie and friendship shared between group of friends studying higher secondary forms the crux.

Produced and distributed by director Lingusamy for Thirupathy Brothers, the movie has its moments though it stutters and staggers as it progress. In a nutshell, Pattalam is about a group of adolescent children who make impossible things possible thanks to guidance of their teacher.

Rohan had acquired enough skill in handling the theme. His teleserial Kana Kanum Kalangal revolved around school and was widely admired by students. Though he could not replicate the small screen magic on the bigger canvas, he can be appreciated for thinking out of the box and avoiding all commercial clichs and gory violence.

The film is about two groups of four adolescents in Holy Bells School, who are pitted against each other. Their encounters make up the first part. Daisy (Nadiya) is the correspondent of the school. A psychologist to, Daisy manages a mental asylum. She believes that students in her school can be disciplined only through love and no hard punishment will reform them. Thanks to her 'innovative' ways, these students gets united and even helps the school win athletic championship. But a fateful incident on the farewell day snatches the life of a student and it leaves an impact on others.

Nadhiya is the center around whom the whole movie revolves. She oozes grace and elegance in her role. An apt choice, she walks away with all applause. The whole lot of youngsters in the movie play their part well. Among the students, Irfan, Hari and Balaji from 'Kana Kaanum Kalangal' team does a neat job.

Jassie Gift's songs are peppy but loud on many occasions. The re-recording is praiseworthy. Lingusamy should be praised for producing a movie without any commercial compromise.

Rohan has tried his best in sustaining interest in the movie. It begins well and proceeds at good speed only to lose its way half through.