Film- Oru Nodi
Director- B. Mani Varman
Cast- Thaman Kumar, M.S. Bhaskar, Vela Ramamurthy, Nikita, Vignesh Adithya, Arun Karthi, Karuppu Nambiar, Pazha Karuppaiah, Sri Ranjini, Gajaraj
When a middle aged woman Shakunthala (Sri Ranjini) approaches the police with a complaint about her missing husband Sekharan (MS Bhaskar), cop Paruthi (Thaman) and his team get into action. Sekharan carrying a huge sum of money, had been on his way to meet Thyagi a private financier (Ramamurthy), to repay a loan he had taken. As Paruthi tracks the clues and interrogates the various players in the game, a wily politician and the murder of a salesgirl Parvathi (Nikita), complicates matters further.
The screenplay has a smooth natural flow, in the earlier part. There is meticulous attention to details as Paruthi tracks the various clues and suspects. The director has managed to sustain a feel of suspense and intrigue, with red herrings thrown in. He has avoided cliches like the cop-politician nexus, and forced-in fights. The title reflects the essence of the plot.
Where the narrative falters is when it nears its destination, and the revelation happens. Where, one gets a slight jerky feel, the back story to the expose, and the integration of the subplots, not quite matching with the naturalistic feel of the rest of the narration. This whole scenario could have been depicted in a more convincing way. Parvathi’s back story could have been trimmed, it taking up more space than what the plot warranted.
Mani Varman has to be appreciated for his etching of the character of Paruthi. Far removed from stereotypes, Paruthi a non-nonsense cop has a natural demeanour, and doesn’t flaunt his uniform or display his action- prowess all over the place. And this lends a refreshing touch to the character. Thaman’s charming screen presence, his affinity with his character and his ability to fit into it with competence, makes him eminently watchable. Projected in a very flattering light, it’s easily his best role and performance, the film a career booster for the actor. Supporting actors like Vela Ramamurthy, MS Bhaskar, Nikita and Vignesh Adithya provide adequate support.
Despite its glitches, ‘Oru Nodi’ (128 minutes) is worth a watch.
Malini Mannath
Malini Mannath 