'Ponmagal Vandhal' review: The Jyotika starrer is much more than courtroom drama

Director: JJ Fredrick

Cast: Jyotika, R. Parthiben, Pratap Pothen, and Bhagyaraj 

Streaming on: Amazon Prime Video 

The first scene of Ponmagal Vandhal sets the tone for the movie, which delves deep into several social issues. With a runtime of 125 minutes, the film brushes upon issues like rape, sexual abuse, honour killing, victim shaming, sexism, and much more. The movie set in the idyllic location of the Nilgiri Mountains starts with the glimpses of a sensational case that occurred back in 2004.

The ghosts of the past come back when the case is reopened by a young lawyer named Venba, played by Jyotika. Meanwhile, Jyotika and Bhagyaraj (her father) fight to prove the innocence of a wrongly convicted woman Jyoti. On the other hand, Parthiben and Thiagarajan fight to prove that Jyoti was rightly convicted.  While Jyotika is the backbone of Ponmagal Vandhal, it is a delight to watch Bhagyaraj in the role of Jyotika's father, so are Parthiban and Pratap Pothen, who have small yet effective roles in the thriller. 

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Ponmagal Vandhal that traces the journey of two women- Venba and Jyothi will take the audiences through a myriad of emotions with its impressive acting performances. The film follows a non-linear format, which acts as a hindrance while watching the movie on an OTT platform because there are chances that the audience will lose a grasp over the story. However, the cast's compelling performance will keep the audience hooked. 

Check out the trailer 

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The movie, written and directed by debutant JJ Fredrick has a gripping first half, however, it fails to continue the momentum through the second half, which is slow and over-dramatic. However, the acting performances tend to hold the film together. Meanwhile, the camera cranked by Ramji manages to portray the mise en scène beautifully without tampering the mood and performances of the actors.

The music of Ponmagal Vandhal composed by Govind Vasantha is raw and melodious. Songs like Vaan Thooralgal and Vaanamai Naan that fit into the screenplay perfectly. With a gripping tale and impressive acting performances, Ponmagal Vandhal will leave you with a beautiful message. 

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