Oru Pakka Kathai directed by Balaji Tharaneetharan was set in motion as early as 2014 but did not see the light of day until 2020. After many hurdles, the film starring Megha Akash and Kalidas Jayaram premiered on 25th December on Zee 5. The story revolves around a young college-going couple, both from traditional God-fearing families, who fall in love. When their emotions take the better of them on one occasion, the girl discovers that she is pregnant. But the families who reluctantly make a plan to get the couple married to avoid embarrassment, are thrown into a tizzy when it is discovered that the girl is still a virgin. In attempting to understand this rarest form of pregnancy, they are forced to reanalyze the meaning of faith and their own prejudices.
An interesting concept on common perceptions
Balaji Tharaneetharan the director is known for creating humor and intrigue from commonplace situations like in his successful Naduvula Konjam Pakatthu Kaanum.In Oru Pakka Kadhai too, the filmmaker works with a very common dilemma that occurs in families and gives us some relevant things to think about through the twist in the plot. He takes the concepts of superstitious beliefs and scientific facts about intimacy and sex and challenges the audience to question the blurred lines between them through a good screenplay. In addition, the trademark deadpan comedy also makes these events even more enjoyable and relatable.
The second half loses its grip to become preachy
Unfortunately, Oru Pakka Kadhai loses its lighthearted vein of the first half by taking itself a tad too seriously as it progresses. As a result, there is too much sermonising and preaching with the film veering into the serious side of belief, religion, and faith. This is where it loses its novelty which was evident amply in the initial portions of the films. This was also supposed to mark the debuts of Kalidas Jayaram and Megha Akash and their rawness and inexperience are shown. Further, the director is trying to bring in too many angles to his concepts fails to culminate the story in a believable fashion.
WATCH OR NOT
There’s a lot to like in Oru Pakka Kadhai. It is light and breezy for the most part while giving the audience some thought-provoking moments about common occurrences and how they are viewed and analyzed in society and is a good watch
Director: Balaji Tharaneetharan
Cast: Kalidas Jayaram,Megha Akash
Streaming on: Zee 5
Language: Tamil
