Pannaiyarum Padminiyum (2014) User Reviews

A simple casual beautiful story about a car and it's owner

[SivakumarBalachandran · 8/10 · 9 February 2014]

Some movies makes you feel different in all of its aspects, PP could be easily listed in that category. A plot which entirely revolves around a car!! Really a new idea and promising that Tamil industry is progressing in a healthier way. Hats off to the debutant director and his crew for this film.

A village drama about a land lord and his pride of owning a Premier Padmini car which was considered as a prestige in the 80's. Casting: Vijay Sethupathi has lived as Murgesan the driver who is treated more like a son in that house. He is so effortless with the way he takes the character with his appearance. JayaPrakash who has always been the promising supporting in recent tamil cinemas has taken the lead role in this movie as Pannaiyar. He has delivered a very solid performance in showing romantic expressions towards his wife and car. Thulasi as Mrs. Pannaiyar is the actual heroine of the movie she is so natural and has done 100% justice to the role of Chellamal. For the first time in the tamil movies we see a natural elderly and matured love story tale and where the youngsters love line has been side tracked and over taken by these two oldies. Absolutely heart warming love between Mr. And Mrs. Pannaiyar and particularly the way they address each other was superb.

Ishwarya Rajesh as the love interest of Murugesan has a very limited scope in the movie. She looked fine in her role with her expressive eyes. It seemed like it was all Muthazhgu of paruthiveeran who started this heroine style. Bala Saravanan as the side kick of vijay fires the comedy crackers which was enjoyable throughout. Neelima as the greedy and demanding daughter of Panniyar has added the little negative shade needed for the movie about all goodness and no violence. Cameo roles by Dinesh who narrates the story to us and Sneha were no surprise element because they were included in the flow of the movie.

The movie was initially a success as a short film. Debutant director Arun Kumar has made a sincere attempt in expanding it into a refreshing feature film and has succeeded in keeping us engaged. Cinematography by Gokul Binoy was absolutely brilliant in the way he has captured the liveliness of the village and has made us believe in the car as an important character. Music by Justin converted the entire movie into a melody with his BGM.

To the negative side I have not much but length of the movie could have been reduced by 15 - 20 mins. Some scenes you feel the movie is too slow but I feel that's because it's nature of the plot

Verdict: Get inside for a soothing story of an old man and his bonding towards his car and wife. You will feel happy and satisfied in the end, if you are a lover of story and acting based movies with absolutely no violence. Watch it with your family definitely this will bring up nostalgic feelings of your own first car and village visits.

-Reviewed by Sivakumar Balachandran [e-mail])

excellent movie...proud that its a Tamil movie!!! :)

[karthic333 · 9/10 · 15 March 2014]

This movie was something completely unexpected, these days movies are so much hyped n then turns out to be crap but this movie surprised me to the core.

It was wonderful... a must watch. Every character in this movie have acted so well that I can't point out whose better. Everyone has given their best expressions in every scene. The comedy has worked out pretty well in the movie

SNEHA was a unexpected pleasant surprise...!! Very glad that she's back into acting after marriage. I hope she continues her acting.

Too good movie...you'll have a wonderful smile throughout the movie. I can't think of 1 mistake in this movie. I loved it n I'm pretty sure you will too.

I'm really proud that this is a TAMIL movie n more proud where the Tamil movies are reaching in terms of quality scripts. Let more movies keep coming like this !!!

An unavoidable love affair ! .

[sheikalthaf · 8/10 · 25 December 2021]

There are so many children, adults, mothers, so many people here who have lived with the nostalgia of not being able to do the closest thing to themselves for a minute! . The art has come to refresh such nostalgia! .

Flawless. A perfect movie.

[kart-49680 · 10/10 · 7 August 2021]

Flawless. A perfect movie.

Defines and holds a measure, how a feel-good movie should be.

another film for the all-times-classic rerelease series...

[sumathyramesh-92949 · 10/10 · 28 July 2023]

The movie is an essay on the ever-contemporary evolution of every human through the alternating steps of possession and release we climb through, energising while possessing and growing as we give until we are so comfortable with our position with our possessions that the joy of giving is all that's left. Vijay is a natural in portraying powerful emotions through understated flicks of eyelids and it was a joy to see him scale his insecurities and grow with a crisp look here and another there. I started watching the movie thinking I was going to finish it loving the Padmini, not too dissimilar to my experience with the Red balloon(English) or Cycle(Marathi). And I was overwhelmed with the love of the people instead, as they projected their own love for each other on to the car and grew, growing me. The casting is so beautiful- making me want to visit the little village even if only to see a little yellow flower fall gently on to the place where Pannayar's Padmini stood.

Clearly another film for the all-times-classic rerelease series, lest most of us who missed watching it the first time are left out.

A HEARTWARMING RIDE !! A MUST WATCH !!

[postsenthil · 9/10 · 27 October 2019]

This quaint little movie is further manifest proof that there is immense beauty in the small and ordinary things/events in life which often go unnoticed in the express and over-wrought existence that we have come to understand as life these days. This movie also serves to reinforce what appears to be a forgotten fact that mandatory scenes in TASMAC shops (read boozing), item numbers, mindless violence and Santhanam's comedy are not essential ingredients for making a Tamil movie.

This simple movie is set in the age of Shaktiman (late 90s), our very own superhero show which was aired on national television and reigned undisputed over the imagination of the nation. The setting is a remote village of Tamil Nadu with a soft-spoken and well-meaning middle-aged landlord (Pannaiyar, as he is called by the villagers) with an equally affectionate wife. When the Pannaiyar comes across a Premier Padmini car at his relative's house, it is love at first sight. In a lucky twist of fate, the relative leaves the car with the landlord when he has to travel out of town to look after his pregnant daughter. The landlord employs Murgesan (Vijay Sethupathy) as the driver who falls in love with the car too. Soon, we see the car, which is almost the sole motorised transport available to the villagers being used by the villagers for all and sundry purposes and consequently, the entire village is enamoured by the car and they see it as a prized possession. Even the landlord's wife who is initially annoyed at her husband's love affair with the car, is also fascinated by it and dreams of her husband driving her to temple on their upcoming anniversary.

The landlord seeks to fulfil his wife's desire and is eager to learn driving. But, Murugesan fears that he may become dispensable if the landlord starts driving by himself and employs several dilatory tactics to fool the gullible landlord. Does the landlord get to learn driving and fulfil his wife's desire on their anniversary ? What happens to Murugesan ? What happens when the coveting daughter of the landlord sets her eye on the car for herself and her husband ? Watch the movie to find the answers. There are also sub plots involving Murugesan's love interest (an expressive Ishwarya) and a quest of a young boy who saves up to earn a ride on the front seat of the car.

Debutante director Arun Kumar has proven his mettle in creating believable characters whom one could relate to and root for. He backs it with apt casting of the leads as well as the supporting cast. The two leads - Jayaprakash as the endearing Pannaiyar and Thulasi as his loving wife - are simply excellent as they emote well and share a warm chemistry. Their performances are accentuated by the fact that their characters were such which required them to maintain a fine balance, failing which they would have become a caricature. Yet, they manage to carry the entire movie on their able shoulders and compensate for the cliches and faults in the writing with their acting chops. I was especially impressed with Jayaprakash who is utterly convincing in his portrayal of the loving landlord. Vijay Sethupathy is convincing in a substantive cameo and Balasaravanan as Peedai brings comic relief. The director's brilliance is evidenced in his writing where he has used the car in a central, yet subtle manner to explore the various dimensions of his characters through the connections they forge with the car.

For a movie which owes its origins to a short film, it feels a tad too long and the length could have been chopped by thirty minutes which would have made it a taut watch. Nevertheless, Arun Kumar tries valiantly by injecting his narrative with healthy doses of situational humour and marshals his technical resources, be it cinematography or the art departments admirably to present an authentic rustic and period feel. Credits are also due to the debutante music director Justin Prabhakaran who has provided some lilting and melodious numbers which herald him as a talent to look forward to.

Despite its flaws, this slice of life drama is a highly entertaining effort by the writer-director Arun Kumar which tugs at your heart and deserves several plaudits. He has dared to debut a movie with two senior character artists as leads and has succeeded in his venture substantially. He deserves kudos for exploring a path that is less trodden and is the latest addition to a growing club of new wave directors in Tamil cinema like Thiagarajan Kumararaja (Aaranya Kaandam), Karthik Subburaj (Pizza), Nalan Kumarasamy (Soodhu Kavvum), Alphonse Putheran (Neram), Balaji Tharaneetharan (Naduvula Konjam Pakkatha Kaanom) and Balaji Mohan (Kadhalil Sodhappuvadhu Eppadi). One feels immensely heartened at these signs which portend healthy auguring for Tamil cinema. Amen !!

Wonderful & Feel Good Movie Ever I Hav Seen

[sivasms1993 · 9/10 · 17 March 2014]

The Movie Cast Vijay Sethupathy & V. Jayaprakash & Tulasi & Bala. These Four Characters Will entertain the whole movie & final climax dinesh character will touch the sense of your heart.

No boring element have placed in movie such a wonderful feel throughout the movie about the car and main cast of four characters.

Watch it with your family definitely this will bring up nostalgic feelings of your own first car and village visits.

This story built from a short film of same name with sensible action is flooded in this movie.

the life engages in a car & The warm love story of a landlord and his wife.

Pannaiyarum Padminiyum (U) --------- my Rating : ★★★★★ U WILL LOVE YOUR CAR

[yunusitboss · 16 February 2014]

Pannaiyarum Padminiyum (U) TAMIL New movie Reviews and lots more Hot news .... LIKE THIS PAGE : English Hindi TAMIL TELUGU Facebook : Movie Review by Yunus Irshad https://www.facebook.com/YunusIrshadsMovieReview

Pannaiyarum Padminiyum (U) --------- my Rating : ★★★★★ U WILL LOVE YOUR CAR

STRENGTHS :- * Casting and Performances : award winning * Story Screenplay Direction : very good by debut-ant * Dialogues were perfect and enjoyable ....

WEAKNESSES :- * Strictly NO weaknesses

FINAL VERDICT :- * Overall.... it is a best Tamil movie till date after a long time ... If u don't watch this then u are missing something to watch in your life ....

The warm love story of a landlord and his wife (and their car).

Stars: Vijay Sethupathi, V. Jayaprakash, Iyshwarya Rajesh | See full cast and crew »

a simple story with extra-ordinary things

[raman2511998 · 7/10 · 25 March 2014]

"Pannaiyarum Padminiyum" is a slow moving hilarious tale of a car and its owner..Though the story is very simple you cannot find any moment which is boring. Plot- Pannaiyar aspires to buy a car and he get one as a gift.He faces many consequences and tackles them with a skillful driver.It is a love story not between Homo Sapiens but between a man and his car.

Vijay Sethupathi has performed excellently in the comic scenes as well as sentimental scenes. Jayaprakash is the man apt for the role and has given his best.Director Arun Kumar deserves an applause for his efforts. The film also portrays a love song between a elderly married couple unlike other films. The Music Director has given what the film needs. There is no violence in the film which fascinates all kinds of people.

A man can watch this film with his whole family and the director has made it so well so that everyone likes it.This film is one of a kind and deserves a rating of 7/10. Have a comfortable journey while watching the film !

True love for a Car

[djcletus · 10/10 · 3 April 2021]

One of the greatest movies that depicts love and the true love for your car.

Most Beautiful film of the year.

[kumarr199 · 7/10 · 10 June 2014]

Pannaiyarum Padminiyum – A journey of a gentleman.

An ample of film-makers have often interested to show us commercial films enhanced with technologies, some auteur prefer to offer us a biopic, and some, in a rare occasion, would like to take us to many years back by showing a captivating period film. Pannaiyarum Padminiyum is one such film where we're allowing ourselves to live in 1980s. However, the film has no room to telling us what the milieu was and what life people had lived. Instead, it shows us love, passion, predilections, and aesthetics of a man towards a car, Padmini.

The central conceit of the film is neither the love, nor the compassion but everything. A Pannaiyar (played by Jayaprakash), landlord of the village, venerate person in the village is given a car, from his relative, to look after during his absence. That's where the film takes-off. But, nobody in the village knows how to drive a cab except, the films third-hero, Vijay Sethupathy. He was merely hired and literally adopted and his wife (played by Thulasi).

Pannaiyarum Padminiyum doesn't have so much of convoluted cast. It has a few, who everyone to be a people we see in our daily life. Pannaiyar, his wife, car driver, and his assistant. The movie not only has a poignant sentiment, but the love between Pannaiyar, and his wife have portrayed well. Each wants others to be happy, so they make compromises in their chores, but they don't. If there are people who don't know how the actual and simple past life were happier than the present fast-running-technology real (fake precisely) world, then Pannaiyar and his wife can be taken as an edifying and quintessence to show them.

Vijay Sethupathy, a kind of person, who doesn't interest in his family but love this Pannaiyar family. He drives the Padmini (the car), teaches Pannaiyar how to drive a car. He fell for a girl (played by Aishawariya), they both had duet songs, romance, intimacy scenes which is another sub-plots of the movie, those were meticulously composed by the new-comer Arun Kumar. Even if this intriguing love sequences weren't included, this film is still pleasant to watch, considering the main backdrop, the car.

Pannaiyar, played by ingenious Jayaprakash. I wonder if there is anyone else who can carry this role, to cast emotions, love, on-screen then this adroit Jayaprakash. Scenes involving him and his wife were salubrious to watch. We once had Late Raghuvaran as a character artist, and then we saw Prakash Raj in different roles, who is now drifted to direction, so Jayaprakash is the replacement. We've seen Jayaprakash as a police-officer, a teacher, a villain, a detective and whatnot. But, in future, if anyone asks you "who is Jayaprakash", and you reply would be "Hey, he is the man who played as Pannaiyar."

How often do we get to see songs theaters without forcing us take break in-between? But, music by Justin Prabhakar should be laudable for his indomitable attempt to give a mellifluous, dulcet songs and lingering "Unakkaga Poranthen" flute as BGM. His discerning in selecting singers is the only reason for these tripping tunes.

Since the film is set on 1980s, the cinematography had to lot of work in lighting, after all, that is his only job. And the art, sketched by CS Balachander, the same person who done for Bala's Paradesi, here too we see the same hut, same street, what we had seen in Paradesi – only the artists different. But, a commendable effort by him and his team not to show non-grainy places.

Pannaiyarum Padminiyum is the most beautiful film made in this year, where we don't have an opportunity to hate it. Could the film have been shorter? Yes.

Pannaiyarum Padminiyum – A journey of a gentleman.

For the love of a car!

[nbsrilatha · 9/10 · 30 December 2019]

This is one of the most unique stories to have emerged from Tamil cinema in recent times. Jayaprakash plays the role of an elderly landlord in a village who has a loving relationship with his wife. The only problem is their married daughter keeps fleecing them of their belongings. A friend leaves his old car with Jayaprakash as he has to be away for sometime. Since Jayaprakash doesn't know how to drive, he enlists the help of Vijay Sethupathi who is delighted to help. The Padmini car becomes an object of emotional attachment for the main characters in the story. One day, Jaya Prakash's manipulative daughter arrives on the scene. Rest of the story is about how an emotional struggle ensues. The song "Unakkaga Pirantheney" is a beautiful ode to love between an elderly couple who have shared a long and warm relationship and stands out as a rare song among the thousands of love songs being written for Tamil cinema.

A heart full movie

[amrithasd · 10/10 · 13 March 2020]

Wonderful movie taking you back to the old days. Must watch movie, Amidst the better inventions till date the story tells the relationship between the people and the landlord's bond with a Premiere padmini car 🚗

Amazing movie

[prashgzp · 10/10 · 20 May 2021]

Amazing cast , story , cinematography ! All the characters did 10/10.

Heart whelming, satisfying, emotional rollercoaster

[vijaykarthickvk · 10/10 · 29 August 2023]

It is a story between an land lord, his son like servent and a vintage premier padmini car. There is no flaws or lags found in the 2h 27m film. Such an underrated gem 💎. There are many predominant characters but none of the characters doesn't feel useless or waste of time to the story. It is one of the few films which potrayed the romance of a old couple beautifully. Music is upto the mark. Cinematography, editing and screenplay just mind blowing. Kudos to the director who delivered such a beautiful story which unfolds in a village, no one would believe this is the director's debut film. I've just watched the movie 8 years after the release. It's not late to appreciate a masterpiece.

One of the best film I have ever seen

[debjyotichanda5 · 9/10 · 21 December 2020]

Simply loved the story,direction and astounding acting of the casts. I will remember every scene of this poetry in motion all my life.

Simply awesome

[nayanmirchi · 10/10 · 6 November 2020]

Lovely movie with such good people shown in movie.... U just feel that you are part of the movie All actors superb Loved it

What a movie! Simply superb!

[valyriansteel-68349 · 10/10 · 20 April 2024]

One of the hidden gems for sure. Every single actor has performed incredibly well. Excellent example to show happiness is in enjoying simple things in life. This movie is full of love and affection. People who complain and crib about everything cannot find love anywhere. People who care for others always find love in almost everything. There's very little plot but it's a joyful emotional ride. It will remind us of our innocent childhood especially if you are an 80s or 90s kid. Director of this movie is a monk who knows true value of life. Vijay sethupathi is a fantastic actor and kudos to entire team for creating heart touching cinema. Lovely movie!

Wonderful Movie

[vinothkumarrajadurai · 9/10 · 1 April 2016]

It is not a movie, director has simply grabbed some of the moments that can happen in a person's life. Kudos to the director, for concentrating on very small and minute things in the movie.

One example is, when

Pannayar says to the servant, "lock everything" before getting into the car. ArunKumar, you are really great.

Wonderful acting of Vijaysethupathi and Aishwarya. everyone did their part very well. No need to appreciate JP, he simply lived in that character.

Special credit to the entire team for making a different story other than the normal stories, in this way quality films can be made.

Drive

[sesht · 7 December 2014]

Well, though this released earlier this year, I missed it, and was able to finally catch it, courtesy BIFFES'14.

A charming, old-school, lazily-paced sentimental drama, that revolves around the material attachment the leads form to a classic car, this one's quirky and weird, but don't be fooled by its premise, since, in spite of retaining all the frills typically associated with mainstream potboilers, in terms of pace-breaking songs (thankfully, no one devolves into song-and-dance, though each song completes its full runtime to the movie's detriment, IMO, since they're not as catchy as turns perhaps by a Santhosh Narayanan or a Nivas Prasanna) and twists designed to tug at one's heart-strings, (thankfully just stopping short of getting into full-blown tearjerker mode).

What I liked:

• The smashing of the good daughter caricature that's a signature in all movies within this genre, with the good ol' daughter in this turning out to be anything but. Also curious was the mother-daughter dynamic, which was puzzling, yet gloriously refreshing.

• The side romance track, which sometimes threatens to overwhelm the main track, finally does Not take mainstage, and I was pleasantly surprised to note that aspect.

• The aspect of how our materialistic urges dictate our every interaction, (mostly) forcing us into stuff we'd not actually do, has been depicted wonderfully, with each of the characters showing a subtly varying facet of that with the 2 extremes being the mom and daughter duo (along with their curious dynamic) and the male leads falling somewhere in-between.

The best part? Everyone remaining unapologetic about that right until the end, and even going forward.

It is rare for a mainstream drama to fully embrace that, and for that alone, I'd give whatever points that the makers deserve, forgiving the other transgressions when analyzed from that kinda perspective.

• Performances: Sethupathi has been consistently good in all his efforts, and this one's no different. The titular 'Pannaiyar', essayed by Jayaprakash, is solid, as always, and is a treat to watch in every scene he inhabits.

The comic track is typical of a mainstream potboiler, and painted in broad strokes, with quite a bit of physical gags thrown in, and I guess it's better than most, but did Not work for me.

If it were not for the fact that its written into the screenplay esp. for the final denouement, I'd have done away with it altogether, had I had the ear of the editor.

• Dinesh ('Cuckoo') and Sneha are good in their respective cameos, but it was not necessary to have roped them in, since it did not do anything much for the plot itself.

* The revelation, though I've seen her before, in characters that are relegated to the background in mainstream Indian cinema, is Thulasi.

Her rendering of a loving wife and mother-figure is typical, and she gets no assistance from the writing whatsoever, but she's made of sterner stuff, and makes the role her own.

Award-worthy is an understatement, since she successfully steals every scene she's in, from stalwarts such as Sethupathi and Jayaprakash. No mean feat.

I'd re-watch it to just focus on how much she's had fun making this. To me, this will always be Thulasi's movie.

And that's a good thing.

The background score is apt, but the time-wasting foreground scores are something this flick could've done without completely.

All in all, a good-great watch, for all the reasons articulated above, in spite of its various/many shortcomings.