Movie: Pandavar Bhoomi

Director: Cheran
Cast: Arun Kumar, Rajkiran, Shamita, Vinu Chakravarty, Vijaykumar, Ranjit

Like Cheran's earlier films this too is rural based, message oriented, without losing sight of the entertainment factor. A freshness in the story line and narrative style, makes the film engaging and different from the routine ones. The director should further be commended for daring to take for his heroes, artistes who have been sidelined and considered unsaleable by the industry. Rajkiran and Arun Kumar - the duo have justified the confidence the director has in them. Arun Kumar, as the young architect in love with his client's daughter, and withdrawing when he learns that she is engaged to another, is natural and spontaneous. 

Rajkiran as the protective elder brother of four siblings, forced by a personal crisis to leave his village with the family, the yearning for his roots bringing him back after a gap of twelve years, performs his role with dignity and sensitivity, his well modulated voice being a plus point. How a debutante with average attributes can be moulded and projected impressively is evident in Shamita's case. Performing a dual role, that of two contrasting characters, the actress has been well projected by the director.

The story centres round Dhanasekharan a hardworking, prosperous villager, a man of the soil, very protective about his four younger siblings. When the younger sister (Shamita) elopes and marries the son of a rival, Dhanasekharan's younger brother kills the duo and goes to jail. A heartbroken Dhanasekharan leaves the village with the family. But the yearning for his roots brings him back after a gap of twelve years. The director uses the analogy of the exile and the return of the Pandavas here. Dhanasekharan's desire is to build a dream house where his dilapidated ancestral home stood. Young architect Thamizh (Arun) is hired for the purpose. Thamizh falls in love with Dhanasekharan's niece Jeeva (Shamita), but the family had decided on her marrying her uncle, who had served his sentence and was returning home. The rival landlord too plans his final vengeance. How matters resolve forms the rest of the story.

The characters of the rival landlord and his son could have been etched more convincingly. Their antics at times gives rise to some unintended humour. Worth mentioning is the cinematography of Thangar Bachan which together with P. Krishnamurthy's artwork, makes every frame a treat. Bharadwaj's music is catchy, the melodious 'Thozha Thozha', the vibrant and well picturised 'Eh Sambha..', and the philosophical number 'Avaravar Vazhkayil..'.