Oru Oorla (2014)

K S Vasanthakumar comes up with a refreshing script, straight from the heart of rural India. He tells a simple story with incredible honesty and in a totally unassuming fashion. The net result, the film leaves you moved. The director seems to have put his personal observations to good use in this film, making it score high on the realism factor. Take for instance, the sequence in which the hero's sister-in-law tries to get rid of the hero. Annoyed by the affection her daughter has for the hero, she tries to poison her husband's mind against him. When nothing works, she tries to get rid of the hero using witchcraft. The sequence, though brief, is as real as one can expect it to be. The film might have a bunch of relatively new actors but they seem to have no trouble in getting into the skins of their respective characters. Venkatesh, Neha and Indrajith, in particular, do justice to their roles. One other factor that works in favour of the film is its comedy sequences. Unforced and situational, the sequences keep the film's first half light-hearted and pleasant. Ilaiyaraaja's music too is another big plus for the film, breathing life into it. There's scope for improvement with regard to the film's cinematography. Also, because of the climax and the way it has been told, it is bound to leave you with a heavy heart. This means this movie might not top the list of favourite films of those looking to have a fun-filled and pleasant time at the cinema. The film's plot and the manner of narration might be natural but whether it will appeal to all segments of audience is anybody's guess. On the whole, Oru Oorla is an effort worth lauding.