Some movies are for the big screen. And people often lament for missing those visual treats at theatres. SooraraiPottru – in its making and canvas, is a film for the big screen. However, it’s OTT release is not an injustice considering what we have been going through during this extraordinary period due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The anticipation and hype on this film were not misplaced. Summarising this gritty tale with the cast’s stellar performance to a single line would be a gross injustice. SooraraiPottru, based on Captain G. R Gopinath’s book Simply Fly, directed by SudhaKongara and currently streaming on Amazon Prime, is not a biopic of the Air Deccan founder. Rather, it is an inspiring tale of hard work and perseverance blended with cinematic flavours that make it an engaging film experience.
An ex-NDA graduate who dreamt of providing affordable and cheap air transport to the common man forms the main plot narrative that oscillates with the non-linear method of storytelling. However, it is not only a story of a hardworking and enterprising entrepreneur, but an assemblage of dreams, emotions, and hope of a few women and an entire village.
Suriya’s role as Maaran is his best in recent times. Exciting between the spectrum of a wide range of emotions, Suriya gives us romance, rage, and remorse in his vintage style. SudhaKongara presents her heroine Bommi neither as a side-kick nor as a mere romantic partner, but as a strong woman of determination. Aparna Balamurali, who pairs with Suriya, gives a good performance as an unconventional or ‘kirukki’ heroine. Urvashi and Poo Rajangam as Maaran’s parents offer a subtle depth to the plot with delicate emotional strings. The director who proved her mastery with the sports drama IrudhiSuttru is no different here. With a strong script, SudhaKongara knits a well-woven story and leverages her actors’ best performance. With her finesse in direction and progressive ideas, she will etch her name among India’s best filmmakers. The beautiful visuals by NikhetBommireddy grasp the hues of rage, tension, and contempt. Along with that, G. V Prakash Kumar’s background score and songs revitalise the story with some adrenaline rush elements. Finally, this is neither an epic with multi-dimensional range nor a tragic big-budget flick. SooraraiPottru is a film that was long overdue in our current filmy drought caused by COVID-19. And hopefully, it can inspire our film world to take off through OTT platforms with quality content.
