Soorarai Pottru is a Tamil-language action/drama movie directed by Sudha Kongara and starring Suriya, Paresh Rawal, Aparna Balamurali, Urvashi and Mohan Babu.
If you’re looking for a film to give you some inspiration to chase your dreams, Suriya is here with Soorarai Pottru to give you a dose of hope and warmth. The movie, although 2-and-a-half-hours long, doesn’t miss a beat to entertain you, and leaves you with a smile on your face.
Soorarai Pottru is the inspiriting story of having a dream and chasing it. Maara dreams of making flying accessible to people. His determination and bravery know no bounds and thus he doesn’t bow down in front of bullying airline biggies. However, his path to fulfilling his dreams is laden with problems and so the question is – will he be able to overcome these obstacles to make his family proud?
So as I was saying, the movie is filled with inspiration to the brim, but funnily, it never feels too much. There are no condescending or annoying dialogues that become a bore. Maara’s obstacles, pain and victories, thus, feel very real and personal. He’s a man of determination and there’s a lot of very subtle characterisations that make him someone you can look up to (well, except for his anger management issues). The man can find an opportunity in any situation, no matter how terrible it is, and that’s what makes this movie so entertaining.
We also have a strong female lead in his wife Bommi. She’s feisty and speaks her mind and doesn’t let the patriarchy or society dictate her life. When we first meet her – on her way to meet Maara – she is a ball of energy, sarcasm and confidence, and much like her husband, never gives up her spark. She’s a character to watch, and someone you’ll come to admire and draw inspiration from as well. However, this is Maara’s movie, and at no point would you feel that he is too much.
Suriya does a brilliant job, and Soorarai Pottru completely rests on his able shoulders. From showing love to expressing grief, Suriya does not flinch even for a second from his character. His embodiment of Maara is so well-done that you cry when he cries for his father’s death. The actor brings all of Maara’s emotions to the forefront with such intensity that it instantly adds a punch to the storyline. Apart from him, Aparna Balamurali is also wonderful as the feisty Bommi. Her character is written very well, and it never feels like she’s just another plot device.
This isn’t to say Soorarai Pottru does something different or unique in terms of its storyline – it doesn’t. It’s a story we have seen before, and you know how it’ll end. There’s no twist that you wouldn’t be able to figure out. However, even with a story as such, the movie shines with how it tackles the narrative. It’s entertaining from start to end, and never feels too dragged out.
I think the movie could’ve done more with Paresh Rawal’s Paresh Goswami though. He’s a formidable foe, but one that feels like a box of clichés. He has a lot of hold over the who’s who of the government, but at some point, it feels like he’s giving off the same old lines that we have heard so many a times. The second half also has those clichés where all of Maara’s problems get solved fairly quickly. It didn’t bother me too much, but it does feel a little forced and overdramatic. However, when the goal is to reach the skies, nothing is too dramatic, probably.
Summing up: Soorarai Pottru
Soorarai Pottru is Suriya’s film – he carries it and embodies every aspect of Maari. The movie is inspiring and entertaining, and the lead pair, although their story isn’t explored much, is quite cute to look at. A clear entertainer, in my opinion.
Soorarai Pottru is streaming on Amazon Prime Video.
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