Review: Lubber Pandhu - Natural and Effective

 

Movie: Lubber Pandhu
Rating: 3.75/5

Cast: Harish Kalyan, Dinesh, Swasika, Sanjaya Krishnamoorthy, Kaali Venkat, Bala saravanan, Geetha Kailasam, and Others

Director: Tamizharasan Pachamuthu

Produced By: Prince Pictures

Streaming On: Disney+ Hotstar

Story:

A powerful batsman and an impressive bowler from a small town are engaged in an intense competition to prove their supremacy over one another. The rest of the story is what happens when this rivalry influences their personal relationships. 

Performances:

Harish Kalyan and Dinesh excel in the lead roles. They both never went overboard nor were underwhelming even for one scene. Swasika was too good while Sanjana Krishnamoorthy was also effective. Kaali Venkat, Bala Saravanan, Geetha Kaialasam and others were natural. 

What worked for the film:

Tamizharasan Pachamuthu, who made his debut as a director with Lubber Pandhu addresses a wide range of topics in the film, ranging from the madness surrounding cricket to issues of caste and gender discrimination, the vulnerability of the male ego, and the fervent following of Vijayakant in smaller towns of Tamilnadu, all while maintaining a natural and non preachy tone. The director never took the conflict between the two lead characters, Gethu and Anbu overboard and maintained the required intensity and a vulnerable touch until the end. One who watches the film will root for both of them and will feel angry/bad about the situations they face. The cricket scenes are featured perfectly and the emotional scenes involving the local teams, and members are also shown very well. The female characters are portrayed with respect, and they are allowed to express their views during pivotal moments in the film, which is truly noteworthy.

What did not work for the film:

There are not many flaws in the film to say. However, the establishment of Asodhai, wife of Gethu, could have been established more properly at the beginning. A few scenes/dialogues discussing social inequality could have been handled more seriously. 

Lubber Pandhu Review and Verdict: 

Lubber Pandhu is a remarkable sports drama centered around a rivalry between two passionate cricket lovers. Though the film's story might sound regular on the surface, the way the director handled the concept is commendable. A sincere approach in telling the story is enhanced by powerful performances and good technical support.