JANNAL ORAM MOVIE REVIEW

Jannal Oram, is always a much favored seat be it in a bus or a train. What passes through the frames of those windows will always provide some fodder for interesting time-pass. The Malayalam Ordinary directed by Sugeeth becomes Tamil Jannal Oram directed by Karu Palaniappan who returns to his seat of work after Sadhurangam and Mandira Punnagai.

Jannal Oram, the film, in a way, peeks into the lives of few people in a hill station which is connected to the main land through a government bus, its driver and the conductor. Parthiban plays the driver and Vemal, the conductor.

There is practically nothing happening in the first half and the director introduces all the characters in an almost radio drama fashion. There are instances when Jannal Oram takes on the feel of a government run documentary film. Palaniappan takes his own time to begin the actual film just before the interval and it is the post-interval block where all the drama happens and keeps you engaged fairly. The climax is also stretched more than necessary and when the suspense gets lengthened, it actually loses its purpose.  

The hero of Jannal Oram is definitely the cinematographer Arbhindu Sara of Thanga meengal fame who has had a field day with his lens. The fact that the seat of happening is a scenic hill station makes it exciting for the cameraman to explore different angles. The pre-interval block when Vemal drives the bus in the hilly terrain in the twilight is an absolute delight and Arbhindu gives the audience the nippy feel of the hill station. Brilliant!

Dialogues in Jannal Oram are in some places sharp like ‘kanakku paathu settle panna kadavul kitta vyaabaarama panrom’ and comical like “6 manikkapuram Thamizhanukku pidicha peyar Kalyani”.

Vidya Sagar’s scores are melodious but do not have a long shelf life and some of the tracks don’t add value to the film in any way.   

Performances are just about ordinary and sometimes give the feeling that we are witnessing a stage drama when artists don’t react but are waiting for the co-actor’s lines. People who expect to witness naughty one-liners from Parthiban will feel disappointed as he speaks in a slang which is inconsistent. Vemal is in his comfort zone of a rural lad and passes muster. Vidharth makes a noticeable portrayal although bordering on a little excessive drama.

Poorna and Manisha Yadav as lady leads don’t have anything in the scheme of things. There is almost a battalion of supporting cast in the name of Singam Puli, Rajesh, Vidharth, Ramana, Yuvarani, Ilavarasu and Sri Ranjani who do their roles normally.  

To sum it all, this bus journey turns out to be unexciting with no interesting stopovers or passages.