Perusu Movie Review: An adult comedy with slow rise, more potential, and satisfying end

2.5/5

Note: This is an A-rated film for its central plot

Perusu Movie Plot:

Halasayam, father to two grown up sons Sami (Sunil) and Durai (Vaibhav) dies while watching TV. However, the bereaving family do not get enough time to pour out their emotions, when they come to know that Halasayam has a case of Angel’s Lust. The family must make sure the villagers do not know about this condition, while at the same time prepare for his funeral.

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Perusu Movie Review:

The one-liner of Perusu, which is also its premise, is interesting, refreshing, and treasure trove of cinematic explorations. It is enough to act as vessel to accommodate tons of emotions and genres. Director Ilango Ram, who has also made the film in Sinhalese as Nelum Kulun, takes the route of a comic setting, and in tandem with a funeral house, Perusu already has an interesting knot up its sleeve. While for the film’s perks, it does explore pockets of comedy here and there, and makes more out of its situations, the film also falls flat in much occasions.

We get to know very little of Halasayam when he is alive, that he is shown to reprimand young boys who are blamed for peaking at women as they bathe in the village pond. The boy carries a grudge on Halasayam, and right when he wants to seek get back at him by humiliating him, the old man is no more. But that does not stop the boy from seeking his revenge. But the film takes off, when Halasayam dies under natural circumstances, with each passing scene unravelling what kind of man he really was.

Given the film is adult comedy, mainly for the subject it deals with, the bonus points are to be given when the film never milks its censor certification to bring crass comedy. The chemistry between Sunil and Vaibhav who also are real-life brothers, is definitely happen to be the best strong suits in the film, given how it is the brothers who run pillar to post to save the honour of their dead father. An emotional scene between the brothers over a drink, and the varied treatment they received from their father, is developed to the precise point of emotions that the film exactly needed. The other factor in Perusu is that it ensures that it is not a film that you should take seriously, and dwell on the death that it centres around. The atmosphere to make you laugh at the bereaving family is commendable, and so are the characters who are ensured that the limited time they get is deserving and apt.

But on the downside, Perusu also fails to explore golden opportunities it could have had with its one-off premise. Somewhere towards the end of Perusu, where almost all the characters are gathered around the coffin, is where quips are evoked to the fullest, and had the film carried a similar flavour throughout, Perusu would have been that dark horse of the week. There are stretches that make the film easy going, but also portions which can make you feel skipping it had only the fast-forward option was available.

And like I said, Perusu uses its last half hour to unravel the knots of what kind of person Halasayam actually was. The segment is also one of those comedy of errors kind of climax, where a series of dialogues and multi-character combinations are required to pull off a climax that is worthy of its premise.

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Perusu Movie Verdict:

Perusu is a harmless film which takes off on a high note, and gives some middling stretches, to finish off decently. Had the film worked more on its dialogues to escalate its characters and scenarios. Perusu could have become firsts of the successful adult comedies Tamil cinema has seen. Nevertheless with its good attempt and clean performances, the film promises a unique watch.