Neram (2013)

English translation: Time
Director: Alphonse Putharen
Story: Alphonse Putharen
Cast: Nivin Pauly, Nazriya Nazim, Bobby Simha 
Music: Rajesh Murugesan
Time: 107 minutes
Bottom-line: Non-stop entertainment; rarely any deviation

Note: Neram was also released in Malayalam simultaneously, with the exact same story, and had the same director and lead actors.  

2013 is a year that saw the release of many Tamil films made by new directors. Most of these films had fresh actors, and almost all crew members were new to the world of Kollywood. Neram is one of my favourite films of 2013. Neram combines the hyperlink narrative structure of Chennaiyil Oru Naal (also released in 2013) and the comic twists and turns of Soodhu Kavvum (another 2013 film).

Nivin Pauly as Vetri

Vetri (Nivin) is an unemployed man in Chennai. He narrates his flashback, which tells us that he has borrowed loads of money from a moneylender and gangster, Vatti Raja (Simha), for his sister’s marriage. He says that he has repaid the loan for two months, but that day is the last day to fully settle the loan. He is broke, so he asks his friend John to get the money, and John gives the money to Vetri. Vetri loves Veni (Nazriya), but her father doesn’t prefer him because of his unemployment. As the day goes on, Veni decides to run away from her home and stay with Vetri. En route, her chain gets snatched, and at the same time, the money which Vetri was going to give Vatti Raja also gets mugged. Vetri’s brother-in-law meanwhile demands 50 grand as dowry. On top of all this, Veni gets kidnapped by Vatti Raja, and her father complains to the police, blaming Vetri as the kidnapper. Vetri has till 5pm that evening to settle Vatti Raja’s loan, to give the dowry amount, and to prove his innocence to the cops. What he does forms the rest of the film.

Nazriya as Veni

I don’t know if I am the only one who noticed this, but I feel that this film is a great combination of two other good films of 2013: Soodhu Kavvum and Chennaiyil Oru Naal. Alphonse himself agreed that he has taken ideas from other films. In the beginning of the film, we see a quote by Quentin Tarantino, saying, “I steal from every movie ever made.” An arrow points to Alphonse saying that he has also done the same. Anyway, back to the point. Like Chennaiyil Oru Naal, the film contains several tracks that merge at the end, and all the tracks have satisfactory endings: no loopholes. What starts out as a serious film becomes a comedy thriller in the second half, just like Soodhu Kavvum; but, Soodhu Kavvum was funny from the start, and this one becomes funny only later.

Bobby Simha as Vatti Raja

The story, as Alphonse agreed, is not new. Basically it is a race against time, and with a faint reason. Vetri says that he had dodged Vatti Raja for nearly a month without paying the loan. If so, why should that particular day be the last? Why not take two more days, thereby making the film look useless? However, ignore these small things while watching the film; even if you don’t, by the end of the film, you will be amazed that such an effective thriller was made with such a simple story. I like the way the suspense is created: several shots of clocks, watches and other time-pieces are shown on screen, which add to the tension. Several close-ups of the actors’ faces are shown, and many scenes are also shown in slow motion. Along with that, the score is also composed according to the scene taking place: whether is suspenseful or comic.

Nassar in a cameo role

The twists are all timed well. In the beginning of the film, Vetri has a monologue, where he says (in Tamil), “Time is of two types: good times and bad times.” Here and there along the film, he keeps saying, “This is my bad time.” The mysterious ways of time are shown quite well in the film. Until the interval, Vetri’s life is continuously down the drain, and all the incidents only push him deeper into the filth. After the interval, lots of twists come up in quick succession, and several of them are funny. The film, though a thriller, has a meaning. It tells that if you face bad times, don’t lose hope. Somehow, sometime, somewhere, good times will also come your way. Good times may come on the same day, or even a couple of years later.

Veni's father Saravanar, played by Thanbi Ramaiah

The hyperlink narrative structure is put to good use. Just like Chennaiyil Oru Naal, many twists take place, which are shown in the flashbacks. This narrative structure enhances the twists and they hit the viewers with greater effect. The story is a straight road of entertainment, the only speed bumps being the romance between Vetri and Veni. Few scenes could have been cut, but otherwise, Neram is an excellent compact thriller.

One still, showing a sand timer. As I said, many such shots show
time pieces

The character of Veni’s father mainly adds to the comedy, along with the character of the inspector whom he complains to. Nivin has acted quite well, in my opinion. Nassar plays a cameo role in the film, and his role is mainly a funny one. Bobby Simha also plays a pretty good villain, who provides plenty of entertainment.

Another still, showing a watch, as the time nears 5pm

To sum up, Alphonse Putharen’s Neram once again shows Kollywood that new directors, new actors and a new crew can provide some great films. The suspense is very well built, the story is simple, but the way it is has been shown, with the hyperlink structure and all, make it an effective thriller. While you are watching this film, remember one thing: time is of two types, good and bad. If you are having a bad time, good times will follow, and watching Neram is equal to having a great time.

My Rating: 4/5