There’s always an instant temptation to watch South Indian films, simply because of their exceptionally good scripts. A talented bunch of writers that the Industry thrives on is reason enough for eagerly wanting to view the well-written tales. With the lockdown forcing one to depend on the Internet for our entertainment needs; Penguin(Tamil) is one film that caught my attention by its name. For a crime thriller to be named so was intriguing enough.
Keerthy Suresh heads the star cast with her brilliant performance as a second time pregnant woman who is continuously throttled by constant images of a Charlie Chaplin masked man haunting her wherever she goes with a strikingly yellow umbrella. An image she thinks, she is hallucinating with until she manages to lose her young son for a second time; the first being a rushed up hunt for a toddler like him exploring new places. When her young son gets kidnapped her recurring haunting images of the sinister kidnapper makes her believe that she will never see him again. Keerthy is impressive as a gullible Rhythm(yes that is her character’s name) an orphan that gets divorced after losing her only son. The story takes a 6 year leap and pregnant for a second time, she still believes in the haunting image of the masked guy with a yellow umbrella.
With serial kidnappings rampant, she is forced to drive to the same lake she lost her son years ago only to get him back, this time, as a boy who barely recognizes her with a 7 month baby bump. As happy she is with her new husband supporting her with this decision, she is also apprehensive to have her son face her former guilt-ridden husband(who seeks forgiveness and hopes to visit his son again). The first half of the movie is really scary with a superb background score and some bone-chilling expressions from Keerthy. Her rebellious demeanor in venturing out to find another lost child; this time a girl, with her faithful canine, Cyrus is heartening.
The second half of the movie, barring the scenes that bring her face to face with the killer;(an imposter in reality; someone who uses the same technique as the original villain in the kidnappings) can easily send down shivers. The climax though is a dampener. With a magnificent built up of the eerie scenes, one would imagine the pace to be maintained till the end. The trouble with most thrillers is that once they go out of the estimated 1 hour 45 mins run, they drag. Penguin slugs towards the end of its 2 hour 19 min screen time. If your expectations from a Keerthy Suresh films reigns high then you may be slightly disheartened. All an all it’s a good weekend watch for those who enjoy thrillers, but perhaps a drag for those who expected the level of thrill to be maintained till the end.
