Release date : July 22, 2021
Rating : 3/5
Starring : Arya, Sanchana Natarajan
Director : Pa. Ranjith
Produced by : Shanmugam Dhakshanraj
Music Director : Santhosh Narayanan
Sarpatta Parampara, the Telugu dubbed version of Tamil actor Arya’s Sarpatta Parambarai is steaming on Amazon Prime Video. Scroll on to read our review of the film.
Story:
Samara(Arya), a labourer in Chennai harbour aspires to become a successful boxer. One day, he is provided with an opportunity to prove himself in the boxing ring and he makes the most of it. But his stint as a boxer lands him in big trouble both personally and professionally. What are the controversial incidents preceding and succeeding Samara’s boxing career? The answer to this question forms the rest of the plot.
Plus Points:
Sarpatta Parampara banks on the performances of the lead cast and they deliver big time. Arya is the pick of the lot as he delivers a commendable performance in the role of a hotheaded boxer. He is ably supported by the rest of cast. Dushara Vijayan, Pasupathi, Sanchana Natarajan, and John Kokken breathe life into their characters. The casting is bang on point.
The boxing episodes are conceived very well and they carry emotional value. The fight sequences form the core plot of the film and they are executed with great conviction, which works in the film’s favour.
Minus Points:
The film has a runtime of around 175 minutes and it loses momentum every again, which acts against the cause. Crisp run-time would have served the film very well. As a result of the lengthy run-time, many scenes in the middle portion look stretched out.
The emotion track between the lead pair looks good at first but it turns monotonous after a point as the same conflict point is highlighted again and again.
The scenes related to the consequences faced by the protagonist for committing a crime needed a better narrative. Owing to bland writing, these episodes end up being unimaginative and they test the patience of the viewers. Better screenplay in the middle portion could have worked really well for the film, as a whole.
Technical Finesse:
Pa. Ranjith has the knack of narrating realistic social dramas in a raw manner and he does the same with Sarpatta Parampara. He blends the boxing culture in North Chennai with the unrest caused by Indian government’s imposition of Emergency Period at that point in time. Had he kept the run-time in check and come up with better screenplay in the latter half, the film would have made for a much better watch. Santosh Narayanan’s background score is adequate. Cinematography is top notch. The essence of 70’s Chennai is presented in the best way possible. Production designing is exquisite as well.
Verdict:
Sarpatta Parampara has its moments of brilliance in the opening half but bland narration in the post-interval and pre-climax portion undo the good work. The performances of the lead cast is the main highlight of the film. On a whole, the film makes for an okayish one-time watch.
