Premada Oorali

Director Manoj Kumar's Premada Oorali is proof that family drama still has a place in theatres. Packed with soulful score, melodic songs and evocative cinematography, Premada Oorali works because its heart is in the right place—genuine emotion holds a family together and quietly finds its way into the hearts of those watching.

The real problem lies in the writing, which seems to believe it is forward-thinking in its treatment of marriage, love and premarital relationships, when its ideas are, in fact, deeply problematic. As the furious, asinine men judge women for autonomy over their lives and bodies, the film gradually joins in, leaving us physically recoiled.

Manoj Kumar's filmmaking has the familiar, straightforward quality of a television soap. The emotions lack subtlety, and almost every important scene is heightened by a strong background score. Despite the backdrop's conservative reality, village dramas can be lively and even riveting, but Premada Oorali remains a bland experience.