Panchatanthiram is a movie I found out about via Reddit. Many people hailed it as one of the funniest comedies of its time, and while it certainly had its moments, it doesn’t seem like Panchatanthiram is wholly deserving of that accolade. It is certainly entertaining, no doubt, but there are some issues we really need to talk about…
Panchatanthiram — Review at a Glance
- Story — 3/5
- Acting — 3/5
- Music — 2.5/5
- Direction — 2.5/5
Pros: Good pacing, doesn’t try to be overly crass for a few laughs
Cons: Surface-level comedy that feels stale after a while
Must-Watch: No
One-Time Watch: Yes
When to Watch Panchatanthiram — When you want something funny with a tried-and-tested narrative
Panchatanthiram Review — A Deep Dive
At first glance, this story about a playboy-turned-dedicated husband seemed like it was going to be pretty typical of the genre.
The casual misogyny — that defined most movies in the early 2000s — also serves as a plot device in this film, but one can chalk that up to Panchatanthiram being a product of its time and move past it.
In fact, to give credit where credit is due, I feel like Panchatanthiram has employed some restraint when using these tropes… It’s definitely not as bad as some of its Bollywood counterparts.
The comedy in Panchatanthiram can be attributed to more than just gags about sex or relationships. The cheeky dialogues and the fast-paced back and forth between characters are truly the highlight of this film… but even then, Panchatanthira’s humour has this quality of mediocrity that it had the potential to avoid.
Panchatanthiram isn’t a bad film, but it also doesn’t reinvent the wheel. So, if you’re looking for something like Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro, which has more nauances, then you may be a tad disappointed with Panchatanthiram.
The story also has its highs and lows; the fact that it takes an hour for Panchatanthiram to get to the main murder — just so it can establish the playboy nature of its protagonist — doesn’t work in its favour.
We get it… Ramachandramurthy (aka Ram CM) is a player and gets chicks — until he finds and marries his true love. Once he does turn a new leaf, he gets embroiled in a murder plot along with his friends, which leads to deep misunderstandings with his wife.
While the romantic portions of the film feel cliched, the murder mystery is surprisingly fun — and acts as Panchatanthiram’s saving grace.
Moreover, the casting of the film is also spot on. Kamal Haasan does have a certain screen presence that manages to transcend the generic vibe of his character, and Simran and Ramya Krishna also have a surprising chemistry on screen.
So, when all is done and dusted, Panchatanthiram is not the worst, but it manages to entertain on a very mundane level…
Panchatanthiram Plot Overview
Ram CM is a pilot who has multiple affairs with women and truly lives his best life until he meets Mythili. He falls head over heels for her and becomes an honest man when they get married. However, due to Mythili misinterpreting certain situations, she starts doubting his intentions and the two separate.
His friends decide to arrange a rendezvous with a sex worker named Maggie so that Ram can get over his wife. After a brief altercation, Ram walks away (since he has no interest in cheating on his wife) only to land in hot water when Maggie’s corpse is discovered by his friends.
