Paradha Movie Review

Cast: Anupama Parameswaran, Darshana Rajendran, Sangeetha Krish, Harsha Vardhan, Rajendra Prasad, Gautham Vasudev Menon

Director: Praveen Kandregula

Music: Gopi Sundar

Cinematography: Mridul Sujit Sen

Editing: Dharmendra Kakarala

Production: Ananda Media

After Cinema Bandi and Subham, director Praveen Kandregula returns with Paradha, a social drama that aims to shed light on the struggles women face in a patriarchal society. 

Featuring Anupama Parameswaran in the lead role, the film generated curiosity with its impactful posters and intriguing premise. 

Let’s dive into the Paradha review to see how it fares.

Plot:

Set in Padathi, a remote village bound by an age-old superstition, women are forced to wear masks after puberty and can reveal their faces only to family members. The villagers believe that breaking this ritual will anger the goddess Jwalamma and curse the women with infertility.

The story revolves around Subbu (Anupama Parameswaran), a bride-to-be, whose mask accidentally slips off, setting off a chain of dramatic events. Why do villagers go to the extent of killing women who reveal their faces to outsiders? What happens to Subbu? That forms the rest of the film.

Performances

Anupama Parameswaran delivers a career-best performance. Her emotional depth, particularly in four crucial sequences, leaves a strong impact.

Darshana Rajendran impresses as Ami, a corporate architect fighting her own battles.

Sangeetha Krish as Rathna brings charm with her innocence, comic timing, and emotional balance.

Harsha Vardhan adds humor, while Rajendra Prasad’s cameo in the “bird story” sequence is effective.

Gautham Vasudev Menon plays a crucial cameo, though the writing for his role feels underdeveloped.

Technical Aspects

Music: Gopi Sundar’s background score uplifts many scenes, while a couple of songs work well.

Cinematography: Mridul Sujit Sen beautifully captures rustic village life and the breathtaking landscapes of Dharamshala.

Editing: Dharmendra Kakarala could have trimmed the dragged second half for a tighter flow.

Production Values: Adequate for the film’s scope.

Highlights

✅ Unique storyline

✅ Excellent performances

✅ Strong background score

Drawbacks

❌ Dragged and slow-paced second half

❌ Preachy tone

❌ One-dimensional narration

❌ Predictable climax

Analysis

Paradha had the potential to be a gripping social drama. The first half establishes the story with intrigue, but the second half falters with a preachy and unbalanced approach.

Instead of raising questions and leaving room for thought, the narrative becomes a one-sided commentary, summed up in the dialogue: “Men can’t empathise with women in this world.” Such generalizations weaken the film’s impact, making it feel like a stretched moral lecture.

While the theme of superstition and women’s empowerment is important, the execution lacks nuance. By the climax, predictability and sluggish pacing overshadow the powerful performances and the strong core idea.

Verdict

Despite brilliant performances from Anupama Parameswaran, Darshana Rajendran, and Sangeetha Krish, Paradha suffers from a dragged second half and an overly preachy narrative.

Bottom Line: A bold idea that loses its edge due to one-dimensional storytelling.

RATING: 3/5