Official Trailer:

Sarpatta Parampari (SP) is one of those rare movies where every aspect of movie making, casting, cinematography, costume, art direction, music, dialogues, are in sync with director’s vision. One of those movies where director creates a universe of his own, like Angamaly Diaries, Jallikattu, Aaranya Kaandam, Super Deluxe, Vada Chennai and we are immersed in that world.

The template is nothing new, we have seen it many times, an underdog rises, falls, and rise again. The big difference is in the community Ranjith creates. People in the community, their lifestyle, what matters to them, relationships, and political backdrop. People from North Chennai always got stereotyped, in bad ways, in Kollywood movies. Ranjith broke that stereotype with Attakaththi, and Madras. He continues that with Sarpatta Parambarai. His women characters are always written with agency, shown with equal footing, they speak up, communicate how they feel, and they fight back. In SP, we get Baakiyam and Mariamma, in the lines of Puyal, and Yogi.

Casting is perfect, even characters that are on screen for few seconds are made memorable by their distinctiveness. These characters will live with us forever – whenever we recollect the movie – solid character arc development by director and writers. Usually, in most of the movies you get to see character arc only for hero and the villain. Can you recollect any character other than Vijay and VJS from Master? High probability we can’t even recollect names of Vijay and VJS characters from Master 😃 Kabilan, Rangan, Dancing Rose, Vembuli, Vetri, Mariamma, Baakiyam, Kevin, Duraikannu, Beedi Raayappa characters from Sarpatta Parambarai get etched in our memory. Every character comes alive – whether it is Kevin with his Anglo-Indian accent (come on bugger, old bugger beedi raayappa, ginger thinna kurangu), or Dancing Rose who leaves a big impact. I would have loved to see backstory of Dancing Rose, Vembuli, Beedi Raayappa, and Kevin even at the cost of increased run time. Pasupathy as Rangan knocks it out of the park or should I say a knockout punch.

When I read SP is about boxing, I was worried. Boxing is close contact sport and needs to look real for it to work in movies. The make believe must be top class. We need to feel the punches. Posture, foot work, movement need to reflect reality. Remember the movie Bigil with its awful football scenes – it came across as if you are watching FIFA video game on big screen with Vijay’s face superimposed🤦🏻‍♂️  Sarpatta Parambarai is a pleasant surprise. Fights look real. Ring comes alive with the bout. A thunderous applause to the cinematographer, editor, trainers, and the performers👏👌🏼   

Director Ranjith’s craft of staging the scenes comes out strong in Sarpatta Parambarai. The opening sequence leading to showdown between Rangan and Duraikannu is an excellent example. We get introduced to pretty much most of the characters, rivalry of the two groups, while the conflict builds up in forefront leading to the showdown. Or how the chain of events set the stage for fight between Kabilan and Dancing Rose. How the government dissolution and rise of ADMK impact the lives of Vetri and Kabilan. How Baakiyam’s fears come true in the fall of Kabilan. Another round of applause and appreciation to Ranjith 👏👏

Santhosh Narayanan’s music fuses with the narration. He doesn’t artificially pump it up for the boxing scenes. Liked Neeye Oli the training song where Beedi Raayappa coaches Kabilan to get back into shape, with its evocative lyrics, you are free only when you conquer yourself not others, float like a butterfly and sting like a bee (Muhammad Ali’s quote).

Ranjith doesn’t hide his political views in his movies. With Sarpatta Parambarai, he has set a new trend for Kollywood, a welcome change, characters openly identify themselves with a political party. If done right, it adds depth to the character. When Kabilan strides to the ring for the final fight with his blue robe, it reminded me of Kaala (the climax with collage of colors, blue being prominent) and Kabali (coat suit poduvenda, kaal mela kaal pottu ukkaruvenda). Now, one can argue does he really need to bring in caste in every movie he makes. It didn’t bother me, but it may some. It is part of the package, to quote Muhammad Ali 😃

I am America. I am the part you won’t recognize. But get used to me. Black, confident, cocky; my name, not yours; my religion, not yours; my goals, my own; get used to me.”