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Movie Review: 'Pookkaalam' - a feel-good film revolving around a 100-year-old man

'Aanandam' director Ganesh Raj, who gifted us a feel-good college drama as a debutant, is back after a seven-year hiatus. This time, he has returned with another romantic drama, retaining some of the actors from his debut work.

The storyline of the movie is quite unique as it revolves around a 100-year-old man who suddenly discovers that his wife had an affair during their marriage. The incident leaves him disturbed and he starts considering a divorce. The incident and the sudden turns of events becomes the talk of the town, leaving the family, especially his equally old wife, devastated.

The impending divorce of both Ichappan (Vijayaraghavan) and Ichamma (KPAC Leela), as they are fondly called, comes during their grand-daughter Elsy's betrothal. Elsy (played by Annu Antony) decides to discover the identity of the man who wrote the letter.

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Though the movie dwells on a serious subject like a marital discord, Ganesh Raj's 'Pookkaalam' is not a tear-jerker. Instead, he relies on the youthful vibrancy that was the pillar of his earlier work, to narrate this film, too.

Vijayaraghavan's transformation into an 100-year-old man is noteworthy. At first glimpse, he seems unrecognizable. The make-up artist has done an incredible job transforming the actor into a man who is in the sunset of his life.

Watching the actor perform was a treat, though he needed to be a bit more convincing in some scenes. KPAC Leela, Basil Joseph, Johny Antony, Jagadish, Annu Antony, Arun Kurian, among others, were a delight to watch.

Despite the good performances, the weak dialogues and the failure to explore some of the characters further, affect the film, which is otherwise an interesting family drama.

Ichamma's conviction about her supposedly 'sinful' past, was not convincingly portrayed, making her appear as the stereotypical, timid woman of a Christian household. A few jokes fall flat, but court scenes between Vineeth Sreenivasan, Basil Joseph and Johny Antony elicit a few laughs.

Malayalam cinema has explored elderly couple relationships through films like 'Oru Cheru Punchiri', but it's good to see a fresh take on this subject.

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Published: April 08 , 2023 03:58 PM IST

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Pookkaalam movie review: A wholesome family entertainer designed to lift your spirits

Rating: ( 3.5 / 5).

The first noticeable quality of Pookkaalam is its colours: yellows, browns, greens, pinks... all contributing to the suitably warm images captured by Anend C Chandran. Its overall atmosphere is apt for a film that wants to make you laugh, cry, and smile. Pookkaalam is built on the simple but novel idea of a nonagenarian man, Ittoop (Vijayaraghavan), suddenly discovering one day that his whole life has been a lie -- a discovery that affects his relationship with his wife Kochuthresia (KPAC Leela). It comes at a time when their house is gearing up for a betrothal function, brightened by the presence of all their family members, their funny interactions, and all kinds of noise. 

Director: Ganesh Raj

Cast: Vijayaraghavan, KPAC Leela, Basil Joseph, Vineeth Sreenivasan, Arun Kurian, Annu Antony

There is an 'uncle' (Abu Salim) who just invented a kozhukatta machine christened 'KOMA'; there are two twins married to twins; there is a lady who runs a rubber factory; her eager-to-get-married daughter, her eccentric sibling, and her 'entrepreneur' groom-to-be; and many more. More characters show up: Johnny Antony's advocate, who accepts only " anthassulla casukal " (prestigious cases) and his junior (Basil Joseph), who jumps at the opportunity to take on the case of Ittoop when he learns that the latter wants to divorce his wife. The festival mood of Pookkaalam gets further heightened when Vineeth Sreenivasan shows up as a judge -- and Basil's batchmate. 

In terms of scale, the immediate comparison one can think of is the Priyadarshan films from the 80s, such as Mazha Peyyunnu Madhalam Kottunnu . (It's not as funny, though.) While Pookkaalam is not going for the vibe of a full-fledged slapstick comedy, it makes its principal actors behave as though they belong to one for a significant stretch of its runtime before things get serious and the fun and games come to a stop. But even when it's knee-deep in conflict, it manages to achieve a nice balance between its serious and comic elements. The film is careful not to overwhelm even when two tragic events occur. Much fun gets mined out of the quirky dynamic between people opposed to one idea, which happens to be the thought of Ittoop wanting a divorce after all these years. 

Suffice it to say that writer-director Ganesh Raj follows up his 2016 hit Aanandam with another feel-good entertainer that aims for the heart and succeeds. Narrated through chapters and occasional flashbacks, the film resorts to aspect ratio switching to evoke the cinema of a different time. Rather than focusing on one timeline all the time, Pookkaalam keeps its narrative interesting by revealing information about Ittoop's past in sporadic bursts instead of all in one shot. Some say the arrival of a child brings a husband and wife together. But what happens if a couple loses a male child? How does the son's disappearance impact the father's attitude towards his daughters?

It's so refreshing to see Vijayaraghavan in the kind of performance we have not seen him do before. Three decades after his father, NN Pillai, made waves with his iconic Anjooran character in Godfather (1991), Vijayaraghavan aces a character who is two decades older than him. He is superb as Ittoop, with KPAC Leela neatly complementing him as the woman who had to bear the burden of her secret for 50 years. His expressive eyes run the gamut of emotions from embarrassment to helplessness to regret. He plays Ittoop at two different stages of his life -- the unpleasant younger self and the vulnerable older self -- with unchecked ego being the commonality binding both. While the actor maintains impressive emotional continuity in both phases, Nandhini Gopalakrishnan manages to pull off the same as Kochuthresia in her 40s. They share an intense backstory that opens the door to new revelations and guest appearances.

Arun Kurian and Annu Antony, familiar to us through Aanandam and Hridayam , maintain a constant presence as the enthusiastic couple that starts reassessing their relationship after the above incident. These characters don't have much depth, but they have enough characteristics to remind us of people we may know. Initially behaving like two idealistic kids who can't wait to get married, they mellow down later to look at themselves from the outside. They hope not to make the mistakes their grandparents did.  

Despite some of its rough edges, Pookkaalam is what I would call a wholesome family entertainer ideal for the holidays. There are places where the exaggerated acting from Basil Joseph, Vineeth Sreenivasan, Johny Antony, and others don't land, but their presence also makes Pookkaalam lively when necessary. In a way, they remind us of some of our family members. We don't always like what they do, but we can't live without them either. 

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A nearly 100 year old man decides to divorce his nearly 100 year old wife after finding a secret love letter of hers from nearly 60 years ago. A nearly 100 year old man decides to divorce his nearly 100 year old wife after finding a secret love letter of hers from nearly 60 years ago. A nearly 100 year old man decides to divorce his nearly 100 year old wife after finding a secret love letter of hers from nearly 60 years ago.

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Home » Review » Pookkaalam review: Ganesh Raj’s sophomore directorial soars on the back of a stirring second half »

Pookkaalam review: Ganesh Raj’s sophomore directorial soars on the back of a stirring second half

The greatest highlight in Vijayaraghavan and KPAC Leela's Pookkaalam is how it also serves as a coming-of-age film with the unlikeliest of protagonists for such a genre

• Sanjith Sidhardhan

Last Updated: 05.23 PM, Apr 08, 2023

Story: After spending 80 years together, Ittoop discovers a love letter that was sent to wife Kochuthressia almost 50 years ago. While his children and grandchildren dismiss this, Ittoop decides to seek a divorce. The events become the talk of the town and also has an impact on the wedding of his grandchild Elsy, who decides to find out the truth about what happened and why.

Review: It’s not often that a filmmaker’s two movies focus on protagonists of two different age spectrums and yet details their lives with so much care. Director Ganesh Raj, who made his debut with the campus romcom Aanandam, chooses to narrate a story about two nonagenarians, who have been married to each other for over 80 years, through the movie Pookkaalam. The greatest highlight in the film, which is also scripted by the director, is how it also serves as a coming-of-age film with the unlikeliest of protagonists for such a genre.

Also read: Pookkaalam is inspired by a true event in Italy that fit well in Kerala’s socio-political milieu: Ganesh Raj  

The film’s thread is unique. It revolves around Ittoop (Vijayaraghavan), who is approaching 100 years of age, alleging that his wife Kochuthressia (KPAC Leela) had an affair five decades ago and seeks for divorce. All this after finding a love letter and never really asking her about the truth. The latter trait of his personality has a far-reaching impact on the arc of the story and it’s also where Ganesh, as a storyteller, succeeds in showing that people – no matter how rigid in their beliefs or how old they are – can change, for the better and for the ones they love.

Also read: Exclusive! Ganesh Raj: Pookkaalam is set in a world I wasn’t familiar with, but wanted to explore after Aanandam  

Pookkaalam, in essence, is about that change. The filmmaker has structured the movie that way too, to show the different phases of life leading to the (eternal) ‘spring’ (of youth). He doesn’t spoon-feed the relationships but it all comes together through snippets from Ittoop and Kochuthressia’s youthful days along with what their children and grandchildren discover after the former takes the unpopular route of approaching the court.

The first half, however, digresses a bit for the sake of entertainment, with characters of Basil Joseph, Vineeth Sreenivasan and Johny Antony being added to the fold as part of the legal drama. While they provide the laughs, you do wish that the filmmaker had instead spent more time on fleshing out its protagonists. This is because when Ganesh does shine light entirely on the family, the film assumes a maturity it didn’t previously. The powerful second half, aided by some stirring and poignant sequences, elevates the film while also ensuring it connects to the audience by showing the power of love, loss and the mistake of taking what one has for granted.

Vijayaraghavan as Ittoop is phenomenal, portraying the body language of a man in his twilight years. The make-up department too deserves special mention. The scenes of Ittoop’s obdurate mindset giving way and the realisation dawning on him – at the court as well as the final chapter – are sure to move anyone. KPAC Leela retains a sense of warmth about her character throughout the film, which becomes radiant, again in the final chapter, when she tells her daughters that she was happy to see everyone laughing again.

Annu Antony, Arun Kurian, Abu Salim, Jagadish, Suhasini Maniratnam and the rest of the cast play their parts well in the feel-good film, which has a youthful flavour sprinkled throughout – drawing parallels to the kind of love Ittoop and Kochuthressia had over the years. In a way, this is also why the final revelation works so well.

Anend C Chandran’s cinematography adds to this sprightly vibe. Though there were so many moments that could have been made livelier with the accompaniment of music, Ganesh and composer Sachin Warrier keep it controlled till the final chapter, to ‘spring’ all the goodness together.

Verdict: Though Ganesh Raj’s sophomore directorial Pookkaalam takes its time to get going, once it finds its footing in the second half, it soars and moves you – thanks to some brilliant performances and poignant moments.

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Pookkaalam Movie Detailed Review & Analysis

• Mollywood Review

Gist of the Story

With a huge family that spans four generations, a pair in their late nineties enjoys a joyful existence. They embark on a magnificent adventure that will put their family ties to the test when they attend their granddaughter’s engagement due to an unforeseen event.

Detailed Plot

When Itoop and Kochuthresiamma first appear, they are presented as a regular elderly couple without fights. The two make their children uncomfortable with their displays of affection and concern for the tiny things about one another. Ittoop finds a love letter that was written to wife Kochuthressia over 50 years ago after 80 years of marriage. Ittoop chooses to file for divorce despite his grandchildren and kids ignoring this. His granddaughter Elsy, who is getting married, tries to learn the truth as to what transpired and why as a result of the events becoming the topic of conversation in the community.

Artistes’ Performances

The way Vijayaraghavan portrays the mannerisms of an elderly man in Ittoop is incredible. He appears unfamiliar at first glance. The actor’s transformation into a guy nearing the end of his life was expertly accomplished by the makeup artist. Among others, KPAC Leela, Basil Joseph, Johny Antony, Jagadish, Devika, and Arun Kurian were delightful to watch. Others playing brief but significant roles are Roshan Mathew, Suhasini Maniratnam, and Jagadish.

Direction / Technical Side

After a seven-year absence, “Aanandam” director Ganesh Raj is returned. As a debutant, he gave us a heartwarming collegiate drama. In contrast to Aanandam, which was centered on a group of young people on a college vacation, Pookkaalam is centered on an older couple who have been married for 80 years and are almost 100 years old. Pookkaalam spends a lot of time emphasizing the current state of Ittoop’s relationship with his wife Kochuthresia and their huge extended family. However, the first half strays a little from the plot for entertainment’s sake, with new characters being introduced to the drama. By highlighting the impact of love, loss, and the error of assuming everything one has for granted, the film’s moving second half lifts it and ensures that it connects with the audience. This upbeat atmosphere is enhanced by the cinematography of Anend C Chandran.

Verdict; Despite some predictability, “Pookkaalam” is a cheery and uplifting family drama that emphasizes the sincerity and warmth of familial ties. A good first half that focuses more on fun elements has a deeply emotional second half that connects. Watch it to see Vijayaraghavan’s incredible performance! ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ Rating: 3.5 out of 5.

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• Home » Movies » Pookkaalam Movie Review

Pookkaalam review: A feel-good entertainer from director Ganesh Raj on family relations

Supported by superb performances, the director balances the plot with the right proportion of intense moments and humour.

Published:Aug 18, 2023

Director Ganesh Raj's 'Pookkaalam' movie is a comedy drama. (Twitter)

Discusses a unique suject.

Pookkaalam (Malayalam)

• Cast: Vijayaraghavan, Vineeth Sreenivasan, Basil Joseph, Anu Antony, Arun Kurien, Suhasini, KPAC Leela, Roshan Mathew, Abu Salim, and Sarath Sabha
• Director: Ganesh Raj
• Producer: Vinod Shornur, Thomas Thiruvala
• Music: Sachin Warrier
• Runtime: 2 hours 17 minutes
• Cast: Salman Khan, Katrina Kaif, Emraan Hashmi, and Revathy
• Director: Maneesh Sharma
• Producer: Aditya Chopra
• Music: Pritam Chakraborty
• Runtime: 2 hours 35 minutes

Director Ganesh Raj’s Pookkaalam (Season of Flowers) is based on a real-life incident that happened in Italy. Vijayaraghavan and KPAC Leela played the roles of Ittoop aka Ichhappan and Ichhamma aka Kochuthresiya respectively.

Ittoop, a 100-year-old man, finds a letter that gives hints about his wife Kochuthresiya’s affair a long time ago. A furious Ittoop tries all his ways to get a divorce.

Elsy (Annu Antony), the granddaughter of Ittoop and Kochuthresiya, tries to find the person who wrote the letter. She seeks the help of Jikku Mon (Basil Joseph), the lawyer hired by Ittoop. What happens next forms the crux of the flick.

Complex yet humorous

A poster of ‘Pookkaalam’. (Twitter)

The movie is a fine blend of old and young actors which is its USP.

Having assisted actor-singer-director Vineeth Sreenivasan, Ganesh Raj knows the pulse of the audience.

In his directorial debut Aanandam (2016) , he roped in a group of youngsters. Now, in his second venture ( Pookkaalam ), he made sure to stay in the industry as a filmmaker.

Interestingly more films showcasing old lovers are being made in recent times. Pranaya Vilasam and Ntikkakkakkoru Premandaarnnu had a similar plot.

Pookkaalam is a tearjerker and at the same time, it has an equal number of lighter moments. It has a complex plot. However, this doesn’t mean it’s difficult to understand the characters.

The movie shows the different periods of the family of Ittoop and Kochuthresiya. It also mentions how they became well off after their rubber company prospers. It shows both the present-day and flashbacks at regular intervals.

Also Read: Editor-cinematographer Garry BH to turn director with Spy

Pookkaalam has a few intense moments and superb humour. Ganesh Raj deserves applause for adding comedy to such an intense plot. Though some comic scenes are forced, they evoke laughter.

Vijayaraghavan’s character isn’t jovial but his sons, daughters and every other person perform humour.

Sarath Sabha as the young priest, Johny Antony as the Kochuthresia’s lawyer, and Basil Joseph as Jikku Mon contribute a lot to the comedy sequences which go down well with the audience.

Human emotions

Though Ittoop’s a big family, nobody tries to address a problem as and when it arises. Instead, they try to cover it up.

Women characters, especially KPAC Leela’s Kochuthresiya, have the utmost importance in the movie.

In the flashback scenes, women are shown as the pillars of Ittoop’s family. Suhasini plays Clara, one of the daughters of Ittoop. Though she was studious, Ittoop likes his sons more than his daughters.

Clara re-enters at a crucial point. Her revelation about some facts that happened a long time ago give a major twist to the story.

But sadly, we can predict the end. The happy ending is what filmmakers seem to be interested in!

Also Read: Enthada Saji is a partly entertaining fantasy film

The performances.

Vijayaraghavan as the 100-year-old Ittoop is the soul of the movie. The veteran actor’s makeup, voice and mannerisms, especially his commanding power towards his family, are too good.

He did challenging roles in Ekalavyan (1993) and Roudram (2008); this is yet another one.

A promotional shot from ‘Pookkaalam’. (Supplied)

KPAC Leela is acting after a long time. But she doesn’t hesitate in any scene and gives her best.

Abu Salem as Venu tries something new and gets a lot of screen space .

Young actors, especially the twins, are a smart take by the director.

Basil Joseph and Johny Antony’s comic moments work really well in theatre.

Vineeth Sreenivasan appears as a judge and is one of the most interesting roles played by the actor-singer-producer in his entire career.

Annu Antony as Elsy is good. She gets motivated by Clara (Suhasini) at the end and decides to study hard instead of settling down in life by getting married. Arun Kurien plays her companion.

Technical aspects

Cinematographer Anand C Chandran captures the visuals well and gives us a good experience.

A couple of the songs composed by Sachin Warrier are soothing to hear.

Director Ganesh Raj balances the movie by placing intense moments and comedy scenes in the right proportion to keep us entertained.

Also Read: B 32 Muthal 44 Vare plot is relevant at all times, says Shruthi Sharanyam

Pookkaalam is a feel-good movie that gives importance to family relations. It is an out-and-out entertainer with a unique subject that is rarely discussed.

(Views expressed are personal.)

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Pookkaalam: Release Date, Trailer, Songs, Cast

• Release Date 8 April 2023
• Language Malayalam
• Dubbed In Hindi, Tamil, Telugu
• Genre Comedy, Drama
• Duration 2h 17min
• Cast Vijayaraghavan, K. P. A. C. Leela, Basil Joseph, Vineeth Sreenivasan, Suhasini Maniratnam, Honey Rose, Johny Antony, Arun Kurian, Annu Antony, Jagadish, Roshan Mathew, Abu Salim, Aristo Suresh, Sarasa Balussery, Ganga Meera, Sarath Sabha
• Director Ganesh Raj
• Writer Ganesh Raj
• Cinematography Anend C. Chandran
• Music Sachin Warrier
• Producer Thomas Thiruvalla, Vinod Shornur
• Production CNC Cinemas, Thomas Thiruvalla Films
• Certificate U

About Pookkaalam Movie (2023)

An unexpected event on the day of their granddaughter's engagement sends a couple in their late 90s, living a happy life with a large family of four generations, on a magical journey that will test their bonds.

Pookkaalam Movie Cast, Release Date, Trailer, Songs and Ratings

Pookkaalam Movie Trailer

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Pookkaalam Malayalam Movie

Pookkaalam: A wholesome family entertainer designed to lift your spirits

The first noticeable quality of Pookkaalam is its colours: yellows, browns, greens, pinks... all contributing to the suitably warm images captured by Anend C Chandran. Its overall atmosphere is apt for a film that wants to make you laugh, cry, and smile. Pookkaalam is built on the simple but novel idea of a nonagenarian man, Ittoop (Vijayaraghavan), suddenly discovering one day that his whole life has been a lie—a discovery that affects his relationship with his wife Kochuthresia (KPAC Leela). It comes at a time when their house is gearing up for a betrothal function, brightened by the presence of all their family members, their funny interactions, and all kinds of noise. 

There is an ‘uncle’ (Abu Salim) who just invented a kozhukatta machine christened ‘KOMA’; there are two twins married to twins; there is a lady who runs a rubber factory; her eager-to-get-married daughter, her eccentric sibling, and her ‘entrepreneur’ groom-to-be; and many more. More characters show up: Johnny Antony’s advocate, who accepts only “anthassulla casukal” (prestigious cases) and his junior (Basil Joseph), who jumps at the opportunity to take on the case of Ittoop when he learns that the latter wants to divorce his wife. The festival mood of Pookkaalam gets further heightened when Vineeth Sreenivasan shows up as a judge—and Basil’s batchmate. 

In terms of scale, the immediate comparison one can think of is the Priyadarshan films from the 80s, such as Mazha Peyyunnu Madhalam Kottunnu. (It’s not as funny, though.) While Pookkaalam is not going for the vibe of a full-fledged slapstick comedy, it makes its principal actors behave as though they belong to one for a significant stretch of its runtime before things get serious and the fun and games come to a stop. But even when it’s knee-deep in conflict, it manages to achieve a nice balance between its serious and comic elements. The film is careful not to overwhelm even when two tragic events occur. Much fun gets mined out of the quirky dynamic between people opposed to one idea, which happens to be the thought of Ittoop wanting a divorce after all these years. 

Suffice it to say that writer-director Ganesh Raj follows up his 2016 hit Aanandam with another feel-good entertainer that aims for the heart and succeeds. Narrated through chapters and occasional flashbacks, the film resorts to aspect ratio switching to evoke the cinema of a different time. Rather than focusing on one timeline all the time, Pookkaalam keeps its narrative interesting by revealing information about Ittoop’s past in sporadic bursts instead of all in one shot. Some say the arrival of a child brings a husband and wife together. But what happens if a couple loses a male child? How does the son’s disappearance impact the father’s attitude towards his daughters?

It’s so refreshing to see Vijayaraghavan in the kind of performance we have not seen him do before. Three decades after his father, NN Pillai, made waves with his iconic Anjooran character in Godfather (1991), Vijayaraghavan aces a character who is two decades older than him. He is superb as Ittoop, with KPAC Leela neatly complementing him as the woman who had to bear the burden of her secret for 50 years. His expressive eyes run the gamut of emotions from embarrassment to helplessness to regret. He plays Ittoop at two different stages of his life —the unpleasant younger self and the vulnerable older self—with unchecked ego being the commonality binding both. While the actor maintains impressive emotional continuity in both phases, Nandhini Gopalakrishnan manages to pull off the same as Kochuthresia in her 40s. They share an intense backstory that opens the door to new revelations and guest appearances.

Arun Kurian and Annu Antony, familiar to us through Aanandam and Hridayam, maintain a constant presence as the enthusiastic couple that starts reassessing their relationship after the above incident. These characters don’t have much depth, but they have enough characteristics to remind us of people we may know. Initially behaving like two idealistic kids who can’t wait to get married, they mellow down later to look at themselves from the outside. They hope not to make the mistakes their grandparents did.   Despite some of its rough edges, Pookkaalam is what I would call a wholesome family entertainer ideal for the holidays. There are places where the exaggerated acting from Basil Joseph, Vineeth Sreenivasan, Johny Antony, and others don’t land, but their presence also makes Pookkaalam lively when necessary. In a way, they remind us of some of our family members. We don’t always like what they do, but we can’t live without them either.

Film: Pookkaalam Director: Ganesh Raj Cast: Vijayaraghavan, KPAC Leela, Basil Joseph, Vineeth Sreenivasan, Arun Kurian, Annu Antony Rating: 3.5/5

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Pookkaalam – Review

Directed by:Ganesh Raj Starring: Vijayaraghavan,K. P. A. C. Leela, Basil Joseph,Vineeth Sreenivasan, Suhasini Maniratnam Cinematography: Anend C Chandran Edited by:Midhun Murali Music by:Sachin Warrier Production:CNC Cinemas, Thomas Thiruvalla Films Release date:8 April 2023 Language: Malayalam

Pookkaalam is a Malayalam language film, written and directed by Ganesh Raj. The film stars veteran actor Vijayaraghavan playing the lead role, as an 100-year-old,along with K.P.A.C.Leela, Roshan Mathew, Jagadish and Suhasini Maniratnam.The film also stars actor-directors Basil Joseph, Vineeth Sreenivasan and Johny Antony.

Families have always been a lucrative source of drama. From identity crises and interpersonal relationships to issues of being too cooped up together or too spaced apart – there’s enough fodder for a new story every time. As a family drama, Pookkaalam plays into this, the fact that each family and its web of relationships is completely unique to itself. From the very first scene, it’s quite visible how the direction, cinematography and dialogues truly characterize this family drama. With the casual air of a family get-together interspersed with underlying tensions and struggles, Pookkaalam sets the tone of everyday life.

The great thing about Pookkaalam is all the complex relations and conflicts it brings up. Not only does it offer a keen look into Husband – Wife relationships – the misunderstandings, the comparison of father-Daughters perceptive – the role of education in uplifting the working class, queer relationships in India, and the (un)importance of blood relation.Every scene of movie unveil a secret in the family which keeps the audience tight to the screen. The emotions are rightly placed and the music by Sachin warrier has filled the gap with serenity.

In the unsaid chaos and struggle between the family members, the director of the movie Ganesh raj in his Second directorial outing has also added some pinch of patriarchy, sexism in some scenes. Pookkaalam is a complete package of a family movie. it has emotions, love, twist and turns.

The husband – wife duo played by two charismatic actors Vijaya raghavan and KPAC Leela is a good watch. KPAC Leela is elegantly personified as the progressive matriarch. She effortlessly charms her way through to the audience’s heart. She is brilliant in both the lighter and emotional bits.All the characters in the family were perfectly cast. All performed well. Among the extended family, Annu Antony is brilliant as grand daughter. Basil Joseph, Vineeth Srinivasan, and Johnny Antony Trio scored in comedy scenes. Not surprisingly, it is Vijaya raghavan and KPAC Leela who hold the proceedings.

A Feel Good Family Entertainer!!!

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Vijayaraghavan starrer ‘Pookkaalam’ gets an OTT release date

"Pookkaalam" starts streaming tomorrow on Disney Plus Hotstar. Be sure to watch it. #PookkaalamOnDisneyPlusHotstar #DisneyPlusHotstar #DisneyPlusHotstarMalayalam #BasilJoseph #VineethSreenivasan #VijayaRaghavan #StreamingTomorrow #IMDb pic.twitter.com/v85A1qLjYk — DisneyPlus Hotstar Malayalam (@DisneyplusHSMal) May 18, 2023

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