Soorarai Pottru review: An inspiring story of hope and triumph headlined by a phenomenal Suriya

Tamil cinema’s follow-your-dream fables are usually very straightforward. These stories are typically centred on a hero who through the course of the film, or a song, emerges victoriously against all odds. But these tales rarely make the desired impact. Sudha Kongara’s Soorarai Pottru is a welcome departure from the norm that hits all the right notes.

The film sees Suriya play one of his greatest roles in recent years, Nedumaaran Rajangam aka Maara, a man who dreams of establishing a low-cost airline. At a time when flying was mostly restricted to those with deep pockets, Maara envisioned flying as a commonplace experience. There’s a hard-hitting incident, which unfolds in an airport, that fuels Maara’s ambition and it’s easily one of the most powerful scenes of the movie. The rest of the story is about how Maara holds onto his dream in the face of adversity.

Based on the life of captain GR Gopinath, the founder of Air Deccan and his book Simply Fly: A Deccan Odyssey, the film makes for a riveting watch. Suriya is phenomenal and holds the show together. Interestingly, the film isn’t just about Maara and his dream; it’s also about his wife, Bommi (Aparna Balamurali), and her desire to start a bakery. As the film progresses, we see Bommi become a crucial part of Maara’s journey and the scenes they share are impactful.

Sudha’s writing deserves special praise for making Bommi’s character equally important and not keeping the focus on the leading man alone. Aparna as Bommi is a revelation. Even though the chemistry between her and Maara isn’t the best we've seen on the silver screen, which is fine, you still connect with the pair on an emotional level.

Paresh Rawal plays the quintessential tycoon who doesn't think twice about crushing everyone in his path. His is probably the weakest character in the movie and the veteran actor looks so uncomfortable, mouthing the clichés that are usually written for such characters.

However, the supporting characters are very strong and the most likeable of them is Maara’s mother (Urvashi). Poo Ramaswamy as Maara’s father has a brief but very important role. Even Vivek Prasanna and Krishnamurthy, who play Maara’s friends are aptly cast and perform satisfyingly. Telugu actor Mohan Babu, in his inimitable style, delivers an effortless performance in an extended cameo.

Soorarai Pottru, which will go down as one of the best films of the year, marks Suriya’s return to form and it’s quite gutsy for a mainstream hero to produce and star in a film that doesn’t tick all the boxes of a typical commercial entertainer.

Amazon Prime is now streaming Soorarai Pottru.