Cast: Prithviraj, Isha Talwar, Rahman, Shyamaprasad, Nandu
Director: Nirmal Sahadev
Ranam begins with an end, because, according to Aadhi (Prithviraj) every end comes from a beginning. And we are taken to the beginning by Aadhi’s voice. He's a mechanic, who is also a drug dealer in Detroit, the place where the story is set. He introduces other significant characters like Damodar (Rahman) and Bhaskaran (Nandu), who reached Detroit dreaming of the so-called American life, but ended up devastated in this city that is reigned by criminals.
So, at the core, Ranam is about a gang war in Detroit. It also looks at other aspects such as drug abuse and relationships. It has crime, style and emotions. But Ranam will test your patience a bit, because the storytelling has relied more on the voiceover (or dialogues) than actions to explain certain crucial elements. It unfolds at a very slow pace and some philosophical thoughts are repetitive too. The makers could have tweaked the narration a bit to avoid monotony. Prithviraj shines as Aadhi, who has a haunting past. He wants to get rid of it but is unable to do so due to emotional entanglements. Equally good is Rahman as Damodar, a Tamilian who is a drug dealer at Detroit.
He has done a brilliant job as an underworld don. He is stylish. Another actor who deserves mention is Ashwin Kumar, who is the right hand of Damodar. Isha Talwar’s character Seema is a moving one, but she struggles to bring out the agony and helplessness of the character. However, Celine Joseph, who comes as Seema’s daughter Deepika, has given a good show as an estranged millennial.
Another highlight of Ranam is Jakes Bejoy’s music. He maintains a good balance and tries not to disturb the storytelling. Also, Ranam has got some good, stylish visuals that enhance the mood. In short, Ranam can be called an ‘emotional crime thriller’ that drags at certain points and talks about second chances that sometimes come with a cost.
