Ottha Seruppu Tamil movie review

*ottha seruppu*

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By Venkat Raghavan

I saw this movie over the weekend.  At my friend’s place.  His son recommended we watch it, and when he put this on screen I had no clue what to expect.  The official title is *ottha seruppu size 7.*

The movie is produced, written and directed by Parthiban.  And acted. 

Wait.  That is what he does usually.  Isn’t it? 

*There is no other actor.* 

In the visuals.  Only Parthiban.  In the *entire movie the only human you see* is Parthiban.  There are a few other characters, but they are not shown, you only hear their voices.   The setting for the entire movie is one room in a police station.  A table, a chair (which the character barely occupies) a mobile phone, a walkie talkie radio of police, a camera recording the interrogation, a file, a few papers, a wash basin and a paper kite are the only props.   There is a window which the actor walks to occasionally as he demonstrates more histrionics.

Giving away no spoilers, the 105 minute movie is about interrogation of the murder suspect Parthiban.  He is a poor security guard in an elite city club arrested for murder.  Due to the high profile of victim, Deputy Commissioner and Asst Commissioner are involved in the interrogation in addition to the Inspector.   The scenario; the police want the suspect to detail the murder act and also establish the motive. 

Seeing just one actor on screen could be tedious.  That too a middle aged scruffy looking Parthiban may not be one’s idea of immensely watchable.  Parthiban’s biggest victory here is he sustains your interest throughout, a win for him as a writer, director and actor.    The movie doesn’t lose the grip at any time; the frame at no point moves out of this room, even as the suspect narrates the scene there is no flashback visual, it is _all described verbally_ maintaining the tempo. 

The suspect at the beginning seemingly is pleading innocence, but that is a deception and soon it is clear that he is actually confessing to the murder detailing the modus operandi.  When the police seem satisfied with what they heard, there is a twist which the suspect introduces and the interrogation prolongs.  When that part is done, there is another turn.  To the total annoyance and utter frustration of interrogating officers.  The poor simpleton suspect is not after all stupid.   In one of the earlier scenes, when a cop asks why a gullible guy like him should get involved in a murder crime and get trapped like this, Parthiban asks naively if it is not the cops who are trapped?  When the miffed cop asks him to explain, Parthiban says he feels bad for the cops who are staying overnight interrogating him leaving their families trapped in their jobs.   But we come to realise later what he actually meant. 

It is almost a flawless movie, though the ending may be debatable.   In Tamil we have a few experimental movies being made nowadays, but in the degree of experimentation it would be hard to beat this.   A single sandal (without its pair), utterly insignificant and most dispensable.  One doesn’t give a second look.  But Ottha Seruppu is not.  Give it a watch.