What Is the Story About?
Rudra and Varun are school-going children parented by a man who delivers cylinders for a living and a housewife. While the kids find happiness in small joys in their lives, they’re terrified of their father. As the duo takes a two-wheeler on Rudra’s birthday and doesn’t return home, the parents file a police complaint. Their case coincides with tensions around Karnataka-TN border.
Performances?
Iyal and Kani are the lifelines of the show, with their superb screen presence and maturity that belies their age. While the strong writing establishes their on-screen bond to perfection, their performances enhance the impact further. Shakti and Aadukalam Kishore play parents to Rudra and Varun with sincerity.
After a sabbatical, Krishna Kulasekaran packs a punch, portraying a righteous cop with ease. The supporting cast doesn’t get well-defined roles though the actors give it their best shot on the screen – Kaali Venkat, Inba Ravikumar and Sharanya Ramachandran packing a punch while they last.
Analysis
Parachute is a well-made crime drama placing two children at the forefront, who unexpectedly land themselves in trouble in the quest of a lost two-wheeler. The tale unfolds from multiple perspectives – the strained relationship between the parents of the children, the heartfelt brother-sister equation, a sincere cop who’s struggling to have a child and several small-time goons.
Directed by Rasu Ranjith and written by Sridhar K, the show is a worthy melange of drama, adventure, and thrills set against the backdrop of the tense political situation around the TN-Karnataka border. The focus of the drama is the dynamics within a poor family, where a conflict brings them together and reminds them of their priorities.
The start is slightly sluggish, commencing with the chaos within a police station over two missing siblings as the screenplay unfolds over a flashback. The director tries to alternate between the innocence in the equation of the brother-sister and the ugliness of the world surrounding them. The contrast creates an element of intrigue, though the screenplay isn’t always sharp.
Many sequences where Rudra and Varun find a way to deal with tricky situations at home and school make for interesting viewing. While Varun is a mediocre student at school, he’s a doting brother to an innocent girl. Their portions effectively cast a light on how children view the world with naivety, minus the complexity and manipulation within adults.
At the same time, the spotlight is also on the parenting styles of the father and the mother. The mother strikes a delicate balance between pampering the children and disciplining them though the father, burdened by livelihood tensions, has frequent bouts of anger, that have a detrimental effect on his relationship with both the kids.
If there’s a slightly weaker segment in the show, it’s the portrayal of the nexus between the cops and the small-time goons. Though the director makes an impressive effort to depict issues that plague the system and elaborately showcase the nuances of organised crime, it doesn’t translate effectively on the screen. There’s a definite mismatch between the intent and execution.
After a few middling subplots and the meandering treatment, the show finds its mojo again in the final episode, where the children and the cops are out to find the children under challenging circumstances. The scenes where the father gets a reality check and acknowledges his mistakes as a parent are praiseworthy. Despite the bumps, the series is generally eventful and remains engaging.
Parachute is a decent crime drama with strong performances and a heartwrenching emotional conflict. Make time for it.
Music and Other Departments?
A group of solid technicians translate the vision of Sridhar and Rasu Rajnith ably across various departments. Yuvan Shankar Raja’s presence in the lineup is a great boost in preserving the soul of the story, changing the gears of the narrative wherever, and whenever necessary.
Om Narayan’s cinematography is an asset – the visuals shot across the night, and the colour scheme instantly win your attention. The chases, action segments provide a right element of anxiety to the show. The editor Richard Kevin A, who has his task cut out with a non-linear narrative, delivers the goods.
Highlights?
Good story
Neat treatment
Effective performances
Drawbacks?
Bumpy screenplay
Sluggish pacing
Crime element in the story isn’t as well executed
Did I Enjoy It?
Mostly, yes
Will You Recommend It?
If you don’t mind a crime drama with a good dose of emotions, go for it
Parachute Series Review by Binged Bureau