A Feel-Good Road Trip Wrapped in Laughter and Love
Paranthu Po, directed by Ram, offers a tender, funny, and refreshingly light take on parenting and the modern middle-class chase for happiness. While the structure may seem familiar—a parent and child go on a transformative journey—the execution is anything but formulaic. This Tamil film moves with a free spirit, much like its young protagonist Anbu, and delivers its messages with warmth, wit, and a fair dose of emotional honesty.
At the heart of the film is Gokul (Shiva), an organic entrepreneur juggling business stress and parental responsibility. Opposite him is Glory (Grace Antony), a driven mother managing her saree business while being emotionally distant from her family due to past choices. Their son, Anbu (played with remarkable charm by Mithul Ryan), is an 8-year-old bundle of curiosity, mischief, and longing—for freedom, for love, and for attention.
When Escape Becomes Enlightenment
What sets Paranthu Po apart from similar “life lesson” films is its refusal to become preachy. Yes, there’s a lesson about parenting and understanding children better. Yes, there’s social commentary about privilege, class, and the modern rat race. But Ram cleverly sneaks all of this into a chaotic comedy that dances between silly and soulful.
The story takes off when an accidental road trip pushes Gokul and Anbu out of their urban rut. The father-son duo encounter quirky yet sincere characters—Emperor, Dharma The Great, Vanitha (Anjali), and Gunasekaran (Aju Varghese)—who reflect values of kindness, freedom, and contentment. Each of them plays a small but meaningful part in Gokul’s reawakening and Anbu’s sense of belonging.
The Film’s Heartbeat: Anbu, the Free Spirit
Anbu is no idealized movie child. He’s bratty, demanding, clever, and emotionally expressive. He questions authority, craves his parents’ presence, and dreams of wild adventures—like riding dinosaurs or blasting off to Mars. It’s this unfiltered imagination that gives Paranthu Po its whimsical tone.
Master Mithul Ryan’s performance is the anchor of the film. He makes Anbu relatable, annoying, and lovable—all at once. The child’s waveboard-riding scenes through open roads feel less like action and more like poetry in motion, echoing the central metaphor: to paranthu po—fly away.
Shiva and Grace Antony Shine in Unpredictable Roles
Shiva, known for his comedic chops, delivers one of his most grounded and likable performances as Gokul. His sarcastic one-liners land perfectly, but there’s an undercurrent of love and weariness that gives depth to the character. He’s the kind of father who knows how to scold without wounding, joke without deflecting, and learn without losing face.
Grace Antony’s Glory, meanwhile, surprises with her transition from an overburdened, quietly struggling mother to a vivacious, fun-loving woman rediscovering her spontaneity. Her moments of solo reflection, laughter, and silent strength stand out, especially in a story that could’ve easily sidelined the mother figure.
A Visual and Musical Celebration of Life
NK Ekambaram’s cinematography turns rural landscapes into living postcards. The camera never oversells nature; it simply welcomes it as part of the story. Santhosh Dhayanidhi’s music, with Madhan Karky’s cleverly simple lyrics in Tamil and English, adds to the dreamlike rhythm. The songs feel like lullabies—soothing, nostalgic, and personal.
Final Verdict: A Film That Asks You to Breathe, Laugh, and Let Go ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ (4/5 stars)
Paranthu Po isn’t about abandoning responsibility—it’s about finding joy in the chaos and reconnecting with what truly matters. With humor that’s offbeat but sincere, characters that feel lived-in, and a story that finds beauty in the mundane, this film is a sweet and significant reminder that sometimes, to grow up, we have to learn to see the world like a child again.