Genre: Romance & Action

Story Line: Venkatesh (Sarath Kumar), looking frazzled, steps out of his car on Golconda Road in Hyderabad and looks around, searching.

He hears his son Nanda’s voice, as the little boy yells, "Appa" and comes running towards him. Relieved, Venkatesh folds him in a tight hug and then pulls out Nanda’s insulin injections to give him a dose – it’s been 2 days since his last shot. And then… he sees something or someone in the distance and his expression changes… Let’s go, Nanda, he says in a determined voice… let’s go get your mother…

Venkatesh works for Alpha Pharmaceuticals as a sales rep. and a very successful one at that. Not in terms of dynamism or ambition but because he is a totally contented and happy man. His dynamism only shows in his superb sales figures, something he achieves with perseverance more than slick sales talk. His life is a few very productive hours at the office – where everyone likes him for his calm and steady personality – and his time spent with his family of a beautiful wife and a young son. As he tells his friends, he has no more to wish or aim for – he has a steady job, a good home, a lovely and sensible wife Kalyani (Andrea) who is not at all demanding, an adorable son and enough of his hard– earned money saved for their future.

Then, Fate shows her trickster’s mind in their lives. One day, while Venkatesh is away at work, Nanda walks into the kitchen at home and faints. Panicking, Kalyani rushes him to the hospital and they run some tests on the little boy. When Venkatesh returns and they consult with the doctor, they are shocked to hear that Nanda has juvenile diabetes and needs daily insulin shots to keep him going. Even the doctor’s repeated assurance that this is not a disease and just a condition – Nanda is otherwise a normal and healthy boy – does not console them.

Life for them completely changes after this. Venkatesh and Kalyani go through the heart–breaking task of giving the little boy insulin injections thrice a day, Nanda’s protests and pain, Kalyani’s disbelief that this is happening to them…

Venkatesh tries his best to be strong and calm for his family and live life as before but Kalyani’s mental strength deteriorates. She withdraws into herself. She tells Venkatesh that after this, they should not have any more children and everything that they have – love, time, money – should only be for Nanda. Emotionally and physically, she draws away from Venkatesh, leaving him with no shoulder to lean on.

Venkatesh goes about his work as a matter of routine. He works longer hours, not wanting to walk into a lifeless home, unlike when he used to walk into a home with hugs and laughter. And one day, on his usual train journey to his office, in front of him, boards a lovely lady (Jyotika). Another passenger, but one he has never seen before (having spent so many years boarding the same trains at the same times, one tends to notice new faces). Some strange curiosity makes him stare at her, but he doesn’t want to offend her. Gradually, she too understands that he is not trying to harass her and talks to him. An awkward meeting, but not unpleasant.

And so, they somehow end up meeting the next day too, and the day after… and days after that. Friendship blooms and over the many days they meet, they talk about their lives. Her name is Geetha and she works because she cannot stand to be in the same house for many hours as her suspicious and abusive husband. She has a daughter, who is the only light in her life. He too tells her about his life and is subconsciously relieved that he has someone to unburden his worries to, now that his wife too has withdrawn from him.

Soon, coincidence turns to expectation and they start to look out for each other at train stations match their travel time, so they can be together. It is a reluctant friendship blooming into something else neither can define. Until one day, Geetha opens up to Venkatesh and tells him quite frankly that she has begun to fall in love with him. He is taken aback, but is himself so unsure of his feelings, he is also speechless. A big showdown has happened between Geetha and her husband and she even begs Venkatesh to take her away, just for a few hours, so that she can be with him.

He does take her for a drive, although he is totally unsure. His heart tells him this is wrong, but his long loneliness tells him to go. As they drive around, she suddenly suggests a resort to take a room in. They do. Finally inside the room and fumbling for words, Venkatesh and Geetha are just about to take a step in changing their relationship… when the door bursts open and in walks Lawrence (Milind Soman), brandishing a weapon, threatening and cursing. He takes all their money and suddenly, looking at the different pictures of their families in their wallets, he realizes that these 2 people are not married to each other. Life turns cruel for the couple as Lawrence assaults Venkatesh (who gives him a good fight, though) and ties him up… and rapes Geetha in front of the trussed Venkatesh. It doesn’t end there…

What follows is a series of unpleasant blackmail by Lawrence and Venkatesh watches all his savings being washed away. He is still unable to tell his wife, but one day, he decides he’s had enough… and opens up to her. As if a nightmare had come true, Kalyani leaves him and Nanda. Indefinitely. Venkatesh then decides to get his life and his money back and soon, even Kalyani.

Does Venkatesh fight Lawrence? What is the shock that faces him when he follows Lawrence one day? How does he get his life back? Will Kalyani return? Where does Geetha fit into all this?

Nicely sequenced, the film leads us through intrigue and twists and turns. It is very much adapted from the movie Derailed, but Gautham has added his own twists into Pachaikili’s plot.

Sarath Kumar has excelled in his performance – he has played toe role of a mature married man to the fullest, but looks young and smart. He is subtle, subdued and very natural. Jyotika proves her worth with a great performance. Andrea, although no match for Jo, comes across well as Kalyani. Milind succeeds in looking cruel, scruffy and quite the villain. There are other minor actors in the cast who have each done their jobs well.

Focal points in the film are the way Sarath Kumar has been shown as a strong and bold man who is also very human. He is not some super-stud who just manages to beat up the baddies in one go, but he does give a great fight. He is not invincible, but he can be as much of a hero as anyone else. There is very little make-up on the actors and the film itself is very real-looking.

Nothing needs to be said about Harris’ music – it’s simply mind-blowing! Un Siripinil is probably the best track and the best-shot song – lilting and romantic.

Pachaikili Muthucharam is a cool thriller without clichéd slick chases and special effects. The effects lie in the performance of the actors and the momentum of the story.

Pachaikili Muthucharam – watch it, it’s worth getting caught in its spiderweb – silandhivalai!