In Tamil movies, it’s rare to find films for kids that really touch your heart. But when one does come along, like Kamalakannan’s “Kurangu Pedal,” it’s special. This movie is all about the bond between a father and son, set in the 80s, a time of innocence.
The story starts with a group of boys in Katheri village who are eager to have fun during their summer break. They all dream of learning to ride a bicycle, which was a big deal back then. There’s only one bicycle rental shop in the village, run by a man called Military.
One of the boys, Mariappan, secretly rents a bicycle because he wants to impress his friends and for other reasons. But his father, who doesn’t even know how to ride a bike, gets upset when he finds out. This leads to a conflict that gets out of control. What happens next and how Mariappan, the innocent kid, solves the problem is what the story is all about.
From early on, we could predict that Mariappan would learn to ride a bike to make his father proud and that he’d get into trouble along the way. Despite these predictable parts and some flat writing, the director still delivers what we’d expect from this type of movie.
The best thing about the film is that it keeps the innocence of the kids intact, even in emotional scenes. For example, there’s a scene where Mariappan falls asleep at his sister’s place without realizing he’s in trouble for not returning the rented bike on time. And at the end, when his rival offers a compromise, Mariappan accepts it gracefully.
While the writing could have been stronger in the second half, the actors did a decent job. The scenery of Salem and its villages is beautifully captured by the cinematographer, although you can tell they had budget constraints. The music by Ghibran Vaibodha adds to the film’s charm.
“Kurangu Pedal” takes us on a nostalgic journey with its well-developed characters and engaging story. It’s rare to see stars like Sivakarthikeyan supporting children’s movies, so it’s definitely worth acknowledging.
