Gaurav Kaalai is a sportsperson who brings medals and glory to his residential school. So much so, that teachers are okay with him not doing well academically. Enters Praveen Kishore, who is a chess player, a wonderful artist and a bright student.

While Gaurav bullies new joinee Praveen, they also build a love-hate relationship over the next few months. However, an untoward incident pushes Praveen into depression.

Parallelly, we see Esther Anil, who is recuperating from a heart transplant. How Gaurav, Praveen and Esther’s lives are interconnected form the rest of the story.

Directed by Halitha Shameem, the film focuses on its prime characters. Halitha usually takes life’s mundane things and paints them in striking shades.

The director lets two teenagers with different personalities and dreams bond over their differences.

The story is soulful and Halitha Shameem’s screenplay is one of the biggest strengths of the movie.

The strongest asset of the movie is the performances of the lead actors, played by Praveen Kishore, Gaurav Kaalai and Esther Anil. We see them growing up from their school days to their 20s.

AR Rahman’s daughter, Khatija, makes a great debut as a composer. Her background score is subtle in many places and moves along with the story.

Cinematographer Manoj Paramahamsa, who also doubled up as a producer, captured the landscape of the Himalayan mountain range in its glory.

Rating: 3.5/5

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