Sembi is an emotional survival drama written and directed by Prabu Solomon, and produced by Ravindran, Ajmal Khan and Reyaa under the banner Trident Arts. The film has Kovai Sarala, Ashwin Kumar Lakshmikanth, Thambi Ramaiah, Nanjil Sampath, Pala Karuppiah, and others as its star cast, including a 10-year-old girl playing the titular character. The music is composed by Nivas K Prasanna and the cinematography is by Jeevan.
Sembi is a 10-year-old girl, whose world revolves around her grandmother Veerayi (played by Kovai Sarala), and vice versa. Veerayi teaches her how to extract honey from a honeycomb without disturbing the bees, and asks Sembi to sell the honey in the marketplace. Within a few minutes, she gets molested by 3 people, and the rest of the film is a fight for justice for Sembi and Veerayi.
Although the film starts on a middling note, with characters being painted black and white, what the climax hints at - answers a lot of questions. The entire second half is filled with sequences where Veerayi and her granddaughter face one obstacle after another. And they escape from each one of them quite easily. There are plenty of cinematic liberties taken, but the film seems to be self-aware of this.
This also turns out to be the film's biggest drawback. In case the audience doesn't understand what the climax is, then Sembi could very well end up as a disappointing watch. The film has a biblical theme throughout and it is reflected even in Nivas K Prasanna's soul-stirring music. Initially, the music is loud and on the face but as the film progresses it blends in beautifully with the narrative.
The pillar of the film is Kovai Sarala who not only impresses in the emotional scenes but also the action sequences. She gets a meaty, 'Agent Tina' like sequence in the first half, and she gobbles it up to showcase what an extraordinary performer she is. She is supported well by the 10-year-old girl, and Ashwin Kumar comes up with a mature and restrained performance.
The screenplay could have been better in the second half as all the plot points get resolved without much tension in quick succession. The editing by Buvan is fantastic, and you don't realize the passing of time. His cuts make the film more engaging than it should have been, and are aided superbly by cinematographer Jeevan's frames. Barring the CGI work, the film is technically solid.
Overall, there are plenty of downfalls in Sembi, but the film has a heart that is as tender as that of the 10-year-old girl. The story has a natural innocence, and that drives the film forward. It has a positive message that instills hope and will work with family audiences too. Can definitely be watched and Sembi won't disappoint you.