Strangely enough, Penguin starring Keerthy Suresh in the lead and produced by Karthik Subbaraj, reminds you of Jyothika's Ponmagal Vandhal, at least in the beginning. Perhaps it has to do with a missing child or a distraught mother or the hill station setting. But soon enough, the feeling thankfully passes.
You have a mother (Keerthy) and her missing child, Ajay. Even when the whole world is convinced the ultimate has happened, she refuses to believe anything sinister has come upon her child. Amidst all this, a mysterious mask-wielding man (not the ones to ward off Corona), stalks her and the stage is set for a perfect cat and mouse thriller with a few gripping moments where Keerthy is up against the evil man, awfully too close for comfort. You do seem to clutch your heart in those scenes that flash in the trailer.
Who's he? What's his sinister idea? What happened to her child? The answers await us when the film is up for its OTT launch. Keerthy Suresh shines as the distraught mother though you couldn't help but feel if she is a few years younger for the role. Save for her, there aren't any big names on the screen, however, the other characters come across as adequate so is the cinematography. The background music deserves praise as well for going high when the intense moments build up on the screen and staying subtle otherwise.
June 19 would tell us whether director Eashvar Karthik has passed the litmus test. For now, enjoy the trailer once more below.