Gargi - First things first. It is one of the finest films of the year by a mile. What happens when the life of a girl who is looking forward to a rainbow is turned upside down. Things are not what they seem to be. Perspectives keep changing as we are kept on the edge of our seat.

The film doubles up as a suspense thriller and a courtroom drama. It also manages to talk about sexual abuse within it's running time. It is an astonishing achievement to fit in so many things. But the events have a smooth flow which keeps us glued to our seats.

Sai Pallavi is gifted, Gargi is her best role till date. She makes us root for her. We want her to succeed in her pursuit. She is relentless and never gives up despite the fact that the odds are against her. She makes us empathize with her turmoil and the frustration. She also made me wonder whether we are seeing the early glimpses of a very powerful actor who is on her way to stardom.

Kaali Venkat gets a meaty role. His role is quite different from the powerful and commanding lawyers that we have seen on screen so far. He is more of an underdog who transforms from a caterpillar to a butterfly as the film progresses. It is quite heart-warming to see an actor like Kaali Venkat get his shot at glory.

Aishwarya Lekshmi plays second fiddle to Sai Pallavi and plays her role well. RS Shivaji plays a very pivotal role as her father.

Govind Vasantha's music and the visuals of Sraiyanti and Premakrishna give the film the mood and the elevation that it deserves. When the visuals and the music perfectly complement the storytelling we have a film winner like Gargi.

Kudos to director Gautham Ramachandran for believing in the story. His film is devoid of any of the compromises of commercial cinema. A creator with absolute conviction in his craft wins us over with a very sensible film which is the need of the hour. The dialogues are sharp and on point. In a way the film makes us question the way we look at people based on preconceived notions.

Overall, films like Gargi are a very gratifying experience and might end as one of the best films of the year. There are negligible flaws that can be ignored in the larger picture.