Pugazh (புகழ்) is a small town (Walajapet) story around the life of a firebrand when local politics crosses his way, intermixed with usual kollywood love.The film opens with the scene of youth of the town playing cricket in a local ground. The residents of the town wish to see the ground properly developed as a play ground but the politicians headed by a minister and land mafia have a different plan of developing it for their commercial interests. What happens to the play ground, does the residents win their rights is rest of the film.
Jai plays the role of Pugazh, a bold youth of the town who is helping his elder brother (played by Karunas) in his flower shop and is widely liked in his neighbourhood. Jai falls in love with Surabhi whose family has recently settled in the same street as Jai. Surabhi is shown as a bold character, in fact she is the one who proposes her love to Jai, and not the other way which is usual in Kollywood.
A local politician who desperately wants to become the chairman of the municipal council, but is short of 1 vote. One of Pugazh’s friend “Venkat” gets caught up in a loan mess due to a failed business and in dire need of money. The local politician befriends Venkat, gets him to stand in the election, and with Pugazh’s help gets Venkat elected and makes Venkat make lot of money. If all this reminds you of Madras (2014), you can take heart that Director Manimaran has tried hard to differentiate. The way Venkat’s role gets played out is not what we normally expect, I liked that part.
Jai has delivered the fight scenes well, Surabhi comes out pleasing. What saves the movie was it’s less than 2 hours running time. Nothing much to add.
