The Sentinel: Pop Culture

In Review |
Ponman is more than just a movie

What truly makes this film stand out is its core message. Simple in its narrative yet profoundly impactful in its message.

by Rashmi Rekha Das

Recently, I watched a Malayalam movie on JioCinema (Hotstar), and it truly left a lasting impression on me. As a die-hard fan of Malayalam cinema, I rarely miss films that resonate with my taste—and last Friday’s watch, Ponman, was a gem. Simple in its narrative yet profoundly impactful in its message.

Directed by debutant Jotish Shankar and starring the ever-talented Basil Joseph, Ponman is set in a quiet coastal town in Kollam. The story begins with Bruno (Anand Manmadhan) and his mother, who are eager to arrange a marriage for his sister, Steffi (Lijomol Jose). But in Kerala’s dowry-driven society, their hopes clash with harsh realities. Steffi’s marriage is fixed with Mariyano, a prawn farmer from the remote island of Thalavettichira, whose family demands 25 sovereigns of gold as dowry.

The story takes an emotional turn when Ajesh, prepared to leave empty-handed, finds Steffi waiting alone at the church.

Due to Bruno’s troubled past, the family has no savings and no social support. The church denies them financial help, and Bruno is expelled from his political party. Enter PP Ajesh (Basil Joseph), a man with a unique business: he lends gold to brides' families in exchange for repayment after the wedding, using the cash gifts they receive. But when Steffi’s family fails to return either the gold or its value, Ajesh is left in a bind.

Determined to recover what he’s owed, Ajesh travels to Thalavettichira, posing as Steffi’s cousin. He soon realizes the real challenge: Mariyano’s family tightly guards the gold, intending to use it to settle their own dowry debts and save for their younger daughter’s future wedding. As tensions escalate, Mariyano uncovers Ajesh’s true identity, leading to a fierce confrontation. Steffi is forced to reveal everything.

The story takes an emotional turn when Ajesh, prepared to leave empty-handed, finds Steffi waiting alone at the church. She reveals she can’t return to Mariyano’s abusive household. In a quiet yet powerful moment, Ajesh offers her an escape. As they sail away together, he tells her, “You don’t need gold. You are valuable even without it.”

What follows is a poignant journey—Ajesh navigating survival, integrity, and deeply ingrained societal pressures. The film beautifully portrays his struggles, his humanity, and the quiet yet moving bond that develops between him and Steffi.

With an IMDb rating of 7.4/10 and a glowing 4.5/5 from The Times of India, Ponman is receiving well-deserved praise. Basil Joseph, Sajin Gopu, and Lijomol Jose deliver remarkable performances, each bringing authenticity and emotional depth to their roles. For his debut, Jotish Shankar has truly delivered—his storytelling is grounded, sensitive, and visually compelling.

But what truly sets Ponman apart is its core message. The film bravely sheds light on the harsh reality of dowry—particularly the tradition of gifting gold—and how it continues to burden lower-middle-class families. It’s a topic we seldom address, yet Ponman tackles it with sincerity and grace.

This is more than just a movie; it’s a mirror to society. A must-watch for anyone who appreciates meaningful cinema that dares to speak the truth.

The Rolling Stones are still Rocking!

by Jim Runyan
Columnist

Full disclosure, I am a Rolling Stones fan and have been since the summer of 1978 when the album “Some Girls” came out. Now, some 45 years later, The Rolling Stones have a new album being released. On October 20th, Hackney Diamonds will be the 26th Rolling Stones album released in the United States, and it has been 18 years since they last released an album of original music (they snuck in an album of blues covers in 2016 called Blue and Lonesome).

In true Rolling Stones fashion, they announced the album with a worldwide event hosted by Jimmy Fallon. The event was streamed live around the world and could be seen locally at 8:30am on Wednesday, September 6th. You can watch a replay of the announcement at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NSzJhzfDtS4.

The interview and event with Jimmy Fallon are fun to watch. The Rolling Stones consist of Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, and Ronnie Wood (80, 79, and 76 years old, respectively). Their longtime band mate, Charlie Watts, passed away in 2021 and Hackney Diamonds is their first album without him, although his work will be heard on several tracks.

The band seems relaxed, happy, and glad to be producing new material. They explain in the interview that “Hackney Diamonds” is slang for something like “smash and grab,” like when a windshield (or “wind screen” as Mick calls it), is broken and the bits of glass on the street are called “Hackney Diamonds.” Hackney is a district in London and the announcement came from the Hackney Empire Theater in East London. After all, as Keith puts it, “It’s a London band.”

Following the event came the debut of the first single and video from the album. “Angry” is a straightforward rocker with a classic Stones guitar hook, vocals about a confused lover whose partner, for unknown reasons, is angry with him, and of course, a bluesy, ripping guitar solo which is often a hallmark of Rolling Stones rockers.

As expected, the video for the song is done with high production value and is very clever. A woman (Sydney Sweeney) is frolicking on the back of a cherry-red Mercedes Benz convertible rolling down Sunset Boulevard while passing billboards that have come to life with Rolling Stones scenes and performances.

The classic theme of the billboards reveals a bit of history in that Rock & Roll billboards were once an iconic staple on the Sunset Strip in the late 1960s with the first one advertising The Doors’ first album. The older videos are synchronized to seem as if they are playing the current song and the whole thing comes together seamlessly and should appeal to tried-and-true fans and newcomers alike.

Overall, having a new Stones song, and a new Stones video, and a new Stones album just seems right. If nothing else, it is worth celebrating a band that has been in existence for 61 years (1962-present) and has seen a thing or two on their times around the block. Keep an eye on this space for a full review after the October 20th release of Hackney Diamonds.

Jim Runyan is an avid tennis player, BBQ enthusiast and dart player. He enjoys craft beers and writing fiction and is the author of Ravage the Moon and Other Short Stories available on Amazon.