Each step in an individual's life brings a surprise, pleasant or otherwise. Many times, our spot decisions and illogical choices taken without proper analysis turn out to be wrong and misleading. With a roller-coaster of emotions, Pandi narrates such cases of faulty judgments that mix pain and pleasure in the lives of members in a close-knit family.
Sundarapandi (Nasser) and Sivakami (Saranya) have two sons and three daughters. A sincere and dutiful school teacher, Sundarapandi blindly trusts his elder son Rajapandi (Sriman). He believes subservient and soft, Rajapandi will be his true heir, in terms of ideology and manners. He dislikes his younger son Pandi (Raghava Lawrence) who is irresponsible in his behaviour and is wayward in his living. So when senior Pandi finds that the borrowed sum of one lakh rupees, secured for his daughter's wedding is missing, his doubt falls entirely on his younger son Pandi. Soon, Sundarapandi's calculations are proved wrong, when it is found that Rajapandi has eloped with his newfound lover, taking the money also. Witnessing his father's predicament, Pandi opts to take up a job, travels to Dubai, acquires a job there, restores the family's financial status and fulfils his parents' dreams.
Meanwhile, he falls in love with Bhuvana (Sneha), daughter of a strict, high-ranking police officer who opposes their affair. Bhuvana suggests a secret wedding, but recalling his parents' earlier loss of face and disgrace, Pandi disagrees. So a formal wedding is arranged in the village under the supervision of willing parent Sundarapandi. While Pandi is preparing himself for the homecoming and marriage, a terrible tragedy strikes. He loses a loved one and is also forced to handle a grave case of personal enmity. How is Pandi going to face these challenges? Will he take the loss in his stride? Or will the incident bring out the old roguishness, now lying dormant within him? The answers take on an action route and lead to the climax.
For Raghava Lawrence, it is a radical shift in terms of characterization. Moving away from the popular dancer mould, he has done a full-length 'good-boy' role. His graceful footwork is an effective add-on to the wholesome fare. Lawrence has certainly not disappointed his fans and has emoted well on screen as an adept, suave youngster. Sneha fills the bill as a warm, docile partner for the performing hero. Though the dosage of glamour she has offered in Pandi is a bit more than her usual quota, it goes well with the character of a plush Dubai girl. Namitha, as the dancer Salangai, agitates our emotional levels considerably.
Nasser and Saranya have lived their characters as the helpless, middle-class parents who know nothing other than investing their faith and trust on their children. Subsequently, the disappointment they face and the troubles they undergo appeal and the unavoidable consequences, truly touch viewers' hearts. As usual, Kanja Karuppu impresses with his funny style of dialogue delivery. There is a lilting remix 'Maasimasam' in Srikanth Deva's album.
Director Rasu Madhuravan has firmly decided to make it a sentiment-cum-action movie. The story, screenplay, dialogues and characterizations reflect his great focus in achieving his ambition. Certainly, he has earned the result for his hard work and has hit the box-office bull's-eye. However, had the dosage of sentiment been a tad less, Pandi would have become a more impressive entertainer and less of a touching melodrama.
