In my post, a few months ago, I mentioned the HIT series as one of my favourites and how I was eagerly awaiting its release.

After watching it last week, I was so terribly disappointed. Far being a polished procedural with restrained acting, this had turned into a mass of gore, violence, a fanboy moment which stretched into nearly 3 hours. So bad that I actually skipped a few scenes because they had more of the same – a lot of blood and cracking bones.

Right after, to shake off the terrible taste it left me with, I watched Tourist Family. It came like a balm to a lacerated mind. No violence, no blood, no dancing – nothing except good storytelling, which is increasingly becoming a lost art. The story is simple, predictable. A Sri Lankan family arrives on the shores of Chennai by boat. They escape being caught thanks to the kindness of a young policeman. They find a house for rent in a colony, and start setting up their lives anew.

Infused with compassion and humour, Tourist Family makes up for an unsophisticated plot with loads of charm and stellar performances from Simran and Sasikumar. Kindness fuels most actions in the movie, which maybe too hopeful and idealistic in a world that continues to be embroiled in purposeless wars. But there’s no harm in dreaming, as I always say. So why not dream of policemen with heart, helpful neighbours, and of people possessing a generally understanding and sympathetic spirit?

What results with that dream is an uplifting movie that left me with a smile on my face. Yes, the critics might say the movie is too sweet and too convenient in its resolutions. I say, these are possibilities.