படுகளம் [Padukalam]

Roller coaster - perfect for a movie

Padukalam is a gripping, fast-paced thriller that wastes no time in pulling the reader in. But the real fireworks begin with the entry of lawyer Krishnan. Jeyamohan delivers masterful writing in every chapter—I never imagined a mafia story could evolve from something as simple as a banner dispute outside a shop. I especially enjoyed the subtle nod to the lookalike of director Balu sir and the affectionate way he was portrayed. This is truly one of Jeyamohan’s finest works. Sir, we’d love to see more novels like this from you.

Jeyamohan’s Padukalam is a captivating read, with the unique quality of not relying on Malayalam words, making it accessible for Tamil readers. The story’s pace is thrilling, built on the idea that a single spark can set an entire forest ablaze, and here, neither protagonist nor antagonist clearly emerges—everyone is shaped by circumstances and power dynamics. While some claim Jeyamohan surpasses Sujatha, the comparison is misplaced. Sujatha excelled in blending modern science with thrillers in a style understandable to all, while Jeyamohan’s strength lies in exploring the nuances of rural Tamil life with critical and rich language. If Jeyamohan is a master of Tamil literature, Sujatha remains a pioneer and founder of a unique narrative approach in Tamil

Padukalam is a thriller novel that is about a man who is pushed to the limits and how he responds back. The novel's central character is forced into a world, a battlefield. He has to play by the rules of this battlefield, or to perish. He takes it up and fights, in this battlefield how long will he go, will he loose something central to his existence. The novel brilliantly captures the world of business in south Tamilnadu, the protagonist returns to his native after his fathers death. He had wished to be a film maker, this untimely death changes his life completely. He takes over the running of his fathers shop, a world he is totally new to. The ensuing events brings him completely into this brutal world of business. The survival instinct in him kicks in, his budding business is blocked by the placement of flex board that completely blocks the view of his shop. He had already got lot of money from loan sharks, his shop is completely blocked by a big business. He begs the big business owner to remove this flex board, he hopes that the owner will understand his budding goodness, but the big business owner completely disregards him. He is left stranded completely, he has no way to proceed rather than taking up a fight. Otherwise he and his family would be continuously ruined. What happens after this is a complete transformation, a metamorphosis, he starts playing the game, the high, the ego gratification he enjoys at each step makes him intoxicated. He finds in him something that even he is scared of. There is a brilliant conversation he has with his mother after he has ventured in this path. She says rather than being killed she will admire someone who kills. This shocks him but this is the rule of the world, the battlefield. The novel ends in a beautiful moment, although he is completely into this world of business, hardened completely, in a beautiful moment he marries the daughter of the loan shark who is living a life of poverty after the killing of her father. This captures his transformation, although he refuses to let go of the big business owner, he still has that sensitivity left in him which makes him marry this girl. How his ensuing life continued is something we could only guess. Did he managed to live by the words of the bible 'Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's, and unto God the things that are God's' ?

வாழ்க்கையில் மீளவே முடியாத திடீர் திருப்பத்தால் சிலர் காணாமல் போய்விடுவார்கள் சிலரோ வீறு கொண்டு எழுந்து வருவார்கள் அப்படி இடக்கண்பார்வையால் புறக்கணித்து கடந்த செல்லப்படும் ஒருவன் ஆற்றலோடு எழுந்து வரும்போது அவனது ஆற்றல் அசாத்தியமானதாக இருக்கும். அப்படியான ஒரு திரில்லர் விறுவிறுப்பு கதாநாயக தன்மை கொண்ட அருமையான படைப்பாக படுகளம் இருக்கிறது. பல்லாயிரக்கணக்கானவர்களின் கனவுகளும் லட்சியங்களும் போட்டிகளும் பொறாமைகளும் ஒன்றோடு ஒன்று முட்டி மோதி தத்தளிக்க கூடிய இந்த சமூகத்தில் ஒருவரை மிதித்து தான் ஒருவர் முன்னேறி வர முடிகிறது. அதிலும் தொழில் போட்டிகளில் ஒருவரை அழித்தால்தான் இன்னொருவர் வாழ வேண்டும் என்ற நிலை உருவாகும் போது அங்கே அவருக்கான அறமாக கொள்ளுதல் அழித்தலும் ஆகிவிடுகிறது. ஆகவே தான் "கொலை செய்யப்பட்டு இறப்பவனை விட கொலை செய்பவன் மேலானவன்" என்ற வரி வருடத்தில் வருகிறது. ராவுத்தர் பாய் எதற்காக அவருக்கு இந்த நிலத்தை கொடுத்தார் ? , வெறும் வார்த்தை என் அடிப்படை எப்படி அவருக்கு நிலத்தை கொடுத்தார்?. அவர் நல்லவர் தான் என்றாலும் அவரை ஏமாற்றியவனை அழிக்கும், பழிவாங்கும் தேவை அவருக்கு உண்டு.... அல்லது கதா நாயகனின் நல் விணை. ஆனால் வெற்றி அடைந்தவன் ஆணவம் அடைந்தால் அவன் அழிவான்.. அப்படி இல்லாமல் அதில் இருந்து வெளியே வருபவர்கள் நல்லூழ் கொண்டவர்கள்..‌