# Oru Pakka Kathai (ஒரு பக்கா கதை)
**Oru Pakka Kathai** (ஒரு பக்கா கதை) is a 2020 Indian Tamil-language romantic comedy film written and directed by Balaji Tharaneetharan, starring [Kalidas Jayaram](https://www.edgepedia.org/kalidas-jayaram) and Megha Akash as a young couple whose planned marriage is upended when the woman is found to be pregnant although she is a virgin[1](https://wiki1.tamilar.wiki/w/%E0%AE%92%E0%AE%B0%E0%AF%81_%E0%AE%AA%E0%AE%95%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%95_%E0%AE%95%E0%AE%A4%E0%AF%88) • [2](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movie-reviews/oru-pakka-kathai/movie-review/79949283.cms). The film premiered on the streaming platform Zee5 on 25 December 2020 after a long delay, and it uses dark comedy to explore religion, faith, abortion, and science[1](https://wiki1.tamilar.wiki/w/%E0%AE%92%E0%AE%B0%E0%AF%81_%E0%AE%AA%E0%AE%95%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%95_%E0%AE%95%E0%AE%A4%E0%AF%88) • [3](https://www.hindustantimes.com/regional-movies/oru-pakka-kathai-review-a-slightly-flawed-dark-comedy-powered-by-bizarre-premise/story-awsHi5bQbjBsGgljyN931J.html).
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Director and writer | Balaji Tharaneetharan[1](https://wiki1.tamilar.wiki/w/%E0%AE%92%E0%AE%B0%E0%AF%81_%E0%AE%AA%E0%AE%95%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%95_%E0%AE%95%E0%AE%A4%E0%AF%88) |
| Lead cast | Kalidas Jayaram as Saravanan, Megha Akash as Meera[1](https://wiki1.tamilar.wiki/w/%E0%AE%92%E0%AE%B0%E0%AF%81_%E0%AE%AA%E0%AE%95%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%95_%E0%AE%95%E0%AE%A4%E0%AF%88) • [4](https://www.justwatch.com/in/movie/oru-pakka-kathai) |
| Release | 25 December 2020, as a Zee5 exclusive[1](https://wiki1.tamilar.wiki/w/%E0%AE%92%E0%AE%B0%E0%AF%81_%E0%AE%AA%E0%AE%95%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%95_%E0%AE%95%E0%AE%A4%E0%AF%88) • [5](https://www.zee5.com/movies/details/oru-pakka-kathai/0-0-285534?partner=XstreamPlay&pid=XstreamPlay&usertoken=XstreamPlay) |
| Runtime and rating | 124 minutes; certified U[4](https://www.justwatch.com/in/movie/oru-pakka-kathai) |
| Music | Govind Vasantha (credited in the film as Govind Menon)[1](https://wiki1.tamilar.wiki/w/%E0%AE%92%E0%AE%B0%E0%AF%81_%E0%AE%AA%E0%AE%95%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%95_%E0%AE%95%E0%AE%A4%E0%AF%88) • [2](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movie-reviews/oru-pakka-kathai/movie-review/79949283.cms) |
| Premise | A college student who is still a virgin is found to be pregnant, turning private news into a battle between science and faith[2](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movie-reviews/oru-pakka-kathai/movie-review/79949283.cms) |
| Critical reception | 3.5/5 from The Times of India; positive from Hindustan Times; mixed from The News Minute[2](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movie-reviews/oru-pakka-kathai/movie-review/79949283.cms) • [3](https://www.hindustantimes.com/regional-movies/oru-pakka-kathai-review-a-slightly-flawed-dark-comedy-powered-by-bizarre-premise/story-awsHi5bQbjBsGgljyN931J.html) • [6](https://www.thenewsminute.com/tamil-nadu/oru-pakka-kathai-review-film-about-virgin-mom-needed-better-writing-140286) |
## Spoilers
### Plot
The story follows Meera and Saravanan (called Sara), a couple who have been dating since their school days. Both families approve of the match and agree to marry them once Sara clears his arrears and gets a job[2](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movie-reviews/oru-pakka-kathai/movie-review/79949283.cms). When Meera misses her period, her mother takes her to the family doctor, who tells them that the still-in-college Meera is pregnant. Both sets of parents decide to arrange the marriage at once, but the central twist is that Meera is still a virgin[2](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movie-reviews/oru-pakka-kathai/movie-review/79949283.cms).
The Times of India's synopsis describes the situation as "a rare form of pregnancy, making it not just breaking news, but also a battle between science and faith"[2](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movie-reviews/oru-pakka-kathai/movie-review/79949283.cms). [Hindustan Times](https://www.edgepedia.org/hindustan-times)' reviewer Haricharan Pudipeddi writes that the film centers on two middle-class families dealing with an unexpected situation, using dark humor to handle themes including religion, faith, abortion, and science[3](https://www.hindustantimes.com/regional-movies/oru-pakka-kathai-review-a-slightly-flawed-dark-comedy-powered-by-bizarre-premise/story-awsHi5bQbjBsGgljyN931J.html).
## Production
The film was produced by K. S. Sreenivasan under the banner Vasan Visual Ventures, with cinematography by C. Prem Kumar and editing by R. Govindaraj[1](https://wiki1.tamilar.wiki/w/%E0%AE%92%E0%AE%B0%E0%AF%81_%E0%AE%AA%E0%AE%95%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%95_%E0%AE%95%E0%AE%A4%E0%AF%88). [Govind Vasantha](https://www.edgepedia.org/govind-vasantha) composed the music; The Times of India notes he was credited in this film as Govind Menon, and that his score adds tension to key scenes[1](https://wiki1.tamilar.wiki/w/%E0%AE%92%E0%AE%B0%E0%AF%81_%E0%AE%AA%E0%AE%95%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%95_%E0%AE%95%E0%AE%A4%E0%AF%88) • [2](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movie-reviews/oru-pakka-kathai/movie-review/79949283.cms).
The supporting cast includes P. V. Chandramouli as Meera's father, Jeeva Ravi as Saravanan's father, Lakshmi Priya Menon as Meera's mother, Meena Vemuri as Saravanan's mother, and Chef Damodharan as a lawyer[3](https://www.hindustantimes.com/regional-movies/oru-pakka-kathai-review-a-slightly-flawed-dark-comedy-powered-by-bizarre-premise/story-awsHi5bQbjBsGgljyN931J.html) • [4](https://www.justwatch.com/in/movie/oru-pakka-kathai).
## Style and themes
The film opens with a Bhagavatham discourse, an extended sequence the director uses to set up his characters, and it later connects back to this opening. A recurring motif involves a schoolboy named Sethu who believes he is an avatar of God, and a cartoon depicting Lord Krishna's birth appears in the background[2](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movie-reviews/oru-pakka-kathai/movie-review/79949283.cms).
**Deadpan treatment.** Reviewers consistently highlight the understated comic style. M Suganth of The Times of India writes that the film is "consistently intriguing, filled with deadpan comedy and relatable characters who inhabit a world that feels very much lived-in", and that the director, as he had shown in *[Naduvula Konjam Pakkatha Kaanom](https://www.edgepedia.org/naduvula-konjam-pakkatha-kaanom)*, draws comedy from serious situations while avoiding explanation through dialogue[2](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movie-reviews/oru-pakka-kathai/movie-review/79949283.cms). The Hindu Tamil review praises the character creation, small facial expressions, and realistic handling of scenes, calling the story genuinely original rather than a remake of any world cinema[7](https://www.hindutamil.in/news/cinema/tamil-cinema/615465-oru-pakka-kadhai-review.html).
The performances were also singled out. Hindustan Times describes Kalidas Jayaram and Megha Akash as bringing out their characters' insecurities convincingly, with "lived-in performances" playing a crucial role in making the film work[3](https://www.hindustantimes.com/regional-movies/oru-pakka-kathai-review-a-slightly-flawed-dark-comedy-powered-by-bizarre-premise/story-awsHi5bQbjBsGgljyN931J.html).
## Reception
The Times of India gave the film 3.5 out of 5, with a user rating of 3.6 out of 5 from 13 users at the time of review[2](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movie-reviews/oru-pakka-kathai/movie-review/79949283.cms). On IMDb the film holds a 6.8 rating[4](https://www.justwatch.com/in/movie/oru-pakka-kathai).
Reviewers agreed on the film's strengths and its main weakness. Suganth writes that the personal story of the young couple turns into a larger story about faith and superstition, that the couple get relegated to the background at one point, and that by the time a judge proclaims his verdict the film has moved far from the intimate drama of its opening[2](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movie-reviews/oru-pakka-kathai/movie-review/79949283.cms). Hindustan Times calls the film "a slightly flawed dark comedy" that takes a very dark turn toward the end, but still qualifies as one of the best Tamil films of the year[3](https://www.hindustantimes.com/regional-movies/oru-pakka-kathai-review-a-slightly-flawed-dark-comedy-powered-by-bizarre-premise/story-awsHi5bQbjBsGgljyN931J.html). The News Minute was more critical, arguing that the film about a virgin mom needed better writing and "ends up looking like a one-page story that was dragged on for too long"[6](https://www.thenewsminute.com/tamil-nadu/oru-pakka-kathai-review-film-about-virgin-mom-needed-better-writing-140286). The Hindu Tamil review similarly finds that the film's length is its main problem, as the director stretches a story that could have been told briefly in order to add a social message[7](https://www.hindutamil.in/news/cinema/tamil-cinema/615465-oru-pakka-kadhai-review.html).
## Release and availability
The film had been "lying in the cans for a long time", according to Hindustan Times, which argued it deserved a theatrical release[3](https://www.hindustantimes.com/regional-movies/oru-pakka-kathai-review-a-slightly-flawed-dark-comedy-powered-by-bizarre-premise/story-awsHi5bQbjBsGgljyN931J.html). It instead premiered directly on Zee5 on 25 December 2020, timed to Christmas[1](https://wiki1.tamilar.wiki/w/%E0%AE%92%E0%AE%B0%E0%AF%81_%E0%AE%AA%E0%AE%95%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%95_%E0%AE%95%E0%AE%A4%E0%AF%88) • [8](https://tamil.behindwoods.com/tamil-movies-cinema-news-ta/kalidas-megha-akash-oru-pakka-kathai-releasing-on-this-day.html). As of the most recent streaming checks, it is available in India with a subscription to Zee5 and VI movies and tv[4](https://www.justwatch.com/in/movie/oru-pakka-kathai).
The title resembles that of *Oru Kuppai Kathai* (2018), a different Tamil film directed by Kaali Rangasamy starring Dinesh and Manisha Yadav; the two are unrelated works[9](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/movie-review/oru-kuppai-kathai-review-5190325/).
## References
1. [ஒரு பக்க கதை, தமிழர்விக்கி](https://wiki1.tamilar.wiki/w/%E0%AE%92%E0%AE%B0%E0%AF%81_%E0%AE%AA%E0%AE%95%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%95_%E0%AE%95%E0%AE%A4%E0%AF%88)
2. [Oru Pakka Kathai Movie Review: Oru Pakka Kathai is consistently intriguing, M Suganth, The Times of India, 25 December 2020](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movie-reviews/oru-pakka-kathai/movie-review/79949283.cms)
3. [Oru Pakka Kathai review: A slightly flawed dark comedy powered by a bizarre premise, Haricharan Pudipeddi, Hindustan Times, 26 December 2020](https://www.hindustantimes.com/regional-movies/oru-pakka-kathai-review-a-slightly-flawed-dark-comedy-powered-by-bizarre-premise/story-awsHi5bQbjBsGgljyN931J.html)
4. [Oru Pakka Kathai streaming: where to watch online, JustWatch](https://www.justwatch.com/in/movie/oru-pakka-kathai)
5. [Watch Oru Pakka Kathai Full HD Movie Online on Zee5](https://www.zee5.com/movies/details/oru-pakka-kathai/0-0-285534?partner=XstreamPlay&pid=XstreamPlay&usertoken=XstreamPlay)
6. ['Oru Pakka Kathai' review: This film about a virgin mom needed better writing, The News Minute](https://www.thenewsminute.com/tamil-nadu/oru-pakka-kathai-review-film-about-virgin-mom-needed-better-writing-140286)
7. [முதல் பார்வை: ஒரு பக்க கதை, Hindu Tamil Thisai, 25 December 2020](https://www.hindutamil.in/news/cinema/tamil-cinema/615465-oru-pakka-kadhai-review.html)
8. [ஒரு பக்க கதை படத்தில் ரிலீஸ் தகவல், Behindwoods](https://tamil.behindwoods.com/tamil-movies-cinema-news-ta/kalidas-megha-akash-oru-pakka-kathai-releasing-on-this-day.html)
9. [Oru Kuppai Kathai review, Ashameera Aiyappan, The Indian Express, 25 May 2018](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/movie-review/oru-kuppai-kathai-review-5190325/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Films and standalone screen works › Individual films by title and year › Indian films (individual works) › Tamil films of the 2020s › Tamil films of 2020 and 2021*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 18, 2026; Oct 3, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 18, 2026; Oct 3, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 21, 2026; Oct 25, 2026; Nov 1, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
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