Thimmarusu Review

'Thimmarusu' hit the screens today. Here is our review of the latest box-office outing.

Story:

Lawyer Ramachandra (Satyadev Kancharana) is determined to render justice to a young man (Ankith Koyya), who was framed in a murder case for no fault of his. In his fight for justice, the hero has to undermine the efforts of a criminal nexus involving bad sheep in the police department. How does he do that? That's what is the crux of the murder mystery.

Analysis:

Usually, in crime thrillers and/or murder mysteries, the investigation track is helmed by a cop, a detective, or a commoner who takes up the unofficial investigation on his own. In 'Thimmarusu', which borrows its story from the Kannada film 'Birbal', it is done by a sharp-witted lawyer. 'Naandhi', which hit the screens earlier this year, had a similar context but the narrative devices deployed in 'Thimmarusu' belong to a different league.

Right off the bat, the fateful night of 2011 is narrated before the opening credits. A waiter witnesses a murder. As he informs the police about it, an evil cop (Ajay) arrives at the crime scene and immediately victimizes the innocent informer. Brutalization and torture of the victim follow. As the film progresses, we sense that the waiter has lost all zest for life, while his mother (Jhansi) has still some hope in the system. She contacts Rao Associates, where our hero works, for help.

Ramachandra wants to be an intrepid lawyer dispensing quick justice in the courtroom. He is described by his girlfriend ('Taxiwala' fame Priyanka Jawalkar plays a woman who dreams of a happy life with him) as an impractical person. Whether or not he is practical, one thing is certain. Ramachandra can make the most of any clues thrown at him. And these clues come searching for him not in dribs and drabs but in droves.

The film relies on Brahmaji's comedy in a big way. The situational comedy involving him and Satyadev clicks. But, after showing Ramachandra as an epitome of empathy and justice, it's shocking that the film criminally defames an innocent woman.

While its loose ends are underwhelming, the film possesses some really sure-footed elements. The scene where Ramachandra convinces the wrongfully indicted youngster that he should fight for redemption because society sees him as a murderer is very good. The telling of the murder from different points of view is another noteworthy ingredient. However, it would have worked better had it not been for the initial minutes of the film. They are a dead giveaway and there is no excitement in the retold portions.

As a lawyer who can bash up the baddies single-handedly, Satyadev is neat. He shows his vulnerability when he is at the receiving end of warnings and threats. And he is good in the courtroom scenes. The reference to Cyanide Mohan, the notorious serial killer, by Ravi Babu's character, makes for a good watch. The film should have done away with too many references to the World Cup match. Among the other actors, Ankith Koyya and Maya Nelluri make an impact.

Appu Prabhakar's cinematography is outdone by Sricharan Pakala's able music.

Verdict:

'Thimmarusu' is a middling crime drama that has a bloated murder mystery story to tell. The second half is somewhat complicated.