A thief with the innocence of a child on one hand and the cunningness of a fox on the other, a struggling couple, and a few policemen on their toes - ‘Thondimuthalum Driksakshikalum’ has a sweetness like that jackfruit in the movie covered with buzzing flies. It attracts with its real to life portrayal, humour aplenty, dialogues that packs a punch and an unraveling of a simple incident in the span of a few days. There sure are resonances of ‘Maheshinte Prathikaram’ in the style of making and narration.
The suburban market chaos and the lives of ordinary people with their tempo autos and ferries are farmed in the beginning. This itself captures our interest and curiosity. Dileesh Pothen has succeeded in creating intrigue in the ordinary. Character depiction is again spot on. A self proclaimed ‘neat’ bachelor, with all those typical moralities, Prasad (Suraj Venjaramood) is well conceived. Even Sreeja (Nimisha Sajayan) with her simplicity, the hate at being dragged into something that questions her morals, the change of heart and an innocence in the romance is so real that she becomes ‘every woman’. Suraj does his role well and Nimisha easily matches him to her credit. Maybe the only issue is that their romance and married life has a paternal feel than a husband-wife one.
As for the thief, we will carry with us the intrigue of who he is for life. No name. No place. No history. Again, he is universal. Many might find this a loose end, but I would say, Dileesh in not being clichéd to provide the thief an identity, has actually succeeded in making this a classy movie. Like with Idukki in his previous movie, down town Alapuzha with its bustle, greenery and waters make an impression. So does Kasargode with its dust and grime on one hand and the unadultered vegetation on the other. All the spaces explored, be it the police station, the house or the fields teems with life – a familiar and comforting life.
The narration is simple enough with just a single flashback. The dialogues are very engaging and humourous. Humour starts from the beginning itself. The “you are about to become a grandfather” sequences, the spit in the water followed by the brushing sequences, the police station and thieves, and on goes the fun till the end. At interval, it’s the thief’s beguiling smile that packs the punch. And Fahadh has done it so well, his eyes and face emoting brilliantly. It’s his story in effect or rather a story that he makes happen. And this thief with his lies, his tenacity and will to make it last till the end actually scripts the others’ lives – including those of the policemen and the couple.
‘Thondimuthalum Driskshakshialum’ is also technically brilliant. Shyam Pushkaran as the creative director has made his mark. Rajeev Ravi’s camera with its close shots, the natural lights, the flow with the pace of the characters, the pans in the chase and the occasional glorification of nature’s bounty, layers up the narrative beautifully. Editing looks flawless with a pleasing continuity and an engaging pace. Music by Bijipal blends so well that the entire movie feels kind of musical. That said, this kind of making by Dileesh is not surprising and this is a continuity of his previous movie. There are no surprises or upping of the creativity. But he has delivered what is expected.
‘Thondimuthalum Driskshakshialum’ is not to be missed. It will entertain all for sure with its life like unraveling and a thief that remains an intrigue even as the climax unrolls.
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