Thondimuthalum Drikshakshiyum- A Visitor Review

Thondimuthalum Drikshakshiyum ( Malayalam )
( The Exhibits and The Eyewitness )
Story & Screenplay : Sajeev Pazhoor
Dialogues : Syam Pushkaran & Sajeev Pazhoor
Directed by : Dileesh Pothan
Cinematography : Rajeev Ravi

Cast : Fahad Faazil, Nimisha Sajayan ( Debut ), Suraj Venjaramoodu, Sibi Thomas, Alencier ley.
If I want to sum it up shortly then I would say "Thondimuthalum Drikshakshiyum" is Simple, Real, Original and Class. But there are lots to write. There is no need for a good movie to be filled with a Solid Story with twists and turns in the script, some beautiful locations, artistic camerawork, racy screenplay, foot tapping songs etc..etc..etc.....Without any sorts of exaggeration, a Classic and yet entertaining movie can be made and ."Thondimuthalum....." is one such movie of class and entertains the viewers completely.

Prasad and Sreeja, a lower middle-class couple relocates to Kasargod from their small town Vaikom after their marriage (Intercaste) which was opposed by their parents. Prasad, basically a farmer is in need of money to make water facilities for his farm. So, the couple decides to mortgage Sreeja's wedding chain. While going in the bus, a thief from the backseat steals Sreeja's gold chain while she was asleep. But Sreeja suddenly turns back and sees the thief swallows her chain. The bus has been taken to police station and what happens after that has been narrated with heart and soul by director Dileesh Pothan in a way that you will never feel like watching a movie.

If anyone asks what is a 'Realistic movie", then they must watch "Thondimuthalum...."without a second thought. The movie sets in the backdrop of Kasargod which is not filled with lush green farms or backwaters like most of the Kerala villages. The police station is the happening place and the characters involved in and around it, the worries of the young couple, the attitude of the thief, and a village festival opposite to the police station ...everything looks brutally realistic.

Fahad Faazil is the hero on paper but along with him, the couples Suraj and Nimisha, the Sub-inspector Sibi Thomas, the ASI Alenciarley, a police who never wears his uniform ... all fits into the category of lead casts. That is the biggest strength of Sajeev's writing. The director Dileesh Pothan gives us a feeling that as if we are physically present in the proceedings and watching them as a silent spectator.

Brilliant is an underplayed word to describe the writing and direction. The worried faces of Prasad & Sreeja.....how the policemen themselves turn a petty theft case into a complicated one......the way the police and their system work, and how each and every human, lives their daily life with some kind of struggles which come from unexpected circumstances.... how sudden things puts their livelihood in threat even for higher officials...all these and more have been narrated with reality to the core. I doubt whether the director has kept a hidden camera and filmed the movie.

All the casts are fantastic. Fahad just cake walked his character. Kudos to him for doing such offbeat characters. Suraj is calm and underplayed his character very well and Nimisha has done her best and her natural looks add credibility to her character. But the show stealer(s) are definitely the unfamiliar policemen where you can remember each one of them with their own body language and dialogue deliveries. I read that the makers have cast the real policemen for these characters and it has worked out absolutely well. Brilliant Performances.

The crew of 'Thondimuthalum..." has done an outstanding job. The movie is a Masterwork of director Dileesh and writers Sajeev and Syam. Dialogues are the main highlight which keeps us smiling throughout the movie with natural humor. And no words to describe the camera work of Rajeev Ravi. I don’t want to use cosmetic words for such a realistic work. I was amazed how it was possible for him to show the village, police station, the festival, the bus, houses of Prasad and Sreeja this real. The visuals are unbelievably real. The colors, tones, lights, shadows....nothing is exaggerated or underplayed. Hats off to Rajeev Ravi. The BGM of Bijibal never distracts you at any point and in fact, he has brought some amazing real sounds in the movie.

What really works well in "Thondimuthalum...." is not only its honesty and reality but at any point, you can’t judge any of the characters in the movie as good or bad, even the thief, as all are driven by the circumstances. With a wafer thin story the director has brought out a classic with some brilliant writing. Hats off to the trio Dileesh Pothan, Sajeev Pazhoor and Syam Pushkaran.

Bottomline : A Real and Honest movie which will linger in your mind for a long time.

My Rating : 4 / 5