Thondimuthalum Dhriksakshiyum

Dileesh Pothan's second venture (after the critically acclaimed 'Maheshinte Prathikaaram') turns out to be yet another excellent character study. The film builds itself up slowly yet steadily, with an assortment of characters each with their unique set of traits and sense of humor. At 2h 15 min, not once does the film feel like a drag. The viewer is constantly kept on toes with each passing scene. Kudos to the excellent casting choices by the crew. 'Thondimothalum Driksakshiyum' boasts of excellent all- round performances from the entire ensemble which comprises of a few seasoned actors such as Fahadh, Suraaj and Alencier while a good number of supporting actors are all newbies, just as in 'Maheshinte Prathikaaram'.

It would seem disparaging if I don't intend to applaud the extremely grounded and realistic portrayals of some of the characters such as the culprit who is handed a punishment of bringing water to the station, the Sub Inspector, some of the Constables, the cop who always walks around in mufti (plain clothes), the Circle Inspector, the shopkeeper and so on. Each character leaves a solid impression on the viewer.

Fahadh's intro is cleverly executed (his expressive eyes convey a lot yet can hide even more!). His character is constructed in a manner that is supposed to leave the viewer slightly baffled. Pothan ensures that he does not spoon-feed the audience in elucidating the various character arcs, instead leaves the job of construing behavioral traits and motives to the viewer. Laugh-out loud moments ensue when Alencier and Fahadh take centrestage during the interrogation scenes. The revelations made are so interestingly packaged that they seem both hilarious and believable at the time.

Suraaj and newcomer Nimisha Sajayan who play Prasad and Sreeja share good on-screen chemistry as a run-away couple who get embroiled in a chain-snatching case where Fahadh's character (another Prasad) is the accused. What's additionally worth noticing is the brilliant social commentary it makes on the side, while the story keeps moving forward. Instances of mob frenzy, caste discrimination, land disputes and scams are also inculcated neatly in the screenplay (penned by Sajeev Pazhoor). Dialogues by National Award Winner Syam Pushkaran are able to strike a chord with the viewer instantly. The initial scenes of how a case is handled at the police station tend to remind the viewer of Nivin Pauly starrer 'Action Hero Biju'. But the similarity is only in the setting; the treatment is completely different.

Rajeev Ravi's cinematography adds a dash of pragmatism to the scenes. The sepia color tone blends with the mood of the flick almost perfectly. Music and BGM by Bijibal is minimal yet effective. It is also quite intriguing to observe that the viewer is able to associate better with the comportment of each central character (especially the victim, the witness, the cop-in-charge and the accused) by the time the credits start to roll. Even the supposed exhibit (a necklace) has a specific purpose. A minimal dose of artsy ambiguity only helps.

Alencier plays A.S.I Chandran to perfection while Suraaj puts on a mature show (unlike what's usually seen of him). Fahadh lends an eerie air to his character retaining a sense of delightful mystery throughout. 'Thondimothalum Driksakshiyum' is a must-watch. Keep shining Pothetta!

This is an almost genius piece of film making. Dileesh Pothen's 'Maheshinte Prathikaram' brought Fahad Fazil back into the fold in a big way but it was a movie which grew on me, after being a little underwhelmed by it on first viewing. But here, he grips you from the start and never really lets go till the end credits roll.

Fahad Fazil continues his fine form, but I would consider him to be more of an admirable supporting foil here. The movie's main protagonists are the couple played by Suraj Venjaramoodu and newcomer Nimisha Sajayan. After a realistically humorous mix up on first meet, they have a furtive romance before tying the knot. While traveling in a bus, a thief (Fahad Fazil) is caught in the act of stealing her gold necklace. While she is adamant that she saw him gulping it down, he protests his innocence to the police.

In fact, I would say it is the scenes at the police station that elevates this film to another level completely. The brilliance of the narration is in the way it makes everything seem so utterly realistic, and yet peppy and satirically humorous in its enactment on screen. The police officers here are not black or white, but like most people occupy the gray area in between. While genuinely wanting to help resolve the conflict here, they also cannot help but try to twist things to suit their perspective at various points in the story. The resolution when it eventually comes is probably the best they could have done with this wacky beautiful film.

Performances are uniformly brilliant. Suraj Venjaramoodu has been finally stepping away from his trademark buffoonery act in recent times, but this has to be one of his finest roles. The utter realism he brings to screen of a common man stuck in a little bit of a muddle and trying his best to resolve it is exemplary. Nimisha Sajayan maybe a newcomer, but she seems perfect for this – again a realistic blend of spunk and sass, yet vulnerable to the events around her. Suraj's chemistry, both with her and with Fahad Fazil is another clincher – it couldn't be better. The police officers, led by Alencier Ley, are all obviously fine actors who have got roles to shine and grab the opportunity.

Movies like this don't come along often. When they do, they deserve every accolade and recognition they get. A must MUST watch.

This kind of movies are the way to Indian cinema instead of overhyped movies. Dileep Pothan once again deliver a pure film for the cinema lovers. Recommend for all audience.

Thondi Muthalum Driksakshiyum (2017) : Brief Review -

Fahadh Faasil runs absolute RIOT in Dileesh Pothan's instant classic of human derivation. What a film and what a performance by Fahadh Faasil! This is easily one of the most innovative and exciting storyline came from Malayalam Cinema in the last decade. No hard-core drama, no emotional fetching but all it has got is pure realistic sense of human nature and our law system. Thondi Muthalum Driksakshiyum is about Prasad and Sreeja who enter wedlock and move to a new place to continue the rest of their lives. Unfortunate events begin to take place after Prasad, a small-time thief, robs Sreeja's gold chain during a bus journey. The police investigation follows only to make things uneasy for everyone included there. A small idea of chain thief could get such a big amount of cinematic content, i wouldn't have believed it if someone has told me but now i believe because I have experienced in the last 125 minutes i spent watching the film. Sajeev Pazhoor's excellent writing deserves all the praise for making every character look rich despite unwell scenarios. At one moment you feel angry at him but later you start loving his wrongdoings, how? That's the power of writing. That's the skills of a writer to grab you completely over the narrative with the help of detailed characterisations. Fahadh Faasil appears little late but what a mind-blowing performance he has given. Absolutely riot. Suraj Venjaramoodu and Nimisha also leave an impact with their adorable chemistry. Lopez sir shines like a star in the crowd, that luminous thing in the sky. Dileesh Pothan has made three films till date and i have seen all three of them, so i have no second thoughts on calling Thondi Muthalum Driksakshiyum as his Best Film So Far. That's it, that's all i guess. A deserving and real Classic, unlike some of those overrated fanboys material.

RATING - 8/10*

By - #samthebestest.

Thondimuthalum Dhriksakshiyum (2017): One of the more prominent film industries of India is found in the state of Kerala and we expect wonders from it every year.But unfortunately,2017 is disappointing with several passable films.Of all the films of Malayalam I have watched this year only Takeoff (Mainly because of Parvathy Menon) and Godha (Because of Wamiqa,Renji and music) impressed but neither of them are masterpieces which I expect.Then I found this gem of a film which is one of the most realistic Indian films I had ever seen.

Plot: It tells the story of a poor couple Prasad (Suraaj Venjarammoodu) and Sreeja (Nimisha Sajayan), eloping from their village, whose lives depend entirely on a necklace adorned by the female counterpart. Unfortunately, during the bus ride away from home, the necklace is stolen. The wife assures everyone on board that the person responsible for the theft is the man seated behind her named Prasad (Fahadh Faasil), who had gulped down the piece of jewelry before anyone else could notice. This causes a lot of bustle, and the man is taken along with the couple into a local police station for questioning, which leads to the events that make up the rest of the film.

My Review: Dileesh Pothan, the director, had released another feature starring Fahad Faasil last year, titled 'Maheshinte Prathikaram' that went on to win several accolades and was both a critical and commercial hit, but I thought it was a confused mess that held a very familiar and clichéd story within itself which is boring.That film is hugely overrated.'Thondimuthalum' is different because here, it works.

Thondimuthalum's plot is so simple that if you heard the plot from some other person,you clearly will ignore this film but it is gonna be your huge mistake.This is one of the situations which proves the popular saying "Don't Judge a Book by its Cover".This is a genuine story presented with total honesty. The characters are real people and there are no real efforts to categorise them into various shades, which is such a delight. The emotions of each character affect us and Dileesh masterfully blends it all in a delightful manner. The viewers are able to connect with the characters on screen, in such a way that not one actor or an extra goes to waste. Most of film happens within the aforementioned police station, where we become empathetic towards the main persons of the film (being the two lovers, the supposed thief, and the police officers) as they become helpless in their own sorry worlds. I guess because of this reason, the film is more of a dark comedy than anything else, because within each laugh is a hint of pain.

There isn't a villain in this picture, not really. Fahad Faasil's character, the man who is accused, is someone for whom we slowly fall for, partly because he's more naughty than cunning. The fact is that he is very clever, and in each and every move he makes, there is a spark of his intelligence.This makes him the victim of several hits and kicks from the officers, which ends up disturbing his accusers, who form a silent bond with him.His entire character justifies in a single line "Never lose hope even in darkest times". He never admits crime and tests the police's intelligence and when they chose stupid ways to close the case,we salute to Fahadh Fasil's role.

The screenplay and dialogues by Sajeev Pazhoor and Shyam Pushkaran are brilliant and carries lot of weight.A particularly hilarious conversation happens when Alencier Ley takes statement from Suraj and Nimisha on how they lost their necklace on the second day in complete contradiction to what they took the first day.Coming to the director,Dileesh Pothan,he definitely deserves the Best Director of 2017 award.Movie plots clearly don't excite director Dileesh Pothan as much as true stories where life had come dizzyingly close to becoming like a movie and then, had fused back with life.This means that a conversation he overhears at a tea shop is more likely to give Pothan a setting for his next picture than a brainstorming session inside a conference room.He chose one of the most simplest plots of 2017 and successfully made the best film of 2017 out of it.

Fahad Faasil gives a career best performance in 'Thondimuthalum', because his expressive eyes convey more to the audience than mere words ever could.I never thought he is such an intensive performer.What an amazing ability he has to transform to the character he plays ! His smile when it writes intermission on the screen is one thing that would be lot discussed in coming days. How he gives a detailed explanation to his cellmate on the finesse a thief should possess was a treat to watch. Even the smallest gestures like where he asks for food to Suraj with handcuffs in his hands but just takes it away when the police comes in evokes laughs. It's safe to say by now that he is at the cusp of entering the greater league of actors we ever had. It takes a lot of conviction for a director to take such a drastic casting call and also a lot of guts and confidence for a popular star to take on such an unconventional role, kudos to both Dileesh Pothan and Fahadh Faasil for their respective decisions.Others also played their roles naturally and Alencier Ley Lopez once again proves he is one of the best actors to play supporting roles without monotony.

Technically this movie is very well made without any gloss.Camera-work is realistic and music has a good flow with movie.

So,Thondimuthalum Dhriksakshiyum is easily one of the Top 5 Indian movies of 2017.Dileesh Pothan and Fahadh Faasil deserves Best Director 2017 and Best Actor 2017 respectively.A Must Watch gem of a film.

My Rating 8.5/10