Praavinkoodu Shappu

A Tense and Twisty Ride Worth Every Minute.

This film effortlessly grips you from its opening scene and refuses to let go. From the eerie cinematography to the subtle, creeping score, every element works together to amplify the suspense. The cast delivers standout performances, especially the lead, whose nuanced portrayal keeps you guessing at every turn. While the plot initially seems straightforward, unexpected revelations constantly shift the narrative, making it almost impossible to predict the ending. The director deftly balances tension and intrigue, ensuring that every scene contributes to the overarching mystery rather than feeling like filler. Overall, this movie is a haunting puzzle that thriller enthusiasts will devour-it's clever, unpredictable, and deeply satisfying.

--- A film with no proper purpose, the sad part is that it had lots of potential to be great with that talented cast and they could have made the film focus more on comedy or just thriller, it tried to bind both of these genres together and it just didn't work. It's a great combo if done right but here the film falters due to an inconsistent screenplay, bad dialogues and poor direction.

One thing I have got to give credit for is the cinematography and the score done by Shyju Khalid and Vishnu Vijay respectively. Overall the film was very forgettable and a very below average experience for me.

Rating - 3.25/5

A satirical investigation drama on the backdrop of a countryside toddy shop in Thrissur.

The plot of the story is on a murder that happened inside the toddy shop and the hilarious events surrounding the investigation forms the base for the storyline.

Sreeraj has dealt the subject by blending light humour moments in the story. The story lost its grip in few areas in the first half and gets back on track after the intermission with some interesting developments. The detailing given to the modus-o-perandi in crime seems convincing but the way the entire story was layered felt wimpy.

Good performance by Basil Joseph as the investigative officer with his waggish mannerisms and witty laugh. Subtle performance of the character by Soubin. Impressive performances by Shivajith,Chemban Vinod,Chandini,Sabareesh Varma and few theatre artists who played the characters in the toddy shop.

Good Background score by Vishnu Vijay especially in the climax sequences.

A fair attempt by Sreeraj Sreenivasan with a distinctive narrative style.

Good story wasted by too many red herrings and a bad ending. Basil Joseph did try to carry it through. Chopping last 20 minutes could have improved it, but that may be the case when Bollywood remakes it.

I did like some long takes with stylized action and performance by all the actors. All OK barring some unrelated police station scenes and needless ending drama. A simple mystery with "who dunnit" could have been enough.

Although a predictable murder mystery with creative narration is always welcome. This is still far better than the junk cinema being churned out elsewhere. Too much confusion, not in story but in directing.

While it may not stand out as one of the mentionable entries among Malayalam thrillers, it does have a few clever tricks up its sleeves, particularly the detailing went into the execution of the "murder," which will surely deliver some delightful surprises for the susceptible audience.

However, the primary issue in the script lies in its blunt predictability.

For those well accustomed to Malayalam cinema and its conventions specifically within the space of thrillers, the identity of the culprit becomes apparent long before the final reveal.

Not to mention, Integrating a renowned figure among the suspects tends to give away the outcome more often than not, making it an easy, calculated deduction, especially when other personalities on board lack adequate materials in terms of their narratives and backstories.