Praavinkoodu Shappu

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.

Joseph Basil's role could have been portrayed more effectively by a character with a more serious and grounded presence. While his performance had a few moments that came off as cringeworthy or overly exaggerated, it can still be overlooked when considering the broader context of the film and the strong performances delivered by the rest of the cast. His acting didn't entirely ruin the experience, but a better-suited actor might have elevated certain scenes. Despite that, the film as a whole was enjoyable and engaging. Overall, I loved it and would definitely recommend it to a wide range of audiences.

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.

--- 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.

Movie had all the marking to be a cult. The suspense was really good, the bus chase sequence was of international quality, the babuetan today shop fight ( one vs 8)scene was insanely shot, and that brilliant climax when it all unravels.

The only point where the movie falters is the scene involving basil joseph in police station where it could have been written better with some witty dialogues. All the actors have played their part well. Overall it ends as a Good descent watch. But a big shout out to this movie's director who is technically very gifted. Will be keen to watch what he does next.