One of the most multiawarded Malayalam films of the previous decade, “Thondimuthalum Driksakshiyum” was also a commercial success earning three times its budget through its screenings in Kerala alone, and an overall excellent film within its unusualness.
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The film begins with Prasad getting smitten by Sreeja, a girl he stumbles upon on the street one day, eventually deciding to pursue her, meeting her in a boat where they start to get closer. Flashforward some time later, the two, who have eloped since they belong to different castes and her family did not agree with the marriage, are riding a bus to Kasaragod. Sreeja is wearing a gold chain Prasad has given her, which they plan to sell in order to drill a borewell on their land, to harvest tobacco plants as their supporting business, as we learn from flashbacks later on. However, a man sitting behind her, takes her necklace and swallows it, a deed only she witnesses.
When Sreeja starts protesting his actions, the rest of the passengers of the bus beat the stranger up before they deliver him to the police where he is also beaten. When asked his name, though, he says it is also Prasad, and refuses that he did what he is accused of. With no actual witnesses, the case becomes rather complicated, with the police mishandling it left and right, trying to get done with it by forcing the couple to lie in order to finish the whole thing. As some revelations come to the fore, the case becomes even more complicated, and Prasad is forced to stay the night at the station along with the stranger. Eventually, the latter tries to escape.
The way the story unfolds and the way the characters react here is not exactly logical, with Dileesh Potham immersing his narrative in chaos from the beginning, with the placement and overall implementation of the flashbacks adding even more to this sense. The Thief’s actions and overall demeanor also remain a mystery, perhaps in a kind of symbolism that eludes this writer.
Impressively though, all the above, which could be perceived as faults, actually work quite well for the movie, for a number of reasons. For starters, this sense of disorientation and illogicality create a sense of mystery that retains interest, tension and agony from beginning to end. Particularly since Fahadh Faasil‘s performance in the role of the thief is captivating to watch within the character’s puzzle and overall ambiguity. Furthermore, despite the structure of the story, that frequently looks like some sort of fairy tale, realism is actually permeating here, with the fact that some of the police officers are played by real-life ones adding much to this aspect.
It is this element that leads to the third and most significant one, which does take some time to be clear though. Dileesh Pothan‘s film is not about the story and the characters, but about all the things that surround them, which is where the social comments and the essence of the movie actually lie. In that fashion, the corruption and the brutality of the police soon take center stage, through a number of shockingly violent torture scenes, which are bound to stay on mind of any viewer. The coercion of the chief of the precinct, A.S.I Chandran also moves in the same path, with Alencier Ley Lopez giving another memorable performance here.
Furthermore, the comments about inter-caste marriages and the racism and segregation that still dominate India are eloquently commented upon, with another violent scene, between Sreeja and her mother, making this comment rather eloquent. It is in this scene that Nimisha Sajayan‘s competent performance as Sreeja finds its apogee. The blights of patriarchy are also presented, with the moment Prasad (in another convincing performance by Suraj Venjaramoddu) actually accuses his wife highlighting being indicative. In the same path, the way the poor and young find themselves in the midst of all this, essentially stuck in the mud fighting against each other for what meager ‘riches’ they have, is also commented upon, again through the same approach. The ending, however, presents a positive note, perhaps showing that even in this appalling setting, Indians find their way towards happiness, in a finale, though, that seems somewhat romanticized and forced towards a happy ending.
Rajeev Ravi’s cinematography highlights the suffocating setting the protagonists find themselves with realism, in another of the movie’s best traits. Kiran Das’s editing, although having some issues with the placement of the flashbacks, does result in a fitting mid-tempo that allows the story to unfold without lagging in the 135 minutes of its duration. The sound has some issues, particularly when Sreeja is talking (probably dubbed) but in general works well too.
Dileesh Pothan has managed something truly impressive in “Thondimuthalum Driksakshiyum”, coming up a film that manages to be both nonsensical and to make perfect sense, in a testament to his prowess as director, and in aspect that I feel can only be found in Indian cinema. With rather high production values and excellent acting, the movie is definitely one to watch.
