What if you were a fly on the wall inside a police station or a bird perched on a tree in one of those small villages in Kerala? You could probably spend the entire day watching people as their life stories unfolded.
Thondimuthalum Driksakshiyum (The Exhibits and The Eye Witness) or Thondi Muthal — the official name for its UAE release — is one such story that director Dileesh Pothan narrates in his inimitable style. Marked by realistic frames and exemplary performances, Pothan and Fahad Faasil return with another winner. (Their last film, Maheshinte Prathikaram, won two Kerala state and two Indian national awards this year).
The premise of the film sees Prasad (Suraj Venjaramoodu) and Srija (Nimisha Sajayan) play a couple that has eloped with the only valuable in their possession — a gold chain.
While travelling on a bus, they have a chance encounter with a petty thief, played by Fahad Faasil, who is caught in the act of stealing a chain from Srija’s neck while she’s sleeping. The thief outsmarts her by swallowing the chain. After a commotion on the bus ensues and accusations fly, the bus is driven to the nearest police station.
What happens at the police station over the next few days forms the crux of the story.
Director Dileesh Pothan steers a tight ship, drawing natural performances from his cast; he proves yet again that Maheshinte Prathikaaram was not a mere flash in the pan. You can see the love with which each character has been sketched.
Venjaramoodu is a brilliant performer, whose talent only a few directors have explored. Biju revealed another side to the comedian in his national award winning film, Perariyathavar; Pothan brings that out here.
With his subtle acting, Venjaramoodu convincingly draws out the simple guy Prasad, who cannot harbour malice for anyone, including his father-in-law who opposes his union with Srija.
But the star of the film is Faasil, as the thief. This versatile actor is cocky and confident even when in the wrong and pulls off the act quite smoothly.
Newcomer Sajayan keeps up with the two veteran actors and is a bundle of promise. Her eyes are her strengths and she exploits them well. Her grim expressions, her anxiety at the loss of her thali (wedding chain), her angry looks darted now and then at the thief are spontaneous. The Mumbai-raised actress slips into a lower middle-class Srija’s skin with ease.
A host of characters make up Thondi Muthal and they stay with you long after curtains fall, including Sudhakaran, the troublemaker who is confined to prison till the temple festivities are over.
The mystery surrounding the thief keeps the story engaging too. He has no identity, nor does he reveal his real name.
Complementing the beautiful narration and seamless flow of the story is Rajeev Ravi’s brilliant camera work. The national award winning cinematographer hovers around the police station, now and then stepping outside, sometimes capturing a temple celebration in bright colours or lighting up in twilight frames when watching over Srija and Prasad in their home.
The long chase scene through the woods that ends in a canal with Prasad holding onto the thief is remarkable.
Realistic shots and attention to finer details add to the film’s strengths. Bijibal’s music complements the narrative.
Thondi Muthal finds itself a place among the beautiful gems of Malayalam cinema and is a must-watch.
