When Dileep goes for a creepy makeover it’s guaranteed to create fireworks at the box office. No wonder expectations are skyrocketing for ‘Sound Thoma’, his latest outing with hitmaker Vysakh and M-Town’s most sought after scenarist Benny P Nayarambalam. The film promises to be a melee of tongue-in-cheek jokes and hilarious havoc as humour has been Vysakh’s forte, his previous three films being total laugh riots.
In the film Dileep plays Thoma, the cleft-lipped title character who has speaking difficulties. “His defective communication creates a string of funny situations. But the film is not just an inane comedy as it involves a love story and has its share of drama in it,” says Benny. Thoma belongs to an affluent family, but that doesn’t make his life hassle-free. He falls for Sreelakshmi, a radio jockey, and his attempts at courting her form the crux of the story. Namitha Pramod appears on screen as Sreelakshmi. “Thoma is the obedient son of Plapparambil Paulo whose lone concern in life is money. The many-layered father-son relationship concocts the essential drama,” he adds.
Dileep’s quirky avatars had struck gold in the past, be it ‘Chandupottu’ or ‘Kunjikoonan’. “All these films have tried to capture the anguish of marginalised people though the narrative is draped in humour. Our concept of hero is poles apart from a physically deformed or effeminate person. I don’t believe heroism is all about physique, for me it has more to do with your attitude and innate goodness. This is my 25th script and through this I want to say that the hero need not be a macho-man.” Benny goes on to add that ‘Sound Thoma’ is not an attempt to cash on the physical oddities of its central character. “The curiosity in appearance burns out after the first two scenes. You need a solid story to pique the interest of the audience further. The film should be something beyond a mere spectacle,” he says.
Benny also adds that though he penned the script without anyone particular in mind, Dileep has been the initial and final choice for the film. “You cannot deny the fact that he is one actor who can easily slip into such a role. It’s Thoma who carries the entire film on his shoulders and I think Dileep has done complete justice to his character,” he says.
The film shot at the idyllic locales of Kuttanad has Shaji Kumar cranking the camera. Mukesh, Nedumudi Venu, Sai Kumar and Suraj Venjaramoodu are also part of the cast. The film produced by Anoop under the banner of Priyanjali films will hit the screens this Friday.
