Movie: Thottal Thodarum
Cast: Thaman Kumar, Arundhati, Vincent Ashokan, Ranjan, Balaji Venugopal
Director: Cable Shankar
Thottal Thodarum written and directed by debutant Cable Shankar, is a romantic-thriller. The early part of the film moves at a steady pace. The plot takes a turn towards the mid-half, the narration slipping into the investigative mode. But the suspense and the interest generated with it's opening scene, wanes as the narration progresses. The elements of interest are few and far between.
It opens with a minister killed in a car accident on the highway and his son and the cops suspect foul play. They set out to investigate the brain and the motive behind the killing. This interesting opening promises of some thrilling moments to come.
On another track is the blossoming love affair between Shiva and Madhu (Thaman, Arundhati) both employees of private firms. It's through a phone call that the duo first encounter each other, she knowing who he was, he with no clue as to who his mysterious caller was. Leading one to think that this mode of romance would go on for a long time. But a turn in the plot midway through the film brings them in close proximity, when Madhu's younger brother Arjun meets with a near fatal accident (there are one too many accidents here, some orchestrated, others natural). There is a twist midway in the plot, where Madhu hits on a way to get the money urgently needed for her brother's operation. But this whole crucial moment on which hinges the rest of the plot, seems too far-fetched and contrived. Madhu overhearing a mercenary calling a contract killer about his intended victim, and deciding to get involved in it, lacks conviction. There were many other easier ways of making suicide seem like an accident, than the one adopted by her! The narration here takes the investigative mode, pepping up a little.
Madhu with the help of Shiva tries to track the killer and stop the chain of events unleashed by her act. But the whole unravelling of the mystery and the men behind it which was known to the audience anyway, lacks punch and interest.
This film is probably the better crafted among Thaman's four releases. It showcases the actor in a favourable light as a charming and supportive lover, a character Thaman carries with effortless ease. Arundhati cuts a pretty picture, emotes well and the duo sharing a pleasant screen chemistry.
Thottal Thodarum is a promising effort by a debutant and worth a watch.
