BOTTOM LINE
Dull, Slow-Paced Thriller
PLATFORM
SONYLIV
RUNTIME
2h 29m (149 Minutes)
What Is the Film About?
Komban Babu, a toddy shop owner in a village, is found hanging one night under mysterious circumstances. While there’s enough evidence to suggest it’s a murder and not a suicide, local cop Santosh steps into action to crack the case and put the culprit behind bars. There are three prime suspects – Suni, Kannan and Merinda – and Santosh examines every possible angle to decode their motives.
Performances
As a performer, the film doesn’t do much to test Basil Joseph’s mettle, cashing in on his playful off-screen avatar while trying to add an element of underdog flavour to his characterisation. Soubin Shahir, in a typical rustic character he’s portrayed in scores of films, is first-rate. Chemban Vinod Jose has an assertive screen presence, though his role isn’t well-developed.
Chandini Sreedharan brings an element of mystery to her performance as Merinda, one of the better parts in the film, whose intentions aren’t spoonfed to the audience. Shivajith, Shaji Chen, and Shabareesh Varma deliver neat performances, staying true to the film’s mood and setting.
Analysis
Pravinkoodu Shappu, out now on Sony LIV three months after its theatrical release, marks the directorial debut of Sreeraj Sreenivasan, headlined by the in-form Basil Joseph. While Basil recently headlined multiple successes like Sookshmadarshini, Ponman, and Guruvayoor Ambalanadayil, Pravinkoodu Shappu proved to be a rare box office bomb.
The film is a straightforward investigative thriller, unfolding at a leisurely pace in a village in Kerala, revolving around the murder of a toddy shop owner, Babu. The story takes its own sweet time to find its rhythm and unfolds through the lens of an underdog, cheeky and occasionally flirty cop, Santosh, who’s under pressure to resolve the case quickly. However, many obstacles come his way.
Santosh talks to every villager who has direct or implicit connections with Babu and tries to deconstruct the events leading to the murder. While Babu is revealed to be a man of notorious character, locals confirm he doesn’t have enemies either. Potential suspects Suni, Kannan, and Merinda also share their versions of his story, while Santosh meticulously pieces together crucial links to his murder.
Over time, it is also revealed that Santosh has a motive behind the case, connected to his past (though the how, what, and why is kept to a bare minimum). As you expect out of a thriller, there are regular distractions. The cop, interestingly, is a flawed character and nearly falls for Merinda. There’s an element of mystery around most characters, though the screenplay isn’t gripping.
Though, understandably, Pravinkooda Shappu desires to be a low-stakes thriller, the approach to the storytelling is laidback and lackadaisical. Santosh deals with the case too casually. Even as you presume that it tries to blend thrills with an element of situational humour, it doesn’t fully deliver on that front either. Moreover, the murder lacks any element of complexity to warrant interest.
It starts off with an element of promise, only to lose its way eventually. The fact that it deals with a limited set of characters – who’re too one-dimensional – spoils the fun, not helping the story drive forward or eliciting strong performances from its capable cast. In terms of its narrative, it breaks no new ground, playing around with existent tropes. There’s limited conviction in the execution, too.
The climax, where a crucial twist comes to the fore, is another dampener and is as vanilla as it can get. The scenes featuring Santosh’s romantic advances are in poor taste. When every second film in an industry is an investigative thriller, it is natural for a viewer to experience an element of saturation, unless there’s an attempt to subvert norms (in writing, execution) or lend a new spin to the genre.
Pravinkooda Shappu is an average thriller that has very little going for it.
Music and Other Departments?
Vishnu Vijay’s songs, at least a couple of them, are foot-tapping, and the background score sticks to the half-playful, half-serious approach to the story. Shyju Khalid’s serene visual exterior with an earthy tone helps the storytelling. While the screenplay lacks juice to hold its own as a 150-minute narrative, a few of the editor’s choices, particularly dealing with Santosh’s psyche, are impressive.
Highlights?
Neat performances
Watchable (if not gripping always)
Good start (though it fizzles out later)
Drawbacks?
Template thriller, doesn’t offer anything new
One-dimensional characters
Dull, vanilla screenplay
Did I Enjoy It?
In parts
Will You Recommend It?
Only if you can’t do a weekend without a thriller
Pravinkoodu Shappu OTT Movie Review by M9
