Sound Thoma Malayalam Movie
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It's not that I had huge hopes pinned on 'Sound Thoma' or that I thought it would be some revolutionary character that would restructure the story telling format in Malayalam films. Yet, 'Sound Thoma' left with me with ample disappointment, what with the concept that is far from interesting and the narrative that very soon runs off rails.
Thoma (Dileep), is the youngest of Poulose's (Sai Kumar) three sons, and is ridiculed by all for his cleft lip and the accompanying lisp. He is in love with a lovely lass by the name of Lekshmi (Namitha Pramod), who is least impressed by his techniques to woo her. Thoma's brothers Mathew (Mukesh) and Joy (Shiju) are thrown out of the house by Poulose for marrying against his whims, and the greedy old man has his hopes pinned on Thoma to reclaim the family honor which he believes has been squashed into the mud by his elder sons.
Vyshakh's 'Sound Thoma', falls into a category of films that are euphemistically called 'crowd pullers', suggesting that they have the potential to draw in the crowds, with the kind of colors and action that they showcase, but also that they run infinitely short, when it comes to the story that they choose to narrate.
Benny P Nayarambalam and the script that he pens for Thoma, tires you totally, with its predictability that gives even obviousness a bad name. I mean, things get so apparent after a point that you start wondering if there is going to be anything at all in this one hundred and fifty five minutes long exercise that would be inventive.
There are any number of Dileep films that flash across your mind, as you watch 'Sound Thoma' in action. Even more disappointing is the courting that happens; it has been a long time, and a real long one at that, since we saw CID Moosa following a girl around, and after almost a decade, things do not seem to have changed much.
The countless shots that unfurl before you, thus reek of familiarity, and as they say, breed contempt. Oh no, someone murmurs as the girl finally develops a liking for the hero who saves her from a financial catastrophe. And later, we just blink and put on with the embarrassment as a bleeding, vengeful Thoma acts like he has been exorcised and beats a menacing looking cop into pulp.
The problems are too many, and what is funny is that even the problems are way too well-known. The characters speak lines that have been written eons ago, and the dumb fun that is offered courtesy the mispronunciation cannot in any manner, save face.
Playing Thomas must have been a cakewalk for Dileep, since he is one of those actors who can easily do wonders with his voice. The lisp is hence voiced to (im)perfection, and his cleft lip act is commendable indeed. Namitha Pramod seems to be headed in the right direction, and in her second film, moulds herself into the conventional heroine format with ease.
Thoma is in fact Paapi in disguise, while his dad Poulose is Paapi's Appachan, with a crystal eye. What is surprising is that this one is Dileep's home production, and I wonder how he could be convinced to do a role that he himself has essayed to perfection, a million times before. For Gawd's sake, not again, please.
