A still from the movieDominic Arun's Tharangam unfurls its suspense-thriller plot in a very unconventional black-comedy mood. A normal action-thriller movie by all other means, Tharangam wangles an offbeat stamp through an avant-garde style of narration that fiddles with fantasy and magic realism.
The story revolves around Tovino Thomas and Balu Varghese, two suspended cops, who get involved in a number of misadventures to make some easy money. The script failed to get the most out of Tovino in the first half as the unscrupulous cop played by him seems a bit lagging.
But the latest inclusion into the superstar gang of Mollywood bounces back to his natural rhythm in the fast-paced and rich second half. The ease with which Balu has brought his character to life will impress everyone.
The story revolves around Tovino Thomas and Balu Varghese, two suspended copsEven though the narrative stretches its wings into magical realism, the director has opted for a realistic approach in characterization. Special mention due to the two women who played key roles - Shanti Balachandran and Neha Iyer.
Neha has unleashed one of the most powerful performances in her career as Omana Varghese, the antagonist. Likewise, Shanti has done justice to Malu, the short-tempered college lecturer who is very practical in her approach to life. Shammi Thilakan, Vijayaraghavan, and Saiju Kurup have also done a neat job. However, the magic ingredient among the bevy of actors is perhaps Dileesh Pothan. Director Shanil Muhammed has also played a very short cameo in the same name.
Sans the fantasy mix, this movie would have passed as another mediocre action thriller. But with swift camera movements, crisp background scores, graphics and vintage lighting, the total mood of the movie reminds us of Lijo Jose Pellissery's Amen.
Santhi and Tovino in the movieAs a whole, Tharangam is a fine, black-comedy thriller, which has made the best use of Kochi's social complexities.
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