Anish Chacko's movie Triple Whammy, shot entirely in English, begins in a usual canvas.
It doesn't take much time to make out the plot is set to revolve around a sweet couple. But to get a taste of the driving theme of Triple Whammy, perhaps we may have to wait till the climax.
Triple Whammy, or at least a big part of it, is told from the point of view of Anjana, played by Urvashi Goverdhan, who effortlessly slips into the role of an adventurous wife.
She is married to Manu played by Indian American stand-up comedian Sanjay Manakthala, who is required to do something very tricky with his role - make the viewers wait to reveal about his real face.
The couple happen to meet each other in an awkward situation, get to know each other through a common friend and get married.
All is well in their loving and teasing romance till their little pranks go out of control.
And one day Anjana finds her husband is missing. Is that yet another prank by her husband? Or is he really caught up with something without telling?
The plot contributes to her journey in finding Manu. The 2013 Hindi movie Liars' Dice by Geetu Mohandas too was about a woman who sets out to find her missing husband. Like Liars' Dice, the writing in Triple Whammy too wants us to feel the emotions Anjana faces.
But unlike various issues portrayed in Liars' Dice, Triple Whammy is more focused. The film has been scripted in a way the entire narrative was built around a climax.
Events flow in an unhurried and organic manner but at times, makes us clueless to random characters coming in.
Yet, the film successfully manages to impress, engage and make us wonder for the series of twists it points to.
While Triple Whammy begins as a family drama, it slowly slips to thriller mystery.
The performances are terrific across the board, especially Urvashi Goverdhan, who breathes life into the story of a determined woman searching for her missing husband.
She slowly transforms from that carefree and cheerful girl to the strong-willed one. The other major performances were also subdued and subliminal.
The camera captures all those furtive glances with concentrated energy but the different colours of light used during the pre-climax sequences within rooms seemed to be a bit distracting. The background score by Varun Unni is minimalist and low-key.
Keeping apart the few flaws during the course of the journey, Triple Whammy is indeed a distinctive attempt as a crime mystery thriller with some excellent performances.
(The movie is available on NeeStream)
