00:00Imagine the emotional tension of Drisham, a father's desperate attempt to protect his family.
00:06Now imagine it with none of the cleverness and more brute force.
00:11That, in short, is Thudrum. Mohanlal returns in a role that should have delivered emotional
00:18depth and psychological thrill, but does it land the punch? Or just fizzle out in a predictable
00:25mess? In today's video, we are diving into Thudrum, the latest revenge drama from Tharun
00:32Murthy, and asking, did this film waste its potential? Story Summary
00:38The film follows Shanmugam, or Benz as everyone lovingly calls him, played by Mohanlal. He's a
00:47taxi driver, an extant assistant from the film world, and a deeply devoted family man.
00:53His life revolves around his beloved old car, a Mark 1 ambassador. There's a warm,
01:01nostalgic beginning here, domestic scenes, a strong father-son bond, and a slice-of-life vibe.
01:08But all of that changes when the police sees Benz's car on suspicion of drug smuggling.
01:14He's innocent.
01:15But this small incident becomes the turning point. After some effort and frustration,
01:23Benz gets the car back, but not without strings attached. The same officers who returned it,
01:31played by Prakash Verma and Beenu Pappu, request a favor, a late-night drive through the forest.
01:37What seems like a normal duty turns dark very fast. Why do the cops really need him?
01:45What are they hiding? And how does Benz, the humble father, react when he's cornered and humiliated?
01:54Plot weaknesses predictability. If you've seen Drisham, you'll know how suspense and
02:00intelligence can drive a plot forward. But Thudroom doesn't follow that path.
02:07Once the problem is introduced, the script becomes painfully predictable.
02:13Writers K.A. Sunil and Tharon Moorthy set up a gripping premise, but never explore its potential.
02:20Every scene follows a familiar rhythm, and you can almost guess what's coming next.
02:25And the ending? Well, instead of mind games or smart resolutions, the film leans into outright
02:34violence. Which, honestly, feels like a missed opportunity. There's no twist, no cerebral edge,
02:44just brute force justice. Performances
02:47Now let's talk about performances. Mohanlal, of course, brings his trademark
02:55charisma and screen presence. As Benz, he plays the doting father and every man with ease,
03:03but even he can't rescue the overwritten scenes. His emotional outbursts feel loud and staged at times.
03:11The script doesn't allow him the quiet intensity we loved in Drisham. The supporting cast does a
03:18decent job, but none of them stand out. The villains, though satisfyingly punished by the end,
03:25are paper-thin and predictable. There's no complexity, just clear-cut good versus evil.
03:33Technical strengths
03:34One of the few redeeming aspects of Thudroom lies in its technical execution.
03:41Jake's Bejoy's background score elevates the tension and brings emotional heft where the script lacks.
03:47Shaji Kumar's cinematography is stunning, especially the night scenes in the forest.
03:55The editing by Shafiq VB and Nishad Yusuf is tight, and visually, the film rarely falters.
04:02You can tell that a lot of craftsmanship went into how the movie looks and sounds,
04:07it's the writing that lets it all down.
04:11Direction Final Verdict
04:12This film comes from Tharun Murthy, the same director who gave us the national award-winning
04:19Saudi Vellakka. Expectations were high. But Thudroom feels like a throwback to the 80s and 90s in the
04:27worst way. Yes, it's emotional. Yes, the farthest in angle could move some viewers.
04:35But this isn't the sharp, modern Malayalam cinema we've come to expect.
04:42The film chooses violence over intelligence.
