UNEVEN PROPORTIONS OF THRILLS AND DARK HUMOUR LIMIT THE FILM'S POTENTIAL

Pravinkoodu Shappu is a fairly engaging film with ample thrills and some hilarious dark humour. But these elements don't come together in the right proportions to create a rousing experience

- VIGNESH MADHU

RAVINKOODU Shappu opens with a shot of a dead man hanging. This chilling scene is accompanied by the iconic song 'Thumbi Vaa', with ONV's lines 'Thumbi vaa thumba kudathin thunjathaayi unjaalidam', matching starkly in contrast with the visuals of the dead body hanging.

In another crucial scene, after a man commits murder by drowning someone, we see him casually humming the line 'Ente balagopalane enna theppikkumpam padadi'. These two scenes give you a brief idea of how the film works-a thriller with bizarre dark humour peppered throughout.

Set largely around a toddy shop and a suspicious death on its premises, the film has a solid premise and quirky characters. However, despite a lot working in its favour, the film somehow falls short of its potential.

On a rainy night, a group of men are busy drinking and playing cards in the aforementioned toddy shop when one of them is found hanging dead. The suspects include a former defence personnel, a school teacher, a local thug, and a physically disabled worker from the toddy shop. Basil Joseph plays the cop, tasked with the investigation. His character, SI Santhosh, relies more on brains than brawn to crack a case. He is supremely confident in his investigative skills and prefers scientific evidence over third-degree treatment.

Though initially hesitant to take the case, he soon becomes desperate to solve it in order to overcome his childhood trauma.