THUDARUM: A SLOW-BURN THRILLER THAT SIMMERS

It looks like the Malayalam cinema titans have finally answered my prayers. When I reviewed L2: Empuraan, I remember yearning to see our matinee idol, Mohanlal, in a mundu (cotton sarong), obliterating enemies in glorious slow motion. What that film held back, Tharun Moorthy's Thudarum serves up - and then some. This isn't a high-octane spectacle; it's a slow-burn thriller that simmers steadily, letting the tension build with purpose. And the best part? There's a solid script beneath the surface, anchoring every stare, silence, and punch.

- By Manjusha Radhakrishnan Entertainment Editor

COMPELLING UNIVERSE

While it may remind you of Mohanlal's iconic Drishyam — where a father goes to extreme lengths to protect his family — Thudarum (which roughly translates to To Be Continued) inhabits a similarly compelling universe. Mohanlal plays Shanmugham, a benign and jolly cab driver who's deeply sentimental about his beat-up vintage black Ambassador car. They call him the Benz Broa nod to the luxury car that contrasts with his humble Ambassador, once the common man's dream. He's got two lovely kids and a gorgeous, age-appropriate wife, played by the ever-elegant Shobana. Together, they're the picture of domestic bliss, living an idyllic life.

But things take a dark and unexpected turn when his beloved car is impounded by local cops. What starts as a vanilla family drama quickly morphs into a gripping thriller, with the family's lives upended in the most brutal manner possible.