“Thallumaala” (Chain of Fights) is an action comedy produced in Indian Malayalam language in the year 2022 and is directed by Khalid Rahman. The screenplay has been done by Muhsin Parari and Ashraf Hamza. The action film features many fights and dancing and depicts a passionate and humorous take on relationships and masculinity in an unorthodox way. This film has become well known for its vibrant storytelling, the presence of energetic sequences, and the involvement of unconventional narrative techniques.
Synopsis
Wazim (Tovino Thomas) is a happy-go-lucky character until a bunch of ugly fights turns his life upside down, drama ensues as the plot follows Wazim’s adventures. Beepathu (Kalyani Priyadarshan) is a social media influencer whom Wazim falls in love with. Wazim’s story intertwines with that of Vikas (Shine Tom Chacko), a police officer with anger issues. Moreover, Wazim has been thrown into an alcoholic and fight-filled wedding, the life-changing elements of a viral clip, and his character’s non-linear intertwining romance with Beepathu.
The film is an exploration that looks out for decision-making, toxic masculinity, and Twitter ‘influencers’ among the millennial through an episodic lens.
Cast and Key Performances
- Tovino Thomas as Wazim: Directed in a fluid, epic, and romantic manner, along with intense moments of drama, Tovino simply sells his character perfectly with a supremely ordered underplayed charismatic performance.
- Kalyani Priyadarshan as Beepathu: Priyadarshan seems to be the most relatable and adorable since she has the traits of a typical enjoyable social media personality, which is a plus for the film.
- Shine Tom Chacko as Vikas: Chacko’s sensitive and solid performance makes him a standout that adds extra texture to his role as a loud and offensive police officer.
- Lukman Avaran as Jamshi: A memorable supporting character, providing the film with humor and friendship.
Aesthetic Style
“Thallumaala” is particularly famous for its unabashedly ozof style which includes:
- Split screens and Kinetic editing to fasten the pace of the narration.
- A bright color palette that goes perfectly with the energetically youthful tone of the movie.
- Songs by Vishnu Vijay, which serve to enhance the usually loud and entertaining movie to a new level with numerous catchy numbers.
It’s great this film exists because it has already drawn comparisons with Bollywood director Anurag Kashyap’s kinetic stories and with the western pop culture too!
Themes
- Toxic Masculinity: The film provides insight into how norms associated with typical men provoke them towards violence and violence without resolution.
- Social Media Influence: It examines the fame brought about by the internet in a superficial manner and effects on interpersonal relationships.
- Reconciliation: Apart from reenactments of utter turmoil, themes such as self-forgiveness and internal awareness are the focus of the film as well.
Critical Reception
Critical viewing on “Thallumaala” has mostly centered on its unconventional narrative style, performance and visual style. While the structure was criticized by some, great number of people were impressed with the combination between action and humor in a solo piece. It found its mark commercially and socially becoming a phenomenon of the industry of Malayalam cinema.
Access
Currently, the film, “Thallumaala” can be streamed on television platforms Netflix and Amazon Prime Video. No matter which city in India the viewers are, including Delhi, they can view the film via these platforms.
Similar Films Recommendations
In case, “Thallumaala” is your cup of tea, you might also want to try watching:
- “Angamaly Diaries” (2017): An unfiltered film about the life of the people living in a small town in Kerala; with an engaging narrative in it.
- “Eeda” (2018): An Indian love story set amidst the political turbulence in Kerala.
- “Super Deluxe” (2019): A Tamil movie which contains several plots that offer both dark comedy and drama.