SheejithP

Review: Sitaare Zameen Par - 4/10

I was quite disappointed with Sitaare Zameen Par today. Given that it was presented as a spiritual successor to Taare Zameen Par, I had higher expectations. Unfortunately, it didn't live up to them.

I later knew that the film is a remake of the Spanish movie Champions (2018), which added to my disappointment.

While the comedy and dialogues were decent, and the casting was fairly appropriate, the movie lacked the emotional depth I was hoping for. Over the course of nearly three hours, I couldn't find any truly moving or impactful scenes-something that Taare Zameen Par delivered so effectively. The plot itself had great potential for emotional storytelling, but the execution fell short.

As always, this review reflects my personal opinion and experience.

To me, Ronth felt like the cinematic equivalent of the iPhone's Portrait Mode-the way it creates a sharp focus on the subject while softly blurring the background. Shahi Kabir achieves the same "depth-of-field" effect in storytelling, bringing Dileesh Pothan, Roshan Mathew, and Lekshmi Menon into sharp emotional focus. Their performances truly penetrate the screen and demand attention.

This film stands out for its realistic and grounded portrayal of the Kerala Police. It's one of the rare films that offers a clean, authentic look into the life and routine of a policeman-without overdramatization or distortion.

Dileesh Pothan and Roshan Mathew deliver solid, believable performances. They own their roles with the natural talent we've come to expect from them. But the real surprise was Lekshmi Menon. Her performance was extraordinary-deep, authentic, and emotionally layered. It makes one wonder why the Malayalam film industry hasn't tapped into her full potential before. This could very well be her breakthrough, and I genuinely hope to see her in more roles that allow her to shine.

However, I was personally let down by the tragic climax. It left some plot points unresolved, and I found myself wishing Shahi Kabir had opted for an open-ended finish-one that gave the audience space for interpretation. Instead, it leans toward a somber closure that felt a little too final for a story that had so many emotional layers.

Still, Ronth is a commendable effort and a fresh take in Malayalam cinema.

I often write whenever the mood or moment strikes, but I've never shared anything publicly or on social media. Today, I felt this particular piece deserves to be shared-at least with my close friends. So here it is-my review of the Malayalam movie Thudarum.

Let me say it right at the start (instead of waiting till the end): Thudarum is a brilliant film.

I genuinely wanted to pour out everything I felt while watching it-but if I attempted that, I might end up writing pages upon pages. So here's a snapshot of what's running through my mind as I write this.

The script is exceptional-carefully crafted and intelligently structured. Personally, it reminded me of my favorite lab exercise from School days (Plus Two - Chemistry Lab: Salt Analysis (Systematic Qualitative Analysis). For those familiar with it, you'll know it's all about identifying unknown ions through a series of tests-solubility, reactions, color changes, gas evolution. The process felt metaphorically aligned with how the story unfolded in Thudarum-methodical, layered, and incredibly satisfying.

At one point, I found myself a bit confused during the scene where DGP (played by Santhosh Keezhattoor) interacts with the media. It felt like the story was deviating into multiple threads. But no-it turned out to be a masterstroke. The scriptwriter and director weren't diverting us; they were drawing us in. Every element fell perfectly into place with no loose ends. The execution was seamless. Bravo to the entire team!

And then there's Lalettan. What can I even say? A flawless performance. Thudarum gives him the stage to display the full range of his brilliance across the entire three-hour runtime. You might wonder-no dance sequences? Oh, they've got that covered too, in their own clever way, paying homage to Mammootty's iconic "step." If these were conscious choices by the crew, then hats off to them-absolutely incredible.

Shobhana, one of my all-time favorite actresses, was cast beautifully. I found myself closely watching her performance, and I must say-I saw shades of emotion in her that I hadn't noticed in her previous films. A truly nuanced portrayal.

As for the dialogues-what a treat! Famous lines from Mohanlal's past movies were weaved in like linking bridges between new, powerful dialogues. It added a unique flavor. Even the background noises-like ambient discussions-blended organically into key scenes. The inclusion of current social topics was bold and commendable.

The movie carries so many messages-you can take away whichever one resonates most with you. The social commentary is vast and varied, making the film a powerful effort from the entire team.

For me, it felt like I experienced a thousand movies-packed into just three hours.

Please note, all the above are purely my personal thoughts and impressions.

#Thudarummovie #mohanlal #shobhana.