In the quiet hill town of Ranni, humble taxi driver Shanmughan treasures one thing above all - his aging Ambassador car. When fate puts him to the test, he must prove just how far he'll go f... Read allIn the quiet hill town of Ranni, humble taxi driver Shanmughan treasures one thing above all - his aging Ambassador car. When fate puts him to the test, he must prove just how far he'll go for what he holds dear.In the quiet hill town of Ranni, humble taxi driver Shanmughan treasures one thing above all - his aging Ambassador car. When fate puts him to the test, he must prove just how far he'll go for what he holds dear.
Shaijo Adimaly
- Cheeyachan
- (as Shaiju Adimaly)
- Director
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
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Featured reviews
Hard pressed effort to bring back Lalettans' glory days
So Lalettan is a retired stunt master/fighter. A million scenes dedicated to reiterate this particular point...this is the first half. Then tragedy strikes and answers to the pre interval build ups...beating the baddies to pulp. This is being touted as vintage Mohan Lal and blah blah blah. Every scene written to squeeze out the past Lalettan looks forced and fake just like the photoshopped images on the walls. Shobhana is added to mishmash,again to evoke the late 80s vibe, nothing special. Jakes Bejoy here decided to run a riot on the viewers eardrums...songs are pleasing but bgm is loud and jarring. The new villain makes his presence felt. Overrated.
A good film but liitle bit over hyped
Thudarum, a recent Malayalam crime thriller, arrived with considerable hype, promising a gripping narrative powered by stalwarts like Mohanlal and Shobhana. While the film delivers in patches-showcasing stellar performances and technical finesse-it struggles to rise above a formulaic storyline and inconsistent direction, ultimately feeling like a missed opportunity to transcend genre conventions.
The writing lacks freshness, making key twists feel telegraphed and diluting suspense. However, the cast elevates the material. Mohanlal brings his trademark gravitas to the role, though it's far from his most challenging. The real scene-stealer is the anti-hero, portrayed with chilling charisma, whose layered performance adds much-needed intrigue. Shobhana, in a limited role, impresses with her poise and emotional depth, leaving viewers wishing her character had more screen time.
Technically, Thudarum shines. The cinematography is atmospheric, using shadows and tight frames to amplify tension, while the background score (BGM) complements the gritty tone with pulsating rhythms. That said, the direction falters in pacing, with sluggish stretches disrupting momentum. The film's inability to balance style with substance becomes evident as it progresses, relying too heavily on star power rather than narrative innovation.
Thudarum is a watchable yet uneven experience. While Mohanlal's presence, the anti-hero's magnetic performance, and Shobhana's brilliance anchor the film, the derivative script and lackluster direction hold it back. The technical prowess and gripping BGM make it visually and aurally engaging, but the overhyped project never fully transcends its mediocrity. For die-hard fans of the cast, it's a decent one-time watch; for others, it's a reminder that even a stellar ensemble can't salvage a story that plays it too safe.
The writing lacks freshness, making key twists feel telegraphed and diluting suspense. However, the cast elevates the material. Mohanlal brings his trademark gravitas to the role, though it's far from his most challenging. The real scene-stealer is the anti-hero, portrayed with chilling charisma, whose layered performance adds much-needed intrigue. Shobhana, in a limited role, impresses with her poise and emotional depth, leaving viewers wishing her character had more screen time.
Technically, Thudarum shines. The cinematography is atmospheric, using shadows and tight frames to amplify tension, while the background score (BGM) complements the gritty tone with pulsating rhythms. That said, the direction falters in pacing, with sluggish stretches disrupting momentum. The film's inability to balance style with substance becomes evident as it progresses, relying too heavily on star power rather than narrative innovation.
Thudarum is a watchable yet uneven experience. While Mohanlal's presence, the anti-hero's magnetic performance, and Shobhana's brilliance anchor the film, the derivative script and lackluster direction hold it back. The technical prowess and gripping BGM make it visually and aurally engaging, but the overhyped project never fully transcends its mediocrity. For die-hard fans of the cast, it's a decent one-time watch; for others, it's a reminder that even a stellar ensemble can't salvage a story that plays it too safe.
The Elephant walks slowly
This one came to the OTT platform quite fast. The making of Thudarum was unnecessarily lengthy, with fillers that served no purpose than to extend the run-time. The film crawled at a slow pace until the intermission, after which the trajectory becomes too predictable as it turns into nothing more than a classic revenge story. All the build-up? Meh. I barely felt connected to any of the characters, or cared for them at all.
However, the direction, the cinematography and the soundtrack are commendable. Mohanlal as Benz, Prakash Varma as CI George, and Binu Pappu as SI Benny are some of the best performances in recent Mollywood. This one is worth a watch for sure-but I reckon just once.
However, the direction, the cinematography and the soundtrack are commendable. Mohanlal as Benz, Prakash Varma as CI George, and Binu Pappu as SI Benny are some of the best performances in recent Mollywood. This one is worth a watch for sure-but I reckon just once.
Great example of how to honor an actor through a compelling story that brings out the best in him.
It's a story about a guy living a joyful middle-class life, who adores his family and his car. However, things take a turn when the police seize his car due to a case. The film, Thudarum, showcases his struggle to reclaim his vehicle and the challenges he faces along the way.
It's a fantastic movie with a good first half packed with references to Mohanlal's films and a playful sense of humor. The second half, however, takes a dramatic turn that forms the heart of the story, delivering a gripping experience and showcasing Mohanlal's talent, which is a delight for fans.
Prakash Varma shines in his role, and the supporting cast, including Sobhana, Binu Pappu, and Thomas Mathew, also deliver solid performances.
The film effectively blends drama, suspense, and revenge, with standout writing, catchy songs, and impressive background music, making it a technically strong film.
While the self-referential humor, excessive movie nods, some forced family drama, and a lack of freshness in the plot might be seen as drawbacks,
overall, it's a great example of how to honor an actor through a compelling story that brings out the best in him.
It's a fantastic movie with a good first half packed with references to Mohanlal's films and a playful sense of humor. The second half, however, takes a dramatic turn that forms the heart of the story, delivering a gripping experience and showcasing Mohanlal's talent, which is a delight for fans.
Prakash Varma shines in his role, and the supporting cast, including Sobhana, Binu Pappu, and Thomas Mathew, also deliver solid performances.
The film effectively blends drama, suspense, and revenge, with standout writing, catchy songs, and impressive background music, making it a technically strong film.
While the self-referential humor, excessive movie nods, some forced family drama, and a lack of freshness in the plot might be seen as drawbacks,
overall, it's a great example of how to honor an actor through a compelling story that brings out the best in him.
Best of L in recent times
I donno how to describe my feelings after watching this movie.
Movie started with laying some emotional attachments and funny family scenes that are entirely different from the actual plot of the movie. First half was nicely done to give an attachment with the characters. It even had many references and comedy scenes inspired from social media.
After the first half script is taking an unexpected turn that no one is gonna predict. Even minute expressions from mohanlal is conveying a lot. Some scenes from police station kinda reminded me of Drishyam. One actor who should be appreciated as much as mohanlal is the antagonist Prakash Varma. He was brilliant and deserves a punch in the face. His mannerisms were top notch and makes every viewer angry without any heavy gimmick.
Director Tharun moorthy is definitely one of the best filmmaker in mollywood right now. His best is yet to come.
Movie started with laying some emotional attachments and funny family scenes that are entirely different from the actual plot of the movie. First half was nicely done to give an attachment with the characters. It even had many references and comedy scenes inspired from social media.
After the first half script is taking an unexpected turn that no one is gonna predict. Even minute expressions from mohanlal is conveying a lot. Some scenes from police station kinda reminded me of Drishyam. One actor who should be appreciated as much as mohanlal is the antagonist Prakash Varma. He was brilliant and deserves a punch in the face. His mannerisms were top notch and makes every viewer angry without any heavy gimmick.
Director Tharun moorthy is definitely one of the best filmmaker in mollywood right now. His best is yet to come.
Did you know
- TriviaJyothika was in talks to play the role of Lalitha, which was eventually done by Shobana. Before Shobana, the team also considered dancer Methil Devika and a Telugu actress.
- GoofsThe opening credits song shows Shanmughan's car with the number TMA 3165. But towards the end of this song and throughout the movie, Shanmughan's car is numbered KL 03 L 4455.
- Crazy creditsThe opening credits show the names of Mohanlal and Shobana before the movie's name. The end credits show only Mohanlal's name before the movie's name.
- ConnectionsReferences Manjil Virinja Pookkal (1980)
Details
Box office
- Gross worldwide
- $6,226,200
- Runtime
- 2h 43m(163 min)
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 2.39 : 1
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