It’s been a while since Thondimuthalum Drikshakshiyum came out. Being the absolute gem that it is, you might be drawn into watching it again. If you are, I’d like to propose an experiment. Is it possible to make this movie better with some minor changes?
Thondimuthalum Drikshakshiyum is by no means a bad movie. In fact, it would rank one of my favourites for its accurate portrayal of characters and realistic dialogues. It is a slice of life movie that can be divided into five major parts.
The way it is now, the story has written itself into a corner. Once ‘Prasad’ (I will refer to Fahad’s character as ‘Prasad’ and Suraj’s character as Prasad from now on) is shown stealing, there are only two ways the story can go – one with him getting away with the chain, and the other with him getting caught. This makes it a passive viewing experience.
But what if we rearranged things a little bit? The story could be better if it started at the police station (at 0:21:32).
By starting at the scene where Sudhakaran gets water, the story is infused from the start with mystery. You do not know if ‘Prasad’ has actually stolen the chain. You are put into the same position as all the other characters in the story (except ‘Prasad’ and Sreeja). You are now in Prasad’s shoes and the gaps are filled in as the story progresses.
In this version, the acting really stands out. You do not know who to trust. Fahad’s pretence of innocence is brilliant. You even start rooting for him until it is revealed that he is guilty. You see cracks in the relationship between Prasad and Sreeja. But since you don’t know much of their romance, you have to piece the fragments yourselves. And things like Prasad saying that Sreeja will never lie carry a lot more weight.
I wish this movie was made this way as I feel it would’ve been a better viewing experience. The romance could’ve been used as a short story trailer to the movie. What a surprise it would’ve been to the people to came to theatres expecting a love story!
