Thankamani, uses fiction to highlight a significant event, but its production management and performance are subpar, ultimately falling short.
Gist of the Story
“Thankamani” is a film based on the 1980s Kerala case involving the death of a communist party leader in Idukki. Under the direction of Commissioner Arpitha, the film explores the possible connection between the murder and another in 1986 in Idukki’s Thankamani, aiming to determine the killer’s identity.
| Directed by | Ratheesh Reghunandan |
|---|---|
| Written by | Ratheesh Reghunandan |
| Produced by | R. B. Choudary Raaffi Mathirra |
| Starring | Dileep Manoj K Jayan |
| Cinematography | Manoj Pillai |
| Edited by | Shyam Sasidharan |
| Music by | William Francis |
| Production companies | Super Good Films Iffaar Media |
Detailed Plot
The film is partially based on the Thankamany Case, in which an unfortunate incident at Thankamany village in Idukki’s Kamakshy grama panchayat on October 22, 1986 took place. There was a bus permit issued for Thankamany to Kattapana. The Elite private bus came to a stop near Paramada due to poor road conditions. The passengers had to trek around two kilometers to get to Thankamany from Paramada. It’s interesting that the passengers had to pay until Thanksgiving. An argument broke out between the bus personnel and a group of Thankamany kids when they questioned this. The bus crew is forced to drop off the irate passengers and kids at Thanksgiving by force.
Once the police arrived in the area, the bus owner became enraged and started a verbal spat with the residents. Then the residents were attacked by the police, who also destroyed their homes and even molested women. Reports of human rights breaches were made during the early hours of October 23 and the preceding night of October 22. The Kerala Assembly was stunned by the tragic episode, and the opposition parties’ outrage forced then-chief minister K Karunakaran to retire from office. These events are repeated in the film.
Artistes’ Performances
It is quite hard to reconcile Dileep as the young guy and the elderly gentleman in such getups with shoddy makeup when you watch the performances. Additionally, the actor finds it difficult to project swagger and an exuberant mood. Pranitha Subhash’s performance as the main investigator was a huge letdown; in several situations, particularly the last ones, she overcompensated. Neeta Pillai, however, was excellent throughout her brief on-screen time. With Ajmal Ameer’s part filling the requirement of a handsome officer next to the main investigator, Manoj K Jayan had very little to do in the movie.
Direction / Technical Side
Thankamani gives off an unwelcome experience from the beginning, and this sense only gets worse as the movie goes on. Thankamani finds it difficult to bring its scenes together coherently, with awkward language and emotionally flat parts. The investigation portion is also lacking, with all hints appearing. The script is genuinely disorganized, and the production also does little to ground this in any kind of realism. When the most bizarre weaponry are introduced in these combat scenarios, even the viewers begin to grimace. Abel uses a variety of weapons, such as battery-operated welding tools or long, nail-shaped jewelry, depending on how he feels.
Thankamani’s rural setting is one of its main attractions. The art department should be commended for its work. We become sentimental thinking about the movie’s usage of an antique bus. William Francis has some good tunes. The portions depicting the Thankamani peasants’ abuse by the police are skillfully done.
Verdict;
To put it briefly, Thankamani aims to bring greater attention to an occurrence by using fiction to capture it, but the way the film’s crew handled the production clearly wasn’t the best choice. In conclusion, Thankamani is an imaginative adaptation that falls short because to subpar composition and performance.