Looking for some pure and unadulterated humor and fun, then Fellini.T.P’s Theevandi is the answer that can fill in your appetite for an entertainer. Not once but twice the film was postponed due to various reasons but the wait for the movie has yielded results. A mix of limited political satire based on a socially relevant theme, Theevandi with its simple treatment doesn’t disappoint in the end leaving you smiling in the end once the final title credits start rolling.
So look closely into the poster of the movie and you will see a web of smoke surrounding the various characters in the film. Thats a symbolic representation of the theme based out of which the whole plot is narrated. The protagonist here is Bineesh (nick named Theevandi) played by Tovino who is a chain smoker. An interesting piece of tale awaits you as to how Bineesh ended up as a chain smoker. Now the plot is connected with this guy, his smoking habits and how these are inter-connected with his family, friends and a few other people belonging to the village where Bineesh stays.
Satirical humour is what the director and his scenarist have choosen to convey the plot. The one notable thing about the film is that it has selected a story which has high social relevance and this plot is conveyed without any sort of preachings. There are chances of theme of this nature reaching a stage of overdose but that too haven’t happened and that’s a smart move from the writing team.
We see a number of innocent characters surrounding the storyline which is quite common in comedy films based out of village and talking about local politics. The film was able to successfully create some genuine laughable moments from the political references in the story. I did expect a few more humourous moments carved out from the political angle in the story but that’s not a big missing as the film was able to provide fun through the other angle in the story which is smoking.
At two hours and twenty minutes, the film was a tad lengthier for the content which it was narrating. Beginning from the birth of the protagonist, Theevandi offer good dose of fun till the halfway mark and goes into a shell after that for a brief period. But after a brief moment of dullness post-intermission, the film was able to recoup the lost momentum and end up on a positive note.
Coming to performances, Tovino Thomas once again doesn’t disappoint. The character of Bineesh was another addition to the list of characters which were given a convincing portrayal. He was able to read this role well from the screenplay and act accordingly to the merits and nuances of each and every situation. Samyuktha Menon who is the leading lady inspite of getting very few scenes compared to her male counterpart was able to make her presence felt.
On the supporting actors, I was impressed with Saiju Kurup, Suraj Venjaramudu, Shammi Thilakan, Surabhi Lakshmi, Sudheesh, Rajesh Sharma and the whole bunch of actors acting as friends or family members of the protagonist. And you all will endorse if I say that the actors whom I have named above are some who are always reliable and trusted when it comes to their performance no matter what the fate of their film is. Background score was decent eenough to match the gravity of the situations while the song Jeevamshamaayi which is already on the hit charts makes a long lasting feel.
Theevandi (directed by debutant Fellini.T.P) is a very simple product and as an entertainer it has a theme which we can relate to very easily. An ideal film for the family audience as well as the youth, the movie has an eye opening theme (that deserves to be told to the present generation) narrated in a very light-hearted manner.