Pravinkoodu Shappu movie review: Strong performances keep Basil Joseph, Soubin Shahir’s whodunnit afloat, amidst its overzealous efforts to appear unique

Have we not come across films that try too hard to distinguish themselves as unique, only to end up being neither here nor there? Well, Pravinkoodu Shappu is one such movie. Right from the start, writer-director Sreeraj goes the extra mile to emphasise that the film’s tone and aesthetics are unconventional, pushing the boundaries to align almost with absurdist comedy. As the movie opens, we are taken into the interior of the toddy shop, where we see Babu struggling for breath as the noose tightens around his neck. Meanwhile, maestro Ilaiyaraaja’s classic melody “Thumbi Vaa” plays in the background, as if the moment should evoke a sense of comfort in the audience. We are then immediately taken to the room where the men are playing cards and in an unexpected burst of comedy, two elderly men — who can barely walk — engage in a physical fight, following which they discover Babu’s body in almost a multi-genre moment filled with melody, comedy, mystery and more. However, this style which seems intriguing at first, soon becomes overwhelming as Sreeraj struggles to find the right balance.

Despite there being nearly a dozen people inside the shop when the incident occurred, the other suspects eventually point fingers at Kannan (Soubin Shahir), a man with a mobility impairment who works at the shappu, as his wife, the stunning Merinda (Chandini Sreedharan), had “an affair with Babu, which led to Kannan frequently assaulting her.” Rather than using the Rashomon effect as is typically done, Sreeraj takes a different approach and manipulates the suspects’ memories with a bit of distortion, almost like cognitive reframing, creating confusion among the characters and the audience, thus introducing red herrings. However, while these ideas seem promising on paper, Sreeraj fails to fully capitalise on their potential, leading to them falling flat.

Watch Pravinkoodu Shappu trailer here:

At the same time, Pravinkoodu Shappu also suffers from overstuffing as the filmmaker introduces several subplots involving Santhosh himself, Suni (Chemban Vinod Jose), a former CRPF officer who is now a suspect in Babu’s death, and a group of workers who came to paint the shop but got into an altercation with Babu and hence harbours rivalry towards him. While each subplot shows promise, none of them is developed in depth, leaving them undercooked and adding to Pravinkoodu Shappu’s issues. The film also shifts back and forth between dark comedy and serious moments, but these transitions don’t feel organic.

Although the interval block showed promise that Pravinkoodu Shappu wouldn’t follow the typical whodunnit formula, this potential ultimately goes to waste. Another major flaw of the movie is its dampened jokes. While Sreeraj predominantly relies on dark humour, most of the jokes fall flat, failing to elicit laughter, thus hindering the movie’s ability to stay engaging.

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The film’s technical and performance aspects are what keep Pravinkoodu Shappu from sinking. Gokul Das’ exceptional production design and Shyju Khalid’s stellar cinematography are highlights, making the visuals truly captivating. Shafique Mohamed Ali’s brilliant editing, which elevated Bramayugam and Jigarthanda DoubleX to unbelievable heights, comes to the rescue here as well, enhancing the spectacular visuals crafted by Gokul and Shyju. Colourist Srik Varier’s contribution is also worth mentioning here. Vishnu Vijay’s music, including the “Cheth” song, the English tracks and the background score, breathes life into the film and compensates for its narrative shortcomings. Vishnu Govind’s sound design, Kalai Kingson’s stunt choreography and Sameera Saneesh’s costume design also deserve praise.

Basil continues to soar, showcasing that he still has untapped potential. Unlike the usual cops in tight uniforms and rigid postures, or are the embodiment of Shikari Shambu, Sreeraj presents Santhosh as a blend of both but in a “so close, yet so far” manner. Although Santhosh is short, wears loose uniforms, doesn’t sport a twirled moustache or embody the hyper-masculinity typical of Malayalam cop heroes, Sreeraj manages to show that he isn’t a sidekick. The filmmaker adds depth to the character with minimal yet effective detailing, through which he also subtly conveys Santhosh’s blind spot due to his excessive pride in his abilities. Unlike the ruthless villain shades he portrayed in Sookshmadarshini while maintaining the comedic essence, he plays a narcissistic cop here, complete with personality flaws, and in an impressive manner. However, his handling of the Thrissur accent sounded amateurish.

While Basil Joseph continues to soar, Pravinkoodu Shappu proves that Soubin Shahir is capable of more than just playing characters with a Kochi dialect. (Credit: Facebook/@basiljosephdirector)

Through Pravinkoodu Shappu, Soubin proves that he is capable of more than just playing characters with a Kochi dialect, as long as the director knows how to utilise him. He masterfully portrays the complex layers of Kannan, particularly excelling in the emotional highs and lows the character experiences toward the end. Chandini impresses as Merinda, a character who defies typical heroine conventions, while Chemban Vinod also delivers a notable performance.

Pravinkoodu Shappu movie cast: Basil Joseph, Soubin Shahir, Chandini Sreedharan, Chemban Vinod Jose
Pravinkoodu Shappu movie director: Sreeraj Sreenivasan
Pravinkoodu Shappu movie rating: 2.5 stars