Dhoomam movie review: Fahadh Faasil tries to salvage a forgettable thriller

Hombale Films emerged as a force to reckon with at a pan-India level with KGF Chapter 2 and Kantara, which fared exceptionally well at the box office. The banner’s latest release Dhoomam had garnered a fair deal of attention despite the muted promotions as it marked the production house’s Mollywood debut. The fact that it featured Fahadh Faasil, the star of well-received films such as CU Soon and Joji, in the lead further piqued the curiosity of fans. So did Dhoomam, which was billed as a thriller,  prove to be yet another memorable release from Hombale Films?

Hot Take

Broadly speaking, a thriller can work only if it features captivating twists and an emotionally gripping storyline. Take Mohanlal’s Drishyam for instance. The dynamics between George Kutty and his family proved to be its emotional fulcrum while the cat and mouse game between the protagonist and the cops made the action intriguing. 

Dhoomam, sadly, fails to deliver on both fronts. The twists are predictable. Moreover, the emotional climax does not really hit as hard as it should have. As a result, Dhoomam is reduced to nothing more than a middling attempt at storytelling.

Does Dhoomam live up to the hype?

Dhoomam revolves around Avinash (Fahadh Faasil), a simpleton from Kerala who works with a company that manufactures cigarettes. He shares an excellent rapport with his boss (Roshan Mathew) and finds tremendous professional success.  His life is, however, turned upside down when he learns a dark secret about his employer. This triggers a series of events which put his life in danger. 

Unimpressive screenplay

The film’s core storyline is, at some level, similar to the one seen in Velaikkaran (2017). Both flicks essentially highlight the dark side of corporate greed. That said, Dhoomam plays out quite differently from the Mohan Raja-helmed Tamil film. Pawan Kumar tries to highlight the thriller aspect of his maiden Malayalam film right from the word go. While the idea is right, the execution isn’t. 

The first major twist itself falls flat as it feels too rushed. Things go further downhill as the screenplay is unable to compel viewers to root for the protagonist. Avinash is portrayed as an underdog who locks horns with a powerful system. Dhoomam, however, is not able to explore his backstory and aspirations as well as it could have. This is quite surprisingly given the fact that Pawan Kumar had previously made U Turn, a film where the thriller elements gelled with the human aspect. The Shraddha Srinath-starrer captured the aspirations of an aspiring reporter quite well and explored the mystery behind road mishaps at a particular location.

Some bright spots

Dhoomam tries to redeem itself by taking a stand against tobacco use in the second half. This, however, proves to be a case of too little too late as it fails to compensate for the forgettable pre-interval sequences.

That said, Dhoomam has a few bright spots. Fahadh’s scenes with Roshan Mathew are passable mainly because of the natural chemistry between them. Similarly, the Malik actor’s scenes with Aparna Balamurali, who plays his wife, try to add some tenderness to the otherwise bland narrative. 

Sincere performances

Fahadh Faasil tries to salvage Dhoomam with his sincere performance. He, however, isn’t able to make the desired impact. Fahadh has in recent years relied on his expressive eyes to bring out the trauma experienced by his characters. He, however, does not get enough scope to do this in Dhoomam. 

Aparna Balamurali, who won a National Award for her performance in Soorarai Pottru, is burdened with a generic character that does not do justice to her abilities. 

Roshan Mathew too deserved a better role. The supporting cast, which includes the likes of Achyuth Kumar and Vineeth, is adequate. 

Watch it or skip it?

Dhoomam does not really have much recall value. Moreover, unlike a Baahubali, it is hardly a big screen spectacle. While, one might be tempted to watch it just for Fafhadh, the sad fact is that he has done better films in his career. 

The Bottomline

Dhoomam is hardly the right launch vehicle for Hombale Films in Mollywood. The film had the potential to be a pulsating thriller with a thought-provoking climax but it ends up being a forgettable affair that benefits absolutely nobody.  

(Rating: 2/5)