Pradhama Drishtya Kuttakkar Review: Shahad Nilambur’s Thriller Hampered by Convenient Writing
Director Shahad Nilambur’s latest Malayalam film, Pradhama Drishtya Kuttakkar (Prima Facie Guilty), presents a gripping crime drama centered on a high-stakes cover-up. Written by PS Subramanian and Vijesh Thottingal, the film stars Parvathy Thiruvothu, Mathew Thomas, Sidharth Bharathan, and Unnimaya Prasad. While the film successfully builds tension through a cat-and-mouse game, its overall impact is constrained by convenient plot devices and noticeable similarities to past thrillers.
The story follows Aleena Abraham (played by Parvathy Thiruvothu), the widow of a martyred police officer who joins the force on compassionate grounds. After completing her training, she is appointed as a Civil Police Officer (CPO) at the Nattakom station, hoping to build a better life for her baby daughter and her in-laws. However, her life takes a drastic turn during a night patrol.
Aleena and her fellow officers, Sreenath (Mathew Thomas) and Dasan (Sidharth Bharathan), apprehend a man under suspicious circumstances and bring him to the station. Divya (Unnimaya Prasad) is the only officer on duty at the time. A physical scuffle breaks out between the four officers and the suspect, resulting in the man's accidental death. Fearing the end of their careers and lives, the four officers decide to work together to cover up the incident.
Procedural Approach and Tension Building
Writers Subramanian and Thottingal establish the first act as a procedural drama rather than relying on immediate high-pitched melodrama. The screenplay takes time to flesh out the characters, portraying them as ordinary individuals slowly building their lives rather than seasoned, larger-than-life investigators. This slow-burn approach allows the audience to settle into the narrative before the tension escalates.
Once the cover-up begins, the film shifts focus to the psychological pressure on the characters. The tension is maintained by showing the protagonists operating with very little in their favour, narrowly avoiding detection. Rather than relying on constant plot twists, the narrative focuses on the direct conflict between the culprits and the investigation team, led by highly intelligent crime branch officer Harris Meeran (Vijayaraghavan).
On the technical front, Roby Varghese Raj’s cinematography effectively captures the mounting dread, particularly during the chaotic station scuffle. Mujeeb Majeed’s musical score provides support during key moments, though it does not always fully elevate the film's thriller sequences.
Convenient Writing and Character Limitations
Despite its strong setup, Pradhama Drishtya Kuttakkar suffers from convenient writing choices that weaken the script. A major plot point involves Aleena finding the solutions to her problems within a police memoir written by the investigating officer, Harris Meeran, himself. By relying on this book for almost all of her ideas to outsmart the investigator, the script begins to feel flimsy.
Furthermore, this writing choice diminishes the perceived intelligence of Harris Meeran. The investigator is shown repeating the exact moves he previously documented in his book, making his character appear less formidable. While the film's interval block highlights his sharpness, it remains his only standout moment in the narrative.
The film also struggles with tonal consistency and pacing. Comedic scenes featuring CI Prathap Mohan (Vinay Forrt) offer occasional amusement but feel out of place within the serious tone of the thriller. Additionally, the film's runtime is unnecessarily prolonged, and a tighter edit could have improved the overall pacing.
Resemblances to Drishyam and Performance Hurdles
The film carries noticeable resemblances to Jeethu Joseph’s landmark thriller Drishyam (2013). Elements such as burying a body on police station premises, using creative work—a book in this case, compared to movies in Drishyam—to find a way out, and specific dialogue choices regarding surrender or resistance closely mirror the older film. Traces of Martin Prakkat’s 2021 film Nayattu are also visible at times.
The performances of the lead cast also limit the film's emotional reach. While Parvathy, Mathew, Sidharth, and Unnimaya attempt to convey the fear and pressure of their situation, their performances often lack the depth required to make the emotional stakes resonate. Unnimaya’s portrayal, in particular, occasionally leans toward the theatrical.
Ultimately, Pradhama Drishtya Kuttakkar delivers a decent premise and strong technical elements but is held back by its derivative plot points and convenient resolutions, earning a 2.5-star rating.
