Thinkalazhcha Nishchayam

Many films with unheralded, amateur casts have won the Kerala State Awards. But to do that with a comedy, director Senna Hegde has pulled the rabbit out of the hat and with some aplomb.

'Thinkalazhcha Nishchayam', the winner of the Second Best Film Award at this year's Kerala State Film Awards is a hilarious comedy seemingly plucked from the life of an average conservative family from North Kerala.

A stereotypical gulf-returnee dad struggles to marry off his younger daughter while still harboring resentment towards his older daughter who had the audacity to defy him and marry a man of her choice (shudder!).

Throw into the mix a wedding organizer who has eyes for the soon-to-be bride, a misfit younger brother, some snarky aunties and healthy servings of patriarchy and absolute chaos ensues.

How the director managed to assemble this crew of unknown actors of such quality is astounding. Ranji Kankol delivers some of the film's best comic sequences as the hopelessly romantic wedding organizer while Unnimaya Nalppadam excels as the troubled older sister of the young bride.

But it is Manoj KU as our main protagonist, the beleaguered dad who steals the show with an absolutely electric performance. From dancing drunk to fighting with loan sharks and finally dealing with a betrothal ceremony seemingly falling apart, he astounds the viewers, delivering the whole gamut of emotions with poise and gusto.

With a motley crew of carefully written supporting characters, a steady stream of unresolved family squabbles and petty skirmishes, the film movies delicious along and completely leaves you in splits with a ridiculously funny final act.

I haven't laughed so hard for a Malayalam film in a while. Highly recommended! An absolute must watch!