Thalavan, A Indian Malayalam-Language Crime Thriller
Thalavan is a 2024 Indian Malayalam-language crime thriller directed by Jis Joy. The film features Biju Menon, Asif Ali, Miya George, Anusree, Dileesh Pothan, and Shankar Ramakrishnan.
The story begins with Uday, a retired police officer. He frequently appears on a popular news channel. Uday shares captivating real-life crime stories from his extensive career. His show has garnered millions of viewers. However, things take a dramatic turn. A reporter asks Uday to cover the notorious “Cheppanamthotta Case.”
Upon hearing the case mentioned, Uday's expression changes. He immediately refuses to discuss it. The reporter persists, seeking answers. Eventually, Uday agrees to share the story, but only if he can view the footage first. He insists there will be no objections if he requests cuts.
Uday explains that the case involves two police officers of different ranks at the same station. He himself was involved and retired early because of it. The story begins with Kartik, a principled officer. After his fifth transfer, he arrives in the small village of Cheppanamthotta, Kerala, as the senior inspector. Known for his strong principles, Kartik often gets into trouble, resulting in frequent relocations.
His boss, Chief Inspector Jaishankar, shares similar values and never strays from his moral compass. Trouble arises when Kartik releases Manu Das, a man accused of attempted murder. Manu claims self-defense, and Kartik believes him, leading to his release. However, Manu is soon rearrested. This causes turmoil in Manu's life and strains the relationship between Kartik and Jaishankar.
Things take a dark turn for Jaishankar when he discovers Ramya's body on his terrace. Ramya is the wife of Joshi, a man Jaishankar imprisoned for running over his wife. Ramya had tried to bribe Jaishankar for her husband’s release.
With Ramya's body found at his home, police swarm Jaishankar’s house, searching for clues. Despite their efforts, they find no blood. This leads to speculation that the murder occurred elsewhere and her body was placed at Jaishankar's house to frame him.
A week after finding the body, Jaishankar is arrested and charged with Ramya's murder. In court, the prosecution suggests he had an affair with her and killed her to hide it. They also claim he is involved in the disappearance of Ramya's daughter. After two weeks in jail, Jaishankar is granted bail under strict conditions. He cannot leave the district or interfere with the investigation. Instead of hiding, he plans to use his time to find the real killer and clear his name.
Kartik is promoted to SHO and leads the investigation. He quickly learns from Ramya's neighbor that she was in contact with another officer besides Jaishankar. Kartik also meets a novelist who theorizes that Jaishankar’s wife, Sunita, could be the killer. The novelist believes she was manipulated into thinking Ramya was trying to seduce Jaishankar.
Kartik interviews Joshi, Ramya’s husband, who once tried to kill Jaishankar in prison. Joshi reveals that Ramya visited Jaishankar’s house again the day before her death, claiming Jaishankar sent a rickshaw driver named Sintu to fetch her. Sintu is the same person who attacked Jaishankar years ago. The plot thickens when Sintu’s body is discovered at Kartik’s home, a part of the killer’s plan to eliminate both Jaishankar and Sintu.
As Jaishankar investigates, he suspects the killer is someone close enough to move around his house unnoticed. He questions Sanjivan, the plumber who visited his home the day Ramya's body was found. Sanjivan admits he left the door open for Sintu to enter unnoticed.
Meanwhile, Kartik tracks down Sintu, who is hiding in Pattadi, but discovers Sintu has already been taken away. Soon after, Sintu’s body appears at Kartik’s home, indicating the killer wants to eliminate anyone close to uncovering the truth. Kartik and Jaishankar must join forces to find the killer before it’s too late.
To uncover the mystery behind the killer's identity and the motive to frame Jaishankar, we must revisit an old incident from Jaishankar’s past. Years ago, while on patrol, Jaishankar arrested Arun, Shivdasan’s son, and his friends for beating a cop over comments about Arun's girlfriend. Jaishankar publicly humiliated Arun, leading to his suicide. Shivdasan blamed Jaishankar for his son's death.
Shivdasan sought revenge on Jaishankar. Meanwhile, Joshi, who had been attacked in prison, began blackmailing Shivdasan for cash. To protect his secret, Shivdasan killed Ramya and kidnapped her daughter, planting her body at Jaishankar's home to frame him. Sintu was also involved in blackmailing Shivdasan. He was murdered to silence him as well. Eventually, when Shivdasan's scheme is revealed, he and his accomplices are arrested.
As the film nears its conclusion, Uday wraps up the news segment and promises to reveal names connected to Ramya’s case. Shortly after, Uday is found dead in his home. This indicates that those who could be exposed have silenced him. Kartik and Jaishankar arrive at the crime scene. They could investigate Uday’s murder and uncover the hidden players behind the case.
Details:
Genre: Crime, Mystery, Thriller
IMDb rating: 7.2/10
Director: Jis Joy
Writers: Jis Joy, Sharath Perumbavoor, Anand Thevarkad
Stars: Biju Menon, Asif Ali, Miya George
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