Thrishanku – Quick Movie Review
A young couple’s plan to elope becomes complicated when the man’s sister runs away from home with her lover before he can execute his scheme. Directed by Achyuth Vinayak, the 2023 Malayalam movie “Thrishanku” stars Anna Ben as Megha, the daughter of a retired cop who she sneaks out of her house to catch a bus with her boyfriend Sethu (Arjun Ashokan) to skip town. However, Megha is dumbfounded when Sethu arrives to the stand with two uncles. The older men were definitely not part of the plan.
The primary premise of “Thrishanku” provides great material for a slice-of-life comedy film. It’s hilarious that both Sethu and his sister pick the same morning to leave home with their respective lovers. Now, Sethu finds himself searching for his sister, meanwhile Megha refuses to return home and follows him everywhere. What follows is a generous dose of co-incidences and comical situations.
Anna Ben is quite likable as the decisive Megha, however, Arjun Ashokan seemed a bit lost in his portrayal of the lead protagonist, Sethu. Besides, the writers fail to establish the reason behind the couple’s urgency to get married, especially considering their lack of employment and Megha’s ongoing pursuit of a post-graduate degree. Krishna Kumar was perfect as Megha’s father, a strict intimidating former cop, who immediately starts looking for his missing daughter.
The cinematography in “Thrishanku” is simple and realistic, with certain scenes almost resembling documentary-style footage. Certain co-incidences were far too unrealistic, and the events leading up to the climax slow down the pace of the story. With wittier dialogues and a slightly more charming actor in the role of Sethu, the film had the potential to become comedy gold. Nevertheless, it remains a decent one-time watch.
Stream the film on Netflix.
