It seems Suresh Gopi [Images] wants to experiment with the characters he portrays on the silver screen. So, in between his investigative and political thrillers, he squeezes in a film that would show off his potential as an actor without bothering about plausibility of the plot or the viability of the endeavour. It is the same with new Malayalam film Thaavalam directed by newcomer Baiju 2D (sic).

In Thaavalam, he is Sivan, a roadside cobbler and a single parent of a girl child in a nondescript township.

The film begins like any other Suresh Gopi film; that is, with action. Sivan saves a 'damsel in distress' Kanakam (Sindhu Menon) from the clutches of hooligans. He is an orphan who survives on menial jobs like helping the nearby teashop owner Panniker (Nedumudi Venu), (who treats him like a family member) and repairing footwear.

Panniker takes the initiative to get Sivan and Kanakam married. But, Sivan's marital bliss ends as Kanakam dies during childbirth. Sivan is further tormented by the fear of the goons returning to take their revenge.

The storyline is good but with Suresh Gopi in the driver's seat, it is really hard to digest the goings on in the film. It is not the fault of the actor, who is shown as having greying sideburns and moustache. His performance is almost silent, which is one of the positives of this film. Nedumudi Venu is his usual self without anything new to offer to the viewers. 

There is a separate comedy track which is handled by Salim Kumar, Jagathy Sreekumar and Bijukuttan. There is hardly anything else to look forward to in this melodramatic story. 

The narrative is predictable with every possible ingredient in place but nothing works.

We come out of the theatre feeling sorry for Suresh Gopi who has invested so much energy in this film.

Rediff Rating: