Exclusive Telugu content providing digital platform, Aha has acquired the dubbing rights for Malayalam actor Fahadh Faasil’s National Award-winning film, Thondimuthalum Driksakshiyum. Titled Dongata in Telugu, the film had digital premieres on the streaming platform on May 6th. Let’s see how it is.
Story: During a bus journey, a newly married lady Sreeja’s (Nimisha Sajayan) gold chain will be snatched by a thief named Prasad( Fahadh Faasil). After noticing that the thief has swallowed her chain, Sreeja approaches her husband Prasad(Suraj Venjaramoodu) who will also be on the same bus. What will the couple do now? Will they seek police help? How will the proceedings take a new turn in the latter half, forms the crucial crux of the film.
Performances: Fahadh Faasil who played the role of thief did his part perfectly. His settled performance and facial expressions during the second half of the film bring depth to the proceedings.
Suraj Venjaramoodu and Nimisha Sajayan are believable as the couple and gave convincing performances in their respective roles.
The confrontation scene between Fahadh Faasil and Suraj in the forest during the pre-climax portions adds realistic texture to the film. Other actors who did supporting roles are okay in their given roles.
Technicalities: The film has only one situational song during the initial stages of the film which is passable on screen. But music composer Bijibal tried to elevate a few key scenes in the second half with his background score.
The cinematography by Rajeev Ravi is apt for the film’s genre. His framing and lighting setup are good throughout the film. Editing by Kiran Das is adequate.
The Telugu work is done nicely for this crime drama. Production values for this original Malayalam film are good.
Analysis: Written by Sajeev Pazhoor, Dileesh Pothan directed the movie. The director’s idea of making a crime-centric drama is good but his story is wafer-thin. Adding to it, the director took his own sweet time establishing the drama as the first thirty minutes look very slow-paced.
To summerize, Dongata is a crime drama that has an engaging narration in the second half. While Fahadh Faasil, Suraj and Nimisha did their key roles with utmost dedication, the initial portions would have been executed with a racy narration for a better viewing experience.
Verdict: Passable crime drama!
Rating: 3/5
