Prithviraj's 'Oozham' review: It's engaging if you do not compare it with 'Drishyam'

The Kerala audience has seen many revenge thrillers in Malayalam, but what makes "Oozham" different is the way the punishments are executed by the protagonists here.

Suriya Krishnamoorthi (Prithviraj Sukumaran), who works as an expert in controlled explosion in the United States, arrives at his hometown in Coimbatore to attend the wedding ceremony of his only sister, Aishwarya (Rasna Pavithran). Like any Jeethu Joseph movie, "Oozham" has family elements that show the relationship shared by Suriya with his father Krishnamoorthi (Balachandra Menon), mother (Seetha), sister, and an adopted brother Ajmal Muhammad (Neeraj Madhav). Police inspector Parthasarathy (Kishore Sathya) and Gayathri (Divya Pillai) also share a close bond with the family. Certain tragic events lead Suriya, Aju and Gayathri on a mission to punish their enemies, who had killed the trio's beloved ones.

Performance

Prithviraj has played the character of Suriya with ease, as he has essayed similar roles before. From a cheerful loving son and brother to a killer, the actor has delivered a convincing performance in "Oozham." Neeraj, who often plays comedy characters, has also moved out of his comfort zone to portray an IT expert in the film. He has performed well without getting overshadowed by Prithviraj's character. Debutant Rasna is charming, and Divya, who made her acting debut in Fahadh Faasil's "Ayaal Njanalla," plays a prominent role in "Oozham," proving she is more than just a good looking actress.

Jayaprakash as the villain Alfred Marquez, who is the head of a pharma company, and Pasupathy as the bomb-defusing expert Captain have also delivered powerful performances in "Oozham." Balachandra Menon, Seetha, Kishore Sathya and other supporting cast have done justice to their roles.

Script and direction

The script of "Oozham" looks weak, with a few missing aspects here and there. But the viewers notice these loopholes only when they compare it with Jeethu's blockbuster hit, "Drishyam." As the filmmaker had recently mentioned, there is no suspense element in "Oozham" and it cannot be compared to the Mohanlal-starrer. It has a predictable storyline that shows the protagonists killing their enemies one by one. However, the makers openly criticise how big business magnates are bribing government officials and changing the rules as per their requirement. The film also gives an insight into the mafia in the pharmaceutical industry that is prominent these days.

Technical aspects

The family song, "Ee Yathrakal," composed and sung by Anil Johnson is a treat that shows family relationships, but the party song is not very impressive. Shamdat Sainudheen's cinematography gets full marks for engaging the audience and Ayoob Khan's crisp editing is also impressive. "Oozham" has a narrative that has interlinked past and present scenes, and how the transitions are shown by the makers need special mention.

Drawbacks

Not having many twists and turns in a thriller makes "Oozham" predictable and the script looks weak if you compare it to the well-knitted "Drishyam."

Final verdict

"Oozham" doesn't have any nail-biting moments that will keep you thrilled throughout like you experienced while watching "Drishyam." But it has family elements and many engaging moments that will not let you feel bored. 

IBTimes India rating: 3/5