Ithu Thaanda Police Malayalam Movie
Loaded with gender cliches, 'Ithu Thanda Police - Driver on Duty' makes little progression beyond the very basic tale elements that it thrives on. With neither exciting characters nor an engaging plot to work on, 'Ithu Thanda Police - Driver on Duty' is the kind of film that is erased from your memory, the moment it is over.
Ramakrishnan (Asif Ali) is on cloud nine when he receives news that he has been posted as a driver to an all-women police station headed by Sub Inspector Arundhati (Abhirami). Little does he realize that his superior officer does not take too kindly to boyish antics, and in no time finds his serene life transformed into a hell ride.
'Ithu Thanda Police - Driver on Duty' sticks to the traditional prototypes and moves ahead with the intention of letting its male protagonist finally and firmly make a point or two. In doing so, it sketches its women characters in vague and fuzzy shades, often leaving them shorn of distinct identities.
The police officers at the station are all independent working women, though it looks like they have been craving for some male presence. While one falls head over heels in love with Ramakrishnan, gasping over his underwear, another suggests that he shouldn't call her on weekends since her husband would be around.
The steel woman who has been managing the station all on her own is none other than Arundhati, and she rides around on a massive bike, as if to prove a point. Everything about her suggests that she is annoyed with the world as such, and sporting a perpetual frown on her forehead, she makes sure that men folk are kept right in their place.
Where 'Ithu Thanda Police - Driver on Duty' glumly falters is in its deficiency of solid story line to fall back on, and when it appends a side track in the form of a family that lives under police protection, it looks way out of place. Introducing a tiresome romantic interest in the form of Niya (Janani Iyer), it leaves a bit more uncooked tang in the dish that it whips up in a hurry.
Looks like the sub inspector and co are anticipating a terrorist attack, and the kind of preparations that they do are nothing short of paltry. A couple of women police officers, one of whom acts as if she's playing a cops and robbers video game are posted on the spot, and it all never gets past the ludicrousness of a badly executed children's game.
The climax when it arrives, looks as if having arisen out of a hasty decision to wrap things up. It doesn't however come as a surprise, given the many fumbles that the film makes before the curtains are finally drawn.
Asif Ali looks his best as Ramakrishnan, while Abhirami ensures that the woman police officer that she plays is as loud as she possibly could be. Actors a Janani Iyer, Sruthilekshmi, Krishnaprabha and Sajitha Madathil have nothing much to do, except playing second fiddle to the driver on duty and act as if enamoured by his presence.
'Ithu Thanda Police - Driver on Duty' is a half baked film that doesn't make you want to linger around till the very last minute. There is not even appealing story telling here, forget trail blazing or anything of the sort.
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