Padakkuthira Movie Review
Padakkuthira: A Faltering Gallop Through Yellow Journalism
Despite its promising title and a capable cast, Padakkuthira stumbles with an outdated narrative and uninspired execution, reducing its exploration of investigative journalism to a noisy, ineffective farce.With a title that evokes the spirit of momentum and progress, Padakkuthira, a comedy thriller directed by Salon Symon, attempts to offer a fresh take on investigative journalism. Unfortunately, the film quickly loses steam, ending up as a superficial portrayal of media ethics, wrapped in soulless storytelling and outdated cinematic choices.
The film targets the dark underbelly of yellow journalism, but it does so without substance or depth. Ironically, the very essence suggested by its title-Padakkuthira (meaning a 'firecracker horse', symbolizing energy and spark)-is glaringly absent from every aspect of its execution. The result is a film that limps along on a rickety theme, lacking innovation and weighed down by an uninspired screenplay.
Aju Varghese plays Nandakumar, the struggling chief editor of a vernacular magazine also named Padakkuthira, started by his father. He runs it alongside sub-editor Sathyaseelan (Nandu), online editor Nishchal (Shameer Khan), and a helper Kurup (Akhil Kavalayoor). Their desperate attempts to keep the magazine afloat-often involving sensational and fabricated stories-set up the initial comedic tone. However, the humor frequently descends into farce, with Akhil Kavalayoor's one-liners providing occasional, albeit minor, relief amid the chaos.
Sija Rose appears as Keerthy, a TV journalist and Nandakumar's close confidante. Though positioned as a meaningful presence, her character ends up underutilized, offering support without undergoing any significant development. The plot takes a turn when Nandakumar and his crew cross paths with Ravi Shankar (Renji Panicker), an English media editor who claims to possess damning evidence against a state minister. What should have been the spark for an intense thriller instead highlights the film's narrative shortcomings, particularly in a TV debate scene that exposes its weak writing.
Writers Deepu S. Nair and Sandeep Sadanandan seem to overlook the intelligence of the audience, delivering a plot riddled with implausible turns. Indrans plays a politician-cum-environmentalist with some relevance to the story, but the cameo by Suraj Venjaramoodu feels forced and out of place. Aju Varghese brings emotional weight to his role, particularly during his character's moments of crisis, but even his efforts can't redeem a plot that ultimately squanders his talent.
Subplots that appear to be pivotal fail to create suspense or curiosity, and the film's attempts at twists fizzle out without impact. Ravi Shankar's backstory briefly injects some emotional resonance, but the ensuing climax-marked by Nandakumar's plans and sudden reveals-lacks credibility. A trip to Chennai, including an ill-placed song sequence, feels like a desperate attempt to inject life into a faltering narrative.
Director Salon Symon even appears on screen during the climax, but by then, the film's flaws have already taken center stage. In the end, Padakkuthira is a misfire-a dated and unimaginative attempt to critique sensational journalism, wasting the potential of its talented cast in the process.
