Dridam Movie Review:
When newly recruited Sub-Inspector Vijay Radhakrishnan (Shane Nigam) takes charge at the Kuzhinilam police station, things look all bright and pleasant in the hills. Barring occasional scuffles among locals, the station has no major history of crime, making it an ideal posting for a newcomer to ease into the gritty world of law enforcement. However, it doesn't take long before Vijay's worst nightmares come true as a series of gruesome crimes are reported back-to-back in the locality. Three murders and a bank robbery, and Vijay's efficiency is straightaway in question. He has a point to prove.
Director: Martin Joseph
Cast: Shane Nigam, Shobi Thilakan, Nandan Unni, Dinesh Prabhakar, Kottayam Ramesh, Saniya Fathima, Krishna Prabha
Debutant director Martin Joseph does a fairly decent job crafting a familiar crime thriller that heavily banks on its climactic twist, which, to be fair, is genuinely difficult to predict. Coming from Jeethu Joseph’s school of filmmaking, Martin seems to have picked up a thing or two about springing a surprise ending. However, apart from that, the film lacks enough gripping stretches to consistently keep the viewer invested.
Jomon John and Linto Devasia’s screenplay unfolds in a straightforward, linear fashion, adhering closely to the basics of thriller writing. The protagonist arrives at a new place, the storyworld and characters are gradually established, and only later does the conflict emerge to inject some much-needed tension into the narrative.
Unfortunately, Dridam takes too long to find its rhythm. A considerable portion of the first half is spent detailing the police station’s functioning and the dynamics among the officers. These early stretches are staged in an overtly theatrical manner, with dramatic dialogue delivery further weakening the scenes.
That said, Dridam also introduces some refreshing changes, such as a police protagonist not burdened by a bitter backstory. Vijay is simply an ordinary youngster sincerely trying to do his job well. As a rookie, he often relies on his subordinates' guidance while maintaining clear professional boundaries. His idealism is also reflected in the way he resists bribery and intimidation.
Shane Nigam effectively balances the character’s eagerness, vulnerability, apprehension, and determination. However, the supporting characters lack the same depth, which may be intentional given how the film eventually unfolds. Still, the narrative could have benefited from a few sharper cues or subtle details for the viewers to decipher on repeat watching.What ultimately limits Dridam from becoming a truly engaging thriller is its shortage of genuinely exciting investigative moments. Beyond planting red herrings, the investigation demanded sharper, more intelligent writing. Certain portions, such as the blackmail subplot, feel random and contribute little to the central mystery, especially in the middle of a high-stakes investigation.
After a sluggish first half, the film gathers momentum as it moves towards its strongest stretch. The filmmaking becomes noticeably more kinetic once the revelations unfold, with a sudden burst of violent action, in stark contrast to the film's subdued mood until then. While the brutal fighting is integral to exposing the characters’ true colours, the action sequence occasionally stretches beyond necessity.
Despite its shortcomings, Dridam still has enough going for it to keep an average viewer mildly engaged. But in an era when crime thrillers are being produced in abundance worldwide, filmmakers clearly need to push harder to discover fresher, more compelling ways to tell these stories.
