Dhoomakethu

Although the scenes are fun and filled with ample humour, Dhoomakethu struggles to build the tension that highlights the labyrinth Kuttan is trapped in, both physically and mentally. The script falters in its lack of clarity on how to develop its high concept further, repeatedly showing the same situations to emphasise a point we understood long ago.

Dhoomakethu has a fun time-loop premise, a game Sajin Gopu and some genuinely funny moments, but runs out of steam long before Kuttan can break free. The screenplay needed smarter writing and more humour to maintain its time-loop craziness in the second half.

While the film offers an interesting, novel concept and experience, the story would have benefited from a fresh conflict. But while it is interesting to a point, the script gets staid in the second half.

Setting aside minor logic issues and predictability, Dhoomakethu is an excellent complete fun package that's worth enjoying in a theatre with family. Any film lover who wants to forget all tensions, go to the theatre, laugh heartily and leave can confidently buy a ticket.

Dhoomakethu does not bring anything new to the time-loop genre; the plot follows the usual pattern of beginning with a shock, then coming to an understanding and making an effort to escape based on that understanding. But what keeps the film ticking is that it focuses more on the comedy of the situation than on constructing an intricate puzzle around it.

With a lot of laugh-out-loud moments that come as a result of the unnatural scenarios in the story making us chuckle at regular intervals, Dhoomakethu is an entertaining watch that sticks to its core theme and doesn’t waste any time with unnecessary humor.