This Fahadh Faasil-starrer is all about the cigarette manufacturing company TTE which is leading the market.
A poster of 'Dhoomam'. (Supplied)
Dhoomam (Malayalam)
Dhoomam (Smoke) is a thriller that revolves around smoking and its harmful effects.
It launches Kannada director Pawan Kumar in Malayalam and Malayalam actor Fahadh Faasil in Kannada. The film showcases how the public takes to smoking and is influenced by the endorsements of celebrities.
It also portrays how corporate companies are involved in cigarette production and the innovative ways these firms adopt to increase cigarette sales.
Dhoomam is touted to be an edge-of-the-seat thriller with some gunshots and explosions to give a theatrical experience.
It is produced by Hombale Films, which bankrolled Kannada super hit films like KGF (2018, 2022) and Kantara (2022). However, Dhoomam isn’t anything like these films.
Fahadh Faasil in ‘Dhoomam’. (Supplied)
The story revolves around the cigarette manufacturing company TTE, which is leading the market.
Sid (Roshan Mathew) is the managing director of the firm and he hires Avinash (Fahad Faasil) as marketing head.
Set in Karnataka, Avinash plays a key role in increasing the sales of cigarettes. After Avinash arrives on the scene, the firm introduces a new brand “Likes” which targets youth and also launches e-cigarettes for tobacco quitters.
Avinash is a shrewd marketing head and his innovative ideas double the sales. But what happens next? How he gets targeted by outsiders and insiders in the company as he becomes their enemy is the crux of the movie.
The film also discusses how people make fun of the anti-tobacco disclaimers and warnings shown in theatres.
As Dhoomam starts, Avinash and his wife Diya (Aparna Balamurali) are shown to be in trouble. Avinash understands that the trouble is caused by his actions as the marketing head of the company.
To make matters worse, his enemy — who is not even shown in the movie — plants a bio-bomb inside Diya’s body. The enemy even forces Diya to smoke at gunpoint. All these elements are a bit superficial.
Avinash is a close friend of Sid, the managing director of the film. But Sid’s uncle Praveen (Vineeth) doesn’t like Avinash as he shoots down business deals proposed by him.
Aparna Balamurali appears as Diya in ‘Dhoomam’. (Supplied)
So, Praveen and Sid aren’t on good terms. But in some scenes, especially when Avinash and Diya are hurt, Praveen surprisingly rushes to help them at Sid’s request, which is not convincing.
Avinash knows that smoking is not good and he doesn’t smoke. The revelation of the harmful effects of smoking makes him take some bold decisions and he quits his job.
But it is too late as he has done irreparable damage to society. How does he tackle all these issues? Will he win this battle along with his wife? You will have to watch the movie to know more.
Dhoomam is vocal about the nexus between political parties and corporate companies. Joy Mathew’s character as the minister’s connection with Sid’s firm gives an outlook on this aspect.
The performances are the strong areas in Dhoomam.
Fahadh Faasil as Avinash is in good form, while Aparna Balamurali scores well as his wife. Both are good as a pair and deliver impressive performances in their run for survival.
Vineeth as Praveen plays an important role in his career. He is too good as a greedy businessman.
Roshan Mathew as the young entrepreneur Sid gets a decent role. His onscreen chemistry with Fahadh Faasil is flawless.
Achyuth as police officer Manoj Kumar didn’t have much to do.
Vineeth appears as Praveen in ‘Dhoomam’. (Supplied)
A major flaw in Dhoomam is the way it is executed.
It has a good theme — the use of nicotine and how corporate firms market it for their business. But it lacks the gripping feel that is essential for a thriller.
The climax also lacks any goosebump moments, thus making it an insipid show.
The music by renowned Kannada musician Poornachandra Tejaswi is good. But there are no peppy songs that the audience would love to remember and hum.
The cinematography by Preeta Jayaraman is apt.
Dhoomam has a strong subject that deals with smoking as an addiction and how nicotine is marketed by corporate firms. But it isn’t gripping enough to be a good thriller.
(Views expressed here are personal.)
May 15, 2024
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