Thamasha (Comedy) makes you feel good about life. It makes you want to tackle the issues in your life by looking at the bright side. The same way how the #2 showstealer in this comedy drama Chinnu Nair lives her life when she is at the receiving end of unsolicited analysis and advice from the society. Vinay Forrt, however, is who drives this show into a delightful mixture of mild slapstick and realistic depiction of human life with his nuanced performance as this somewhat taciturn, perennially anxious bachelor looking for a bride. I could say that this is an extension of his memorable role in Alphonse Putharen's Premam (2015) but that would mean taking the novelty out of this original slice-of-a-life film that unearths the hidden problems influencing the decisions of bachelors and bachelorettes of the world, and how appearance is still regarded as the number one factor in arranged matrimony in India. Save for the illogical and/or factually incorrect nature of the conflict in the second half involving social media, I had a pleasant experience viewing this due to its sufficient dose of comedy and wonderful performances including by Navas Vallikunnu, Arun Kurian (who excels as the typical 'brother of the protag'), and Grace Antony. Thamasha is bound to bring a heavy smile on your face that will linger for days after you watch it and that's the magic of this new director Ashraf Hamza who we need to keep an eye on along with Khalid Rahman and Madhu Narayanan all of whom have given us three of the best films of 2019 so far. TN.
