Pawan Kumar's 'Dhoomam' is engaging but loses focus as it progresses

'Dhoomam', the Malayalam film directed by Kannada director Pawan Kumar, is a crime thriller that exposes the ill-effects of tobacco abuse and the role played by tobacco firms in marketing their products. The social message in 'Dhoomam' is relevant and quite impressive, especially since nicotine consumption remains a concern in today's world.

Pawan, who is known for his critically acclaimed work 'Lucia', among others, is good at engaging the audience by narrating his story in a non-linear manner. Fahadh who plays Avinash in 'Dhoomam' is knocked off and taken to an isolated hillock along with his wife (Aparna Balamurali) who is drugged. When Avinash wakes up, he receives a threatening phone call saying he has very little time to live. In flashbacks, we are told he is the marketing head of a tobacco firm run by Siddharth (played by Roshan Mathew). The tactics he uses to sell the products develop the company further. Is he paying for his past deeds? This forms the crux of the story.

Despite the good intentions of the film, 'Dhoomam' which starts off with clarity, tends to lose its focus as it progresses. Why is Siddharth's side-kick Avinash being targeted, when Siddharth is the real man running the show? There are similar such loopholes in the film, like who were the two families linked to the 'faceless' caller. It almost felt like the writers were struggling to get a grip of the story towards the end.

Nevertheless, the movie, bankrolled by Hombale Films that produced hits like 'KGF' and 'Kantara', had its engaging moments. The rivalry between Siddharth and his uncle Praveen (played by actor Vineeth) was nicely explored, strengthening the plot.

The performances of the actors were intense. Fahadh's character is quite complex since he is a man who desires success yet feels guilty when he sees children smoking the very same tobacco brand he sells. The actor, who has delivered some exceptional performances in the past, has done a good job in this film too. Actors Vineeth, Joy Mathew, Roshan Mathew also are convincing in their roles. Aparna Balamurali too does a good job, but her character is overly dependent on Avinash, which leaves her a little dramatic. The chemistry, that existed between her and Fahadh in 'Maheshinte Prathikaaram' is intact in this film too.

The music by Poornachandra Tejaswi blends well with the movie, though there are only two songs in the movie.

There is a certain predictability in the second half of the film, which does not bode really well for a crime thriller. But despite the flaws, the film is quite nuanced and has its moments.