Movie Review 'Damaal Dumeel': A comedy of errors

Cast: Vaibhav, Remya Nambeeshan Sayaji Shinde, Kota Srinivasa Rao, Charlie

Director: Shree 

Stars: **

Synopsis: An IT professional loses his job, miraculously finds a box full of money, kills four people by accident and gets himself caught in a comedy of errors 

Damaal Dumeel begins on an ominous albeit intriguing note – where a hooded man is seen dumping what looks like garbage bags into various buildings in the city. So, when a thumping song follows this scene, one is a little bit shocked. The song establishes that our protagonist Moneykandan (who has altered his name to suit the numerologists and astrologists he believes in) has life going for him – a hep job, a girlfriend who is the perfect balance of sweet and sexy and a BFF who is nothing short of a shadow.

Moneykandan is a paradox – a strong, dependable young man, a loving son and a caring boyfriend. So, when he loses his job, simply because he overachieved, you are left feeling as flabbergasted as him.

In a totally different plotline, are a smuggler and his accomplice who, in the midst of exchanging 5 crores (a ridiculous sum of money to be packed into a cardboard box and subsequently a pillowcase) wind up in a knot of terrible misunderstanding, which naturally our protagonist is a part of. Upon losing his job one day, Money finds a box full of money at his front door, which he decides is solution to all his problems, which include his lack of status in the society, his sisters engagement, his house loan and other such white collar troubles. What ensues are four accidental deaths, a great deal of confusion as to who has the money, some double crossing all leading up to a marginally comical climax.

The film is good in parts. Right from the start there’s pace – something that is refreshing. The build up to the climax, interspersed with some laughs thanks to Charlie are notable. The current state of affairs in the state today, depicted through the news and followed up with subsequent live examples, seems a little too forced, but essential to the plot. Vaibhav delivers a solid performance, and an expressive Remya plays his voice of reason, reminding him of the good guy he is.