Thamaasha: A winning film that says a lot without raising its voice

What will others think? Most of us, at some point in our lives have had these thoughts flitting through our minds. I am no exception either! Many a time I have kept a sleeveless top back on the racks of the clothing store with the thought - “ Wonder what people will think if I ( read as, I with flabby arms) wear a sleeveless top?” This was when I was much younger and wasn’t as thick skinned as I am now...or maybe, I have become worldly wise!

I have had several ‘non’well-meaning folks give me tips to lose those extra pounds! I know friends who have been mercilessly teased for being dark skinned, short, tall, too fair, too thin! I know seniors in college who have taunted a good number of us because we were imperfect by their standards! And a lot many of us took it to heart and were hurt too...some of us even faulted ourselves for those imperfections!!! This is the basic premise on which the movie Thamaasha is set.

Sreenivasan, brilliantly portrayed by Vinay Forrt, is a college professor. He is 31 years old, unmarried and terribly worried about his receding hairline! His marriage prospects seem bleak and that makes him even more anxious! Vinay Forrt’s body language and the finesse with which he executes the character is indeed praiseworthy!

We feel for the character’s vulnerability and he becomes one of us as the movie progresses! His friend, Raheem (played by Navas) , keeps his hopes high and tries to set him with up one of their colleagues (quite unsuccessfully).

The banter and the repartee between Raheem and Sreeni is equally chuckle worthy and thought provoking. I was particularly impressed by the scene at Raheem’s house where he tells Sreeni that it’s not important for Ameera to talk for him to understand what she says! The women, Divyaprabha, Grace Antony and Chinnu were all good in their respective roles.

However, it is Chinnu who deserves a special applause! There is a bit of all of us in her - young, kind, effervescent, fun loving, social worker, foodie and fat!!! She loves her red velvet cake and falooda and is unabashedly proud of her choices in life! When a harmless post of her day out with a friend threw social media into a tizzy, she was anything but frazzled.

She was chided for her weight and Sreeni was scoffed at for escorting her. Some of the comments like aana and paappan triggered some unpleasant memories! Her comeback to those is perhaps what a lot of us don’t do in real life! We don’t face our demons head on, instead get easily affected by what others think of us. Like Chinnu says, the space I occupy, the food I eat, the clothes I wear (or not) are all my business and only mine!

The movie is a lesson to all those shamers, trollers and know it alls who think they know what is best for everyone else except themselves! It also tells the victims how important it is to hold your head high and dismiss the naysayers with the contempt they deserve.

Thamaasha is a sincere effort in movie making and has its heart in the right place. The technical team must be be applauded for tackling such a sensitive topic with the dignity it deserved and not making it a crass comedy! A little introspection post the movie can help us realise how our words and actions may have hurt another person!!!