Dhoomakethu review: Sajin Gopu's time-loop comedy works only in parts

Malayalam fantasy comedy Dhoomakethu, directed by Sudhi Maddison, has opened to mixed reviews. Critics agree the time-loop film has plenty of laughs but loses steam as it keeps going back over the same ground. Sajin Gopu plays the lead, Kuttan, and Nikhila Vimal plays his bride, Sharmila.

Here is the setup. Kuttan is stuck living his wedding day again and again. Each night, just before the couple can start married life, masked men burst in, kill him and carry Sharmila away. He then wakes up in bed on the morning of the wedding, and the whole day starts over. A comet, the dhoomakethu of the title, is tied to the loop.

Reviewers say the first stretch works. The film is set in a familiar Kerala home, with a stern mother, an annoying uncle and a loyal best friend, and the comedy comes from the small changes each repeat brings. Sajin Gopu is said to be in fine form. The film also pokes fun at voyeuristic online channels and nosy relatives.

The trouble starts in the middle. Both reviews point to weak writing once the film has to explain why Kuttan is trapped, and they call the backstory unconvincing. The wedding scenes reportedly repeat too often, and the loop never builds real tension. Sharmila's character is also said to be thin, because the story stays fixed on Kuttan.

Shine Tom Chacko reportedly plays the villain, but his link to Kuttan's troubles is said to feel rushed. Some of the humour has also drawn criticism. Reports say the jokes about stalking, pressure in romance and Kuttan's looks fall flat, and that the attacks on Sharmila's character add nothing to the story.

The film picks up near the end with a lively climax full of fire and noise. Sudhi Maddison, whose first film was reportedly Neymar in 2023, keeps things light even in heavy moments. The overall verdict is a comedy that works in parts. The laughs are real, but the film cannot hold them for its full runtime.