Soothravakyam movie review: As I was watching Soothravakyam, I couldn’t help but notice and admit how much potential Shine Tom Chacko has. It’s not while playing the stereotypical eccentric characters, mirroring his once-infamous real-life persona, that he truly shines. To be honest, in such roles, his performances often come across as too manufactured, as if he’s trying too hard to become the gaudy funhouse image we expect of him. Instead, it’s in characters requiring a controlled, layered approach, or even in comedic roles, that his real talent surfaces, showcasing how much untapped potential he has; real-life problematic behaviour aside. Debutant director Eugien Jos Chirammel’s Soothravakyam (Formula), as rugged and uneven as it is, stands as a testament to that.
Christo Xavier (Shine) is not only the SHO of a police station but also the beloved mathematics tutor for a group of local school students. After he began offering evening tuition above his station, Nimisha (Vincy Aloshious), a teacher at the nearby school, claims that her students have stopped paying attention in her classes. They even bunk the last hour if she’s teaching, assuming Christo will cover the topics more effectively. This sparks an initial clash between the two, which soon softens into compassion, as both have their hearts in the right place.
Set in a village in Palakkad district, Soothravakyam begins as a feel-good, Manikyakkallu-type film before venturing into darker territory. For Arya (Anagha Annet), life is as beautiful as it can be when she’s with her friends, especially her boyfriend Akhil (Naseef PP). But at home, she lives in constant fear of her elder brother Vivek (Deepak Parambol), who resents her. As she was born to their parents when he was 18, Vivek claims that he has been on the receiving end of so much humiliation and embarrassment because of her. Thus, he not only treats her coldly but often assaults her, especially because of her relationship with Akhil, warning her he won’t let her cause him more “humiliation”. Although Christo and Nimisha intervene, Vivek’s violence continues. One day, he thrashes Arya and Akhil black and blue after catching them together. This incident becomes a turning point in the story, after which a crime unfolds that drives the rest of the film.
Though Soothravakyam initially feels like a low-budget telefilm made by amateurs, Eugien never allows it to completely nosedive. He manages to keep it on track, at least technically. However, the writing falters quite a bit. Although Eugien introduces Christo as the students’ favourite, we never understand why the children are so attached to him. Yes, he is a soft-spoken and chill guy, but what makes them eager to spend time with him, and that too learning? We don’t know.
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In films like Manikyakkallu (2011), Life Is Beautiful (2000), Mohabbatein (2000) or the OG Dead Poets Society (1989), one key aspect the respective makers focused most on was establishing the bond between the teacher and the students, anchoring it in emotion, even showing that only the teacher saw their true worth. Those connections are why those films resonate decades later. This is exactly where Soothravakyam fails.
Even if we set that aside, since Christo isn’t a teacher by profession, and assume the students are simply drawn to his skills as a mathematics tutor, the film still doesn’t offer more than the superficial. Occasionally, we see him writing equations on the board while the kids take notes, and that’s it. The whole part feels half-cooked.
When Soothravakyam shifts gears into thriller mode, Eugien’s writing does improve but remains middling, relying heavily on the few already-established, overused elements. Opportunities to elevate the narrative are ultimately wasted.
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As the story progresses, it is revealed that a murder has occurred in the village and that it’s connected to some of the central characters. However, in trying to build suspense and mislead the audience, Eugien underplays the victim’s character so much initially that their death, upon eventual reveal, has almost no impact. Meanwhile, the final revelation as to who committed the murder and why feels too far removed from the core plot and the main characters’ arcs that it comes across as a subplot forced into the film just to make it “thrilling” or, worse, to pad the runtime. Also, if Soothravakyam gave you déjà vu of Sookshmadarshini (2024), you’re not alone. The similarities were too obvious to ignore.
At the same time, most characters in the movie end up being superficial and unexplored, the most unfortunate example being Nimisha. Even Akhil, who later endures significant trauma, is reduced to a unidimensional PTSD-stricken character with just one stable expression on his face afterwards. The same goes for Vivek. Although Christo himself is underwritten, the film cleverly keeps him busy enough that this weakness doesn’t become glaring.
One aspect of the writing that deserves credit is how the romance between Arya and Akhil is handled. Despite being between two late-teen students, the writer-director refrains from making their relationship cringeworthy by sidestepping clichés. Instead, their romance feels as mature as it can for kids their age.
Despite all the narrative shortcomings, Eugien does manage not to bore audiences. He avoids letting the film bite off more than it can chew and wraps everything up at the right time, resulting in a watchable experience overall. Barring the extremely graphic depiction of the assaults on Arya, which could be very triggering, he keeps the film from becoming needlessly bloody.
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Although not all the visual imageries in the movie work, the final shot of Christo teaching kids at a juvenile home the mathematical concept of Integration (which also means the action or process of joining or mixing something/someone with a different group) was a noteworthy moment, underscoring the importance of rehabilitation.
While Shine Tom Chacko’s acting isn’t extraordinary, mainly due to the weak writing, he demonstrates he shouldn’t be written off and that he is a solid actor. Vincy Aloshious’ performance, unfortunately, feels as clueless as her character, who seems unsure why she even exists in this story. Anagha Annet, nonetheless, is spectacular as Arya. Whether in tender moments with Akhil or in scenes of traumatic suffering, she remains fully committed, giving Arya a soul.
Jean P Johnson’s background score is effective, though the songs don’t fare as well. Sreeram Chandrasekaran’s cinematography has shining moments but also falls flat quite a few times.
Soothravakyam movie cast: Shine Tom Chacko, Vincy Aloshious, Deepak Parambol
Soothravakyam movie director: Eugien Jos Chirammel
Soothravakyam movie rating: 2 stars
