Film
Thottam
Thottam is an Indian action-adventure film starring Antony Varghese and Keerthy Suresh. Currently in production with limited details available, it appears positioned as a high-energy thriller with strong leads. Best approached with patience until release, when full plot and tone become clear.
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Master2021
Vijay and Vijay Sethupathi clash in a slick, propulsive thriller about a college professor and a criminal mastermind. Exceptional action sequences and magnetic lead performances make this a showcase for Indian action cinema at its sharpest.
But The plot mechanics are fairly familiar—good guy versus bad guy with inevitable confrontation. Some will find it predictable despite the style.
Pushpa: The Rise2021
Allu Arjun's transformative performance anchors this red-sandalwood smuggling epic with sweeping action, intricate choreography, and a protagonist who's genuinely morally compromised. Visually ambitious and narratively bold.
But The runtime is substantial and the regional-cinema style may feel unfamiliar if you're used to Bollywood conventions. Some pacing lulls in act two.
Thugs of Hindostan2018
Aamir Khan and Amitabh Bachchan lead a period action-adventure with water-bound spectacle, maritime intrigue, and elaborate set pieces. An earnest attempt at big-budget adventure cinema that swings for the fences.
But The plot is thin and the film is bloated. Critics found it visually confused despite impressive production design.
Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from Thottam
The wildcard
Something you would not have found on your own.
Angamaly Diaries2017
Both position action within grounded, morally uncertain worlds; Thottam's stars are Malayalam-language leads, and Angamaly Diaries proves how inventive regional action cinema can be.
Lijo Jose Pellissery's kaleidoscopic, formally inventive crime-drama set in Kerala's underworld. Told in fractured, overlapping sequences with a massive ensemble cast. A technical and tonal masterclass in controlled chaos—action cinema thinking differently.
But It's deliberately fragmented and requires active viewing. The Malayalam setting and gritty realism mean this is far removed from mainstream action spectacle.
More like this (8)
Saaho2019
Prabhas and Shraddha Kapoor navigate a globe-trotting heist-thriller with kinetic action, high production values, and an ever-shifting conspiracy. Slick, energetic, and unapologetically fun.
But The story is deliberately convoluted and emotional beats feel rushed. If clarity matters more than spectacle, this will frustrate you.
Badlapur2015
Varun Dhawan in a lean revenge thriller that trades glamour for raw intensity. The action is brutal and personal, the mood is genuinely dark, and the lead performance is unshowy and devastating.
But There's real violence here including against women—it's not sanitized. The pacing is deliberate and some will find it slow.
Commando - A One Man Army2013
Vidyut Jammwal's impressive martial-arts background drives this military-action film with genuine stunt work and an earnest, old-school action sensibility. Jammwal brings physicality that feels real.
But The script is thin and the emotional stakes are negligible. You're watching for action craft, not character or story.
Khiladi2023
Ravi Teja returns to action in a spy-thriller that balances humor, spectacle, and propulsive storytelling. A crowd-pleaser that knows exactly what it is and executes it well.
But The plot is serviceable rather than original. If you need narrative depth or thematic weight, look elsewhere.
An Action Hero2022
Anirudh Iyer's smart, meta action-thriller about a Bollywood action star forced into real danger. It plays with genre conventions, has genuine emotional stakes, and finds unexpected comedy in its premise.
But The tone bounces between comedy and thriller, which some will find tonally uneven. It's smaller in scale than typical action spectacles.
Akira2016
Sonakshi Sinha anchors a female-led action film with parkour-influenced fight choreography and real stunt work. It's sincere about its action craft and unafraid to center a woman in the chaos.
But The story is simplistic and the dialogue can be clunky. It's worth watching for action philosophy, not plot.
Drishyam2013
Keerthy Suresh's co-star Varghese works across Malayalam and Tamil cinema; Drishyam is the literary, intellectual inverse of action cinema, showing the other engine that drives regional thriller work.
A Malayalam thriller about a man protecting his family through intellect rather than violence. Mohanlal's performance is modulated and clever; the film's suspense comes from thinking, not fighting. Proves Indian cinema's action-adjacent muscle can move minds instead of bodies.
But There are almost no action sequences—it's cerebral thriller work. If you came for Varghese the action star, this is the opposite register entirely.
Kumbalangi Nights2019
Another Malayalam ensemble piece with Keerthy Suresh's peer group; it's how Kerala cinema thinks about character and texture differently than action-spectacle cinema does—a companion to understanding what drives her world.
A deceptively loose Kerala comedy-drama about four brothers navigating love, masculinity, and belonging. Shot with naturalistic grace, it subverts every expectation of what a 'male-centered' film can be. Funny, warm, and formally assured.
But The structure is episodic and the stakes feel small. If you need propulsive plot or traditional conflict, its gentle meandering will test your patience.
People
Cast
Directing
- Rishi SivakumarDirector
Writing
- Manu ManjithDialogue
- Iykki BerryLyricist
- Manu ManjithLyricist
- Rishi SivakumarScreenplay
Production
- Abu ValayamkulamCasting Director
- Vivek AnirudhCasting Director
- Prinkle EdwardExecutive Producer
- A.V. AnoopProducer
- Monu PazhedathProducer
- Novel VindhyanProducer
- Simmy RajeevanProducer
- Amal JosePublicist