Thooppu preview: A seemingly simple tale with multiple layers

Set against the beautiful backdrop of the backwaters of Kerala, Thooppu is the story of a young man with the mind of a child.

To add to his mental condition, Thooppu’s family belongs to a so-called lower caste and hence is treated as second-class citizens in their picturesque village. The god-fearing Thooppu and his father Dhaani are even discouraged from attending services at the local church as the rest see the young man as a ‘disturbance’.

Things start looking up for the father-son duo when a new priest, Fr Thomas, comes to the village with his revolutionary and sincere ideas. Thooppu becomes the reason for conflict between the priest and local politician Anto.

The unspoken conflict will have consequences for Thooppu and for Fr Thomas who genuinely wants to rehabilitate the child-like man.

The script is by US-based Rency Punnoose while acting school graduate Zane Shah plays the titular role. Sound design bringing out the local flavour, cinematography capturing the nuances of village life in Kerala, and restrained, natural performances by the cast make Thooppu a visual treat.

The underlying tracks of ego, politics and hypocrisy add layers to what looks like a simple tale of a disabled sweeper with little to no social acceptance.

Thooppu will be screened at the Kazhcha Indie Film Festival in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, on 9 December 2017 at 10am at the Lenin Balavadi.