‘Dhoomakethu’ movie review: A humorous time loop film which works in parts

Sudhi Maddison’s latest directorial venture, Dhoomakethu, hit Malayalam screens this year featuring Sajin Gopu as Kuttan and Nikhila Vimal as Sharmila. The film centres on Kuttan’s repeated wedding day, a narrative device that blends the familiar time‑loop trope with situational comedy, and has been highlighted by The Hindu’s cinema desk.

The review notes that Maddison, who debuted with Neymar in 2023, draws on earlier Indian time‑loop experiments such as Maanaadu (2021) and Bhool Chuk Maaf (2025), while acknowledging the genre’s mainstream breakthrough with Groundhog Day (1993). Specific criticisms focus on the film’s middle act, where the explanatory back‑story feels generic, though the climax restores some of the earlier energy with a well‑choreographed sequence.

Time‑loop storytelling has long been a niche in independent cinema, gaining broader appeal after Bill Murray’s 1993 classic. Dhoomakethu adds to Malayalam cinema’s recent forays into the concept, offering satire of online voyeurism and familial judgment. While the film’s humor resonates in several loops, its inconsistent execution limits its impact on audiences and the broader market.