Thenali

“Thenali” (2000) by K.S. Ravikumar One of actor Kamal Haasan’s many comedies, this one is set against the backdrop of inter-state rivalry in India’s southern states. The film, directed by Prawaal Raman, centres on the titular character and his pursuit of his psychiatrist, Kailash, on holiday to help him conquer his many phobias. The more that Thenali grows attached to Kailash’s family, the more the psychiatrist finds himself in the unfortunate position of wanting to get farther away from his too-close-for-comfort patient.

Thenali Soman is a Sri Lankan Tamil refugee who has come to Chennai to receive psychiatric treatment for his war-induced phobias. Seeing all the hype surrounding junior doctor Dr. Kailash, senior doctor Dr. B. Pancha Bhootam and his assistant get jealous and send Thenali to him, hoping he will not be able to treat him. After their initial meeting, Kailash goes on holiday with his family, requesting that Thenali hold off until his return. However, Pancha Bhootam insists that Thenali visit Kailash during the vacation.

During the visit, Thenali happens to fall in love with Kailash’s younger sister, Janaki, which infuriates Kailash. Shekar suspects Thenali of being his wife’s lover and goes as far as attempting to murder him by tying him to a tree trunk along with an explosive charge. Believing it’s a fake, Thenali defuses the bomb but it later goes off at Kailash’s residence, resulting in Kailash getting a stroke. Eventually, Thenali marries Janaki, believing Kailash was tricked into buying a real bomb. When they’re out on a picnic, Thenali’s estranged wife, named Janaki, shows up, forcing a showdown. Kailash understands that this was exactly Thenali’s plan all along, to help him and he thanks Thenali for his assistance.

“Thenali,” at first glance, is a lighthearted and zany comedy that combines bizarre humour with emotional undertones to focus on the eccentricities of humanity. Focusing on a neuroses-riddled man who holds onto his psychiatrist for dear life during a family trip, the film provides guffaws thanks to its witty dialogue and bizarre cast. Full of comic timing and situational chaos, it’s a wild, fun adventure that proves vulnerability and absurdity make for a hilarious combination.