Dominic and the Ladies Purse Review: Mammootty Delivers a Subtle Detective Drama

• Film: Dominic and the Ladies Purse
• Cast: Mammootty, Gokul Suresh, Sushmita Bhatt, and others
• Story: Neeraj Rajan
• Director: Gautham Vasudev Menon
• Streaming Platform: ZEE5

Leading actors in Malayalam cinema are increasingly choosing unique and content driven scripts. Following this trend, Mammootty appears in a central role in the film Dominic and the Ladies Purse. The movie has received positive responses from critics and is now available on OTT. The question remains: how engaging is this mystery thriller, and what kind of suspense does it offer?

Story Overview

CI Dominic, portrayed by Mammootty, is a retired police officer who opts for voluntary retirement and later establishes a private detective agency. Vignesh, played by Gokul Suresh, approaches Dominic after being inspired by his public statement and decides to work under him as an assistant, impressed by his character and professionalism.

One day, Dominic’s house owner Madhuri finds a purse in a hospital and hands it over to him, requesting that it be returned to its rightful owner. Using his sharp intellect, Dominic traces the purse to Pooja Ravichandran. However, Pooja is nowhere to be found, leading to the registration of a missing person case.

As the investigation progresses, questions arise. How does Dominic locate the missing woman? What is the connection between Pooja and Karthik, a man who disappeared two years earlier? And how does Dominic finally crack the case? These elements form the core narrative of the film.

Review and Analysis

In everyday life, if someone finds a lost purse, they usually try to return it to the owner or hand it over to the police. But what happens when such an incident lands in the hands of a detective, and the purse owner turns out to be missing? The film builds its mystery around this simple yet intriguing premise.

Director Gautham Vasudev Menon successfully transforms Neeraj Rajan’s modest concept into an engaging narrative. While the film takes time to establish its characters and setting, the story gains momentum once the missing case unfolds. Dominic’s investigative journey, along with his assistant, may feel slightly prolonged at times, but it remains absorbing due to strong characterization, logical deductions, and impactful dialogue.

Unlike typical detective films, the protagonist is not portrayed as invincible. Dominic does not perform unrealistic stunts or rely heavily on advanced technology. He is physically vulnerable like an ordinary person, but his strength lies in his reasoning ability and intelligence, which is subtly highlighted in key scenes involving his assistant.

The first half focuses mainly on Pooja’s disappearance, while the second half expands the mystery by linking Karthik’s missing case. The screenplay balances each character effectively. The final 30 minutes are intense and bring multiple storylines to a close. The climax includes an unexpected twist that is best experienced without prior knowledge.

Performances

At 74, Mammootty avoids exaggerated heroism and instead chooses grounded, meaningful roles. Following films like Kathal: The Core, he once again delivers a restrained and realistic performance as CI Dominic. Sushmita Bhatt adds intrigue to the story with her role as Nandi, conveying emotions effectively, often through expressive glances. The supporting cast performs convincingly.

From a technical standpoint, the film is well made, though certain portions feel extended due to the detailed introduction of the story’s environment. Overall, the execution remains decent.

Family Viewing

The film is suitable for family audiences. There are no inappropriate scenes or objectionable dialogues. It is also available in Telugu on the ZEE5 OTT platform.

Positives

• Strong performances by Mammootty and Sushmita Bhatt
• Engaging second half
• Well executed climax

Negatives

• Slower moments in the first half
• Slightly lengthy runtime

Final Verdict

• Dominic and the Ladies Purse is a calm yet gripping mystery thriller that keeps viewers invested through logic driven storytelling and solid performances.

Disclaimer: This review reflects the personal opinion of the reviewer.