Tatsama Tadbhava, loosely translated from Sanskrit to “as it is, something different”, is a thriller quite like its name. But the film can also double up as a segment from the TLC channel. There’s so much good-looking food for a thriller, and if the Malayalam Premam detailed how to eat red velvet cake, this one teaches you Anne Hathaway’s genius cupcake hack as well, while discussing a case, of course. 

None of this takes away from the proceedings of Vishal Atreya’s super-taut thriller starring an excellent Meghana Raj Sarja and Prajwal Devaraj, that has a runtime of 121 minutes. 

On the face of it, the storyline is pretty simple — in 2004, Arika (Meghana Raj Sarja) goes to the cops to report her missing husband. He is later found murdered, and the investigating officer Aravind Ashwattama begins a mind game where he tries to speak to all those who might be in the know of things to figure out what really happened. The film then cuts to the present, and revisits all that happened. 

As Aravind believes, the devil is truly in the details, and Vishal (who also handled the writing and dialogues) pieces the puzzle together beautifully, without resorting to any excess. It helps that editor Ravi Aradhya is completely in sync with this process.

The movie, which is split into five segments, unfurls like a novel. You know it’s bound to have a convenient twist when it’s a thriller, and Tatsama has one too. But because you’ve had such a good time decoding the story till then, you really don’t mind that indulgence. 

After years of watching on screen police officials fall into categories – angry, intense, violent, brooding, and as people without a life outside of their uniform – it is refreshing to see Aravind as someone who loves cooking, respects a well-prepared meal, and wants two pods of cardamom in a tea, dropped at that precise moment during its making. Prajwal is lovely as the cop who believes more in the brain than brawn.

Arika is written with similar love. She’s nurturing, angsty and calm in turns, and you know that she has many hidden layers. Meghana plays her exceptionally. One can’t help but reflect on the reel-real conundrum during certain scenes, and that only makes you feel for her a bit more.  

Despite its tautness, the film takes certain detours that initially seem redundant, but eventually prove to be vital pieces of the puzzle. It is also mostly empathetic towards the characters and their quirks. A man in a heterosexual marriage is discovered as having an affair, and the writing, instead of diminishing his character or the choice he makes, accepts them. Another who claims he has an affair with someone is gently told the truth of his relationship status and sent out. Despite it being a kind of police procedural, there’s a tenderness about it that is endearing. 

Predictably, the pieces of the puzzle derive some shape when Aravind is in the kitchen. Because, like he says, cooking is a mind exercise, it is also akin to solving a case. If everything works in proportion, a dish will work. And, if you crack the recipe for murder, you’ll crack the case too. But is this case cracked?

While at it, a pat on the back for art director Santosh. That kitchen in Aravind’s house is all love — arranged just like how someone who is passionate about cooking would. Arika’s house is squeaky clean, clinical, and there’s a hint of dread in the background. 

Revealing anything more will take away from the film and the joy the audience gets from the organically written scenes. It has some lessons for parents too, but nothing that is shoved down the throat. There’s a mental health condition involved, which I’m not fully convinced about.

The film’s crew is top notch. Cinematographer Srinivas Ramaiah’s camera work leaves you feeling deep unease even as everything is seemingly alright. There are no jumpscares, nothing apparent. Yet, you just know. Vasuki Vaibhav’s background score is haunting, and the songs are melodic interludes. VG Rajan is the sound designer. 

A word of mention of costume designer Nikita Priya Bharana. Nikita gives Meghana garments that look flowy and stately, yet lived-in. She looks gorgeous and this is some comeback for an actor who life has not been kind to.

Go watch it. 

Subha J Rao is an entertainment journalist covering Tamil and Kannada cinema and is based out of Mangaluru, Karnataka.

Disclaimer: This review was not paid for or commissioned by anyone associated with the film. Neither TNM nor any of its reviewers have any sort of business relationship with the film’s producers or any other members of its cast and crew.