It seems Malayalam director Jeetu Joseph is running a factory with an assembly line that churns out mystery thrillers at a rapid pace. Just weeks after his lacklustre film Mirage, and just before his much-anticipated Drishyam-3, this film arrives. Valathu Vasathe Kallan (The Thief to the Right) also falls into the murder-mystery/investigation-thriller genre, with a very engaging first half. And just that.
The opening scene, where Biju Menon, a police officer and the male lead, and his son meet with a counsellor separately to mend their estranged relationship, introduces the story compellingly. In a flashback, we see that Biju loses his wife during their son’s birth. Later, in a police station scene, we see Biju Menon dealing with a mother and daughter complaining about the harassment the girl endured from the son of a wealthy and powerful man. These three scenes effectively establish Biju Menon’s character as Inspector Antony Xavier.
Whenever we see Biju Menon playing the role of a strong-headed cop, we cannot help but think of his character in Ayyapanum Koshiyum. If he was taking on the character of Prithiviraj there, here Biju faces off against Joju George. Joju George is portrayed as a small-time IT dealer and ethical hacker, leading a happy, peaceful life, but it’s obvious he has a different past. When Joju’s daughter goes missing, his pursuit of her leads him to confront Biju. So far, the film is highly engaging, and this almost consumes the first half.
But what follows is a convoluted second half in which Joju leads Biju through a five-step puzzle meant to untangle a few mysteries for Biju and for us, the audience. Just before this game begins, we see Joju sitting alone at a bus stop, solving crossword puzzles. I assume the director wanted us to understand where he was taking us. I wish we could grasp his intentions better. At least I couldn’t. This is a typical case of the director and writer overestimating viewers’ intelligence. The result is a series of scenes involving these five puzzles that seem contrived and forced.
The film attempts to focus on an important issue, like parenting, but ends up mixing it up with morality and revenge, and even bringing in biblical references towards the end. As the cop without a moral compass, Biju Menon aces the role. Joju George’s screen time is very limited, and he plays it with his usual finesse. There are many other character actors who come in small roles but do a fitting job.
The entire film is shot in a dark setting. There is hardly a scene, except probably the montage song with Joju George’s family right at the beginning, where you see some bright light. The background score is effective and matches the film’s tone. From a filmmaking perspective, the film is well-crafted. However, the overwriting and the not-so-organic unravelling of the knots in the second half pulls the film down, leaving viewers disappointed towards the end.
Now, regarding the film’s title, its relevance is hard to grasp even after the film ends. Only someone familiar with the Bible can understand that it refers to “the Thief to the Right,” who was crucified alongside Jesus and another thief on the left. “The Thief to the Right” is considered the “good thief” because he repents for his sins before dying. Biju Menon’s character is that thief to the right!
Valathu Vasathe Kallan, now streaming on Amazon Prime, has an interesting premise but ultimately feels underwhelming. This could be a problem of churning films like from an assembly line.
My Flash Verdict: Okay watch.
AnandKumarRSonFilms 
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