i, Nobody Review: Prithviraj Anchors A Mediocre Thriller Stuck In Its Own Loop
There is something quietly unsettling about i, Nobody.
Long before it reveals its intentions, the film wraps itself in an atmosphere of uncertainty, making every frame feel slightly off balance.
Director Nisam Basheer doesn’t rush into spectacle; he chooses patience in lieu and allows suspicion, fear and curiosity to seep into the narrative before the chaos truly begins.
It is an ambitious attempt to take the plunge into a heist thriller with a deeply personal story about an ordinary man trapped inside extraordinary circumstances.
Spoiler Alert:
The film opens with a bank robbery. Three masked robbers storm the bank, while Rajeevan, played by Prithviraj Sukumaran, appears to be nothing more than an unfortunate man caught in the middle of the crime.
The robbers seemingly abduct him during their escape, but after a violent confrontation, they flee, only to meet with a devastating accident.
Rajeevan insists he is merely a victim who happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. His version of the incident appears believable, yet something about him never completely settles the audience. That lingering uncertainty becomes the film’s biggest strength during its opening hour.
At home, Rajeevan has his wife, Meera, portrayed by Parvathy Thiruvothu, who has long been emotionally exhausted.
They continue to exist under the same roof for the sake of their children, but warmth has disappeared from their relationship.
Every morning, Rajeevan prepares for work only to be summoned once again by the police, repeatedly calls him to the station, questions him, keeps him waiting for hours and sends him back without answers. The routine slowly destroys his career, reputation and peace of mind. Nobody explicitly accuses him, yet everyone begins treating him like a criminal.
Meanwhile, another thread unfolds around the robbed ₹17 crore and people involved in it including Anas, a police officer played by Hakkim Shahjahan.
The film also cleverly introduces its commentary on digital media through a loud, sensationalist YouTuber whose appearance, mannerisms and reporting style unmistakably resemble those of a certain real-life controversial Malayalam channel.
Without naming anyone directly, the film satirises the culture of instant verdicts, trial by social media and the dangerous influence of irresponsible digital reporting.
One particularly memorable sequence unfolds inside a cramped apartment lift, where Rajeevan gets into a brutally awkward fight with security personnel searching his house.
It feels painfully confined, desperate and messy, making it one of the film’s most effective action scenes. Throughout the first half, the action remains grounded.
Despite its measured pacing, the narrative keeps tightening around Rajeevan. Every answer only creates another question. Is he truly innocent? Did he secretly recover the stolen money? Or is everyone merely chasing illusions? These uncertainties make the first half remarkably engaging.
But the second half shifts gears, unfortunately never recapturing the precision of the first.
As Rajeevan desperately tries to protect both his family and the hidden money, their already fractured marriage descends into complete chaos.
Soon, the narrative revolves around kidnappings, ransom demands, double-crosses and shifting loyalties. Jacob (Ashokan) enters into uneasy alliances with Rajeevan, while Anas tightens the noose.
The tension certainly exists, but the screenplay begins moving in circles. Instead of expanding the story, it repeatedly returns to the same pursuit, causing the film to lose momentum.
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Scenes begin feeling stretched, and at nearly two hours and forty-eight minutes, the runtime becomes increasingly noticeable.
The climax abandons the heist almost entirely and pivots towards institutional failure, exposing how easily an ordinary citizen can become trapped between police incompetence, media sensationalism and systemic indifference.
While the thematic intention deserves appreciation, the transition feels abrupt. The screenplay never fully earns this emotional destination, leaving the final stretch less impactful than intended.
Prithviraj Sukumaran delivers one of the most restrained performances. There is remarkable discipline in his portrayal of Rajeevan. He avoids dramatic excess and maintains subtle expressions, nervous silences and weary body language to communicate a man gradually collapsing under invisible pressure.
Parvathy as Meera could easily have become a one-dimensional character, but Parvathy brings layers of guilt, frustration and vulnerability that prevent easy judgement, but could have been given enough space to perform.
Visually, the film is consistently impressive. The cinematography captures both intimacy and suspense with remarkable clarity, making everyday locations feel quietly threatening.
What ultimately prevents i, Nobody from becoming an exceptional thriller is its ambition but its inability to maintain narrative discipline.
Nisam Basheer constructs a compelling pressure cooker filled with paranoia, moral ambiguity and social commentary. Yet instead of exploding with devastating force, the pressure gradually escapes. The final act settles for familiar resolutions when it could have delivered something far more unforgettable.
Timeline Verdict:
An engrossing first half, technically polished filmmaking and an understated Prithviraj keep i, Nobody afloat, but a repetitive second half and an underwhelming screenplay prevent this promising heist thriller from reaching its full potential.
Rating:
2.5/5
Cast:
- Prithviraj Sukumaran
- Parvathy Thiruvothu
- Hakkim Shahjahan
- Ashokan
Crew:
- Directors: Nissam Basheer
- Writer: Sameer Abdul Vahid
- Producers: Supriya Menon, Mukesh R. Mehta, C. V. Sarathi
- Music: Jakes Bejoy
