‘Dominic and the Ladies Purse’: From Mollywood to Hollywood, 7 Movie Twists That Mammootty-Gautham Vasudev Menon’s Detective Movie Reminded Us Of! (SPOILER ALERT)
Renowned Tamil filmmaker Gautham Vasudev Menon, known for hits like Minnale, Vaaranam Aayiram, Vinnaithaandi Varuvaayaa, and Kaakha Kaakha, steps into Malayalam cinema with his directorial debut, Dominic and The Ladies’ Purse. Mammootty not only stars in the lead role but also produces this light-hearted detective thriller. The cast also includes Gokul Suresh, Sushmita Bhat, Viji Venkatesh, Vineeth, Vijay Babu, and Shine Tom Chacko. ‘Dominic and the Ladies’ Purse’ Movie Review: Mammootty’s Charisma Dependably Carries Gautham Vasudevan Menon’s Quaint Yet Imperfect Mystery.
In the film, Mammootty plays Dominic, a former colour-blind police officer turned private investigator. He is hired by his landlady to track down the owner of a purse she found during a hospital visit. With the help of his eager assistant Vicky (Gokul Suresh), Dominic traces the purse’s owner, Pooja, only to discover that she has been missing since the day the purse was found. As the investigation deepens, Dominic learns through Karthik’s sister, Nandhita, that Karthik – Pooja’s ex-boyfriend, who was also supposed to meet her on the day of her disappearance – has been missing for two years.
SPOILERS AHEAD: The plot twist reveals that Nandhita never existed. The real Nandhita had died, and Karthik, suffering from dissociative identity disorder and identifying as trans, had been masquerading as her. When Pooja discovered the truth, Karthik killed her to keep the secret.
While the twist may shock some viewers, seasoned cinephiles might find it predictable, as it echoes similar tropes explored in the past. This is not a Drishyam-level twist; it’s a familiar one that doesn’t require looking to Hollywood for inspiration. Malayalam cinema itself has delivered comparable LGBTQ+ twists in the past. In this special feature, we revisit seven films – both Malayalam and Hollywood – that have used similar “gender-twist” reveals, including two starring Mammootty himself.
1. The Truth (1998)
A Still From The Truth
Directed by Shaji Kailas, this investigative thriller stars Mammootty as DIG Bharath Patteri IPS, who leads an SIT to solve the assassination of the Chief Minister. The key clue is a picture of a mysterious assassin, dubbed “Killer Woman” who was present at the spot of the killing. The twist reveals that the assassin is not a woman but a man named Bose (Jignesh Joshi) disguised as a woman to mislead investigators.
2. Drona 2010 (2010)
A Still From Drona 2010
Also directed by Shaji Kailas, this psychological action-thriller features Mammootty in the lead role. The story revolves around a supposedly haunted ancestral mansion plagued by the spirit of Savithri, who is blamed for several murders, including that of the protagonist’s twin brother. The twist? Savithri’s spirit never existed. Instead, one of the villains (Manoj K. Jayan) suffers from dissociative identity disorder and has been impersonating Savithri all along. ‘Dominic and the Ladies Purse’ Ending Explained: Decoding the ‘Killer’ Twist of Mammootty’s Mystery-Thriller and Why It Feels So Familiar!
3. Kooman (2022)
A Still From Kooman
Jeethu Joseph helms this investigative thriller starring Asif Ali as a kleptomaniac yet brilliant cop. While investigating a string of ritualistic murders, he develops a bond with Lakshmi (Hanna Reji Koshy), a key figure in the case. The shocking reveal is that a black magician orchestrates the killings, aided by Lakshmi, who is ultimately revealed to be transgender.
4. Ace Ventura: Pet Detective (1994)
A Still From Ace Ventura: Pet Detective
Heading to Hollywood, this iconic comedy propelled Jim Carrey to stardom. He plays Ace Ventura, a quirky pet detective investigating the disappearance of a dolphin mascot. Ace discovers the case is linked to Ray Finkle, a missing male athlete. The twist? Finkle has been disguising himself as Lt. Lois Einhorn, a female police detective, played by Sean Young.
5. Sleepaway Camp (1983)
A Still From Sleepaway Camp
This cult classic slasher follows teens at a summer camp being targeted by a mysterious killer. Angela (Felissa Rose) is introduced as a quiet, traumatized girl who witnessed her brother Peter’s death in a boating accident. The shocking finale reveals that Angela is not only the killer but also Peter himself. The real Angela died in the accident, and Peter was raised as a girl by their mother. Sound familiar?
6. Mumbai Police (2013)
A Still From Mumbai Police
Soon to be remade in Bollywood as Deva (though it remains to be seen if the remake will retain the shocking twist), this investigative thriller by Rosshan Andrrews stars Prithviraj Sukumaran as Anthony Moses IPS, an amnesiac cop. Anthony is assigned to solve the murder of his best friend and fellow officer, played by Jayasurya – a case he was investigating and was close to solving before an accident left him with memory loss. The shocking twist? It is revealed that Anthony himself killed his best friend, who had discovered his homosexuality after witnessing an intimate encounter. ‘Deva’ Trailer: Is Shahid Kapoor’s Cop Thriller a Remake of Prithviraj Sukumaran’s Cult Hit ‘Mumbai Police’? Here’s What We Know!
7. The Crying Game (1992)
A Still From The Crying Game
While not an investigative thriller like the others on this list, this 1992 Neil Jordan film is renowned for its groundbreaking twist involving one of its lead characters. Stephen Rea stars as a member of the IRA who falls in love with Dil, the lover of his deceased comrade. Dil, a stylist, captures his heart – only for the protagonist to discover, just as they are about to get intimate, that Dil is transsexual. Jaye Davidson’s unforgettable performance as Dil earned him an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor.
(The above story first appeared on Today News 24 on Jan 27, 2025 06:53 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website todaynews24.top).
