Dominic and The Ladies Purse trailer: Mammootty, Gautham Menon cook up a Sherlockish detective drama

Filmmaker Gautham Menon on Wednesday unveiled the trailer for his upcoming movie, Dominic and The Ladies Purse. The film marks his debut in Malayalam, and he couldn't have asked for a better launch with Mammootty essaying the lead role.

Based on the trailer, Gautham Menon seems to have drawn inspiration from classic detective novels, (cough, Sherlock Holmes). However, this one seems to be lighter in its themes, with a fun mood. Mammootty plays the titular role of a local detective in a Kerala town. Dominic appears to be a former cop who has gone independent in solving people's cases. Consulting detective, anyone?

Dominic, however, seems like a happy-go-lucky guy, very likable, and easy to approach. He stumbles upon a strange request from a woman he knows. He is tasked with finding the owner of a lost purse, hence the title Dominic and The Ladies Purse.

Dominic initially thinks the job doesn't match his skill set or expertise. "It's too simple," he says. Little does he know that the purse will open a can of worms, leading him into a rabbit hole filled with deceit, lies, and deception. Two people are missing, and a murder is likely on the cards. Now, that fascinates Dominic, who vows to take the case to its logical conclusion.

The look and feel of the movie are very different from the typical Gautham Menon films. He seems to be transforming into a more versatile storyteller and filmmaker. This movie is also coming out after a period of testing times in his directorial career, during which he faced creative blocks and a crisis of confidence.

A successful release of Dominic and The Ladies Purse with Mammootty could provide Menon with a much-needed break in his directorial career. However, he seems to be thriving as an actor.

Dominic and The Ladies Purse also stars Gokul Suresh, Sushmita Bhat, Viji Venkatesh, and Vineeth, among others. The film is due in cinemas on January 23.