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My two pence on Kaththi

Anyone expecting an encore from the Vijay & Murugadoss combination following the success of Thupaaki is sure to be disappointed with Kaththi.

Muragadoss earned his street cred in the Tamil film Industry through movies like Ramana & Ghajini that were lauded for their “intelligence”. After a disastrous 7am Arivu, Murugadoss recaptured his mojo in Thupaaki with his brilliant rendition of the “sleeper cell” network. However, that brilliance seems to have deserted him in Kaththi.

At the heart of Kaththi is one man’s fight against the exploitation by a Corporate Cola Giant in a village in Tamil Nadu. Vijay essays the role of Jeevanandam, an Msc Hydrology graduate hailing from the same village, who takes up the fight with the Corporate Giant. And he also plays a second role, that of Kathiresan, a convict held in Kolkata prison. Jeeva and Kathir swap places through an accident, and the rest of the movie revolves around how each of them overcomes their respective challenge & brings the corporate giant down.

Satish, Samantha & Neil Nitin Mukesh play sidekick, heroine & villain in completely forgettable & unnecessary roles.

Same goes for Anirudh’s music. The songs sound familiar and give you the feeling that they are a remix of Anirudh’s previous compositions. The selfie song stands out, if not for anything, for Vijay’s rendition.

There are a few sequences that are good. Choreography in the Airport song is nice. The mass suicide scene is gripping, as is Vijay’s discourse to the press & media on the social problem that is the center piece of the movie.

My disappointment with Kaththi is twofold: Firstly, the movie is visually unimpressive. There are no standout sequences that warrant repeated viewing. To the contrary, the movie feels like a labored effort that is drab throughout. Secondly, the social commentary is incomplete. Neither is the social problem addressed in detail, nor does the movie offer any kind of solution, be it tenable, preposterous or otherwise.

As I leave the cinema hall, I’m left with the feeling that the makers of this movie are taking the viewing public for a ride by making a populist movie that exploits the plight of our farmers without answering any of the serious questions raised.

Bottom line – One time watch

Overall Rating – 2.5/5

Disclaimer – Views expressed here are personal and do not carry any prejudice to anyone. 

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