Quick Review : Kaalidas
By Rinku Gupta
A thriller directed by debutant Sri Senthil ( of the famed Naalai Iyakkunar show ), Kaalidas stars Bharath, Adhav Kannadasan, Ann Sheetal, Suresh Menon, Velraj and Priyadarshini.
Bharath is Kaalidas, an upright, hardworking cop whose wife ( Ann Sheetal perfectly cast, in a wonderful, layered performance) is disgruntled because he never has any time for her. In the midst of this martial discord, Kaalidas is caught up in the imvestigation of a series of murders ( or is it suicides) of women. Suresh Menon is the IPS officer who works on the case with him and the team stumble on a series of clues. In the midst of all this, a stranger ( Aadhav Kannadasan in a good role that he plays out superbly) enters as a tenant in Kaalidas' home. Who is this person? Is he linked to the crimes? Does Kaalidas solve the crimes?
The whodunnit thriller has many things going for it. For one, the casting is amazing. Suresh Menon, Velraj, Bharath and even the junior cops, are so well -etched and portrayed, and given a realistic and urbane angle in the way they talk , think and execute their work. For once we get to see a portrayal of cops, doing their jobs with maturity, using investigative tools, without macho screen dialogues, tight uniforms,unnecessary gunfights, shouting or torture fests as is often shown on screen.
There are no crass dialogues, no loud performances. Subtlety is the cornerstone of this film, a rare feature in Kollywood. The sound engineering team deserves kudos. The casting of the leads and every character right down to the ironman and watchman is so apt that it all adds to the final product. The film is pleasant visually and though a thriller, there is no blood and gore.
There is a message ( more than one in fact) but conveyed in such an entertaining manner, without preaching, making it an apt watch for families. The music by Vishal Chandradekar, especially the BGM is in perfect synch with the proceedings on screen. The whole feel of the film is contemporary, with references to what's happening in society. The story and screenplay are top notch, keeping you engaged all through ( right to the climax) and the well- written dialogues deserve special mention as one of the pillars of the film.
For Bharath, it's an excellent choice of script and he does full justice to it with a nuanced and subtle performance. Aadhav too fits the bill to a T bringing just the right dose of intrigue to his character.
Kudos to Incredible Productions and Dina Studios for backing such a script and to director Sri Senthil, a gem of a find, for his sensible and dignified film-making.
To sum up, Kaalidas, a taut thriller with emotion, humour, excellent casting, performances, dialogues, editing, camerawork, music, and a social message, is an entertaining must- watch, paisa vasool film, high on the list of well- made films of 2019.
A thriller directed by debutant Sri Senthil ( of the famed Naalai Iyakkunar show ), Kaalidas stars Bharath, Adhav Kannadasan, Ann Sheetal, Suresh Menon, Velraj and Priyadarshini.
Bharath is Kaalidas, an upright, hardworking cop whose wife ( Ann Sheetal perfectly cast, in a wonderful, layered performance) is disgruntled because he never has any time for her. In the midst of this martial discord, Kaalidas is caught up in the imvestigation of a series of murders ( or is it suicides) of women. Suresh Menon is the IPS officer who works on the case with him and the team stumble on a series of clues. In the midst of all this, a stranger ( Aadhav Kannadasan in a good role that he plays out superbly) enters as a tenant in Kaalidas' home. Who is this person? Is he linked to the crimes? Does Kaalidas solve the crimes?
The whodunnit thriller has many things going for it. For one, the casting is amazing. Suresh Menon, Velraj, Bharath and even the junior cops, are so well -etched and portrayed, and given a realistic and urbane angle in the way they talk , think and execute their work. For once we get to see a portrayal of cops, doing their jobs with maturity, using investigative tools, without macho screen dialogues, tight uniforms,unnecessary gunfights, shouting or torture fests as is often shown on screen.
There are no crass dialogues, no loud performances. Subtlety is the cornerstone of this film, a rare feature in Kollywood. The sound engineering team deserves kudos. The casting of the leads and every character right down to the ironman and watchman is so apt that it all adds to the final product. The film is pleasant visually and though a thriller, there is no blood and gore.
For Bharath, it's an excellent choice of script and he does full justice to it with a nuanced and subtle performance. Aadhav too fits the bill to a T bringing just the right dose of intrigue to his character.
Kudos to Incredible Productions and Dina Studios for backing such a script and to director Sri Senthil, a gem of a find, for his sensible and dignified film-making.
To sum up, Kaalidas, a taut thriller with emotion, humour, excellent casting, performances, dialogues, editing, camerawork, music, and a social message, is an entertaining must- watch, paisa vasool film, high on the list of well- made films of 2019.
