Movie Review : Kara

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 Karasaami ( Dhanush) is a thief, who decides to give up a life of crime and start a small dhaba along with his wife Selli ( Mamitha Baiju). But they have no funds and no collateral for a loan.

Left with no choice, Kara decides to return to his village in Ramanathapuram and persuade his father ( KS Ravikumar) to sell the ancestral farmland  and give him some money. 


His parents are overjoyed to see a son who had leftv home at 16. But to his shock, his father refuses to sell the land which connects him to his ancestors. To his greater shock Kara discovers the land will be seized by the bank, for non payment of loan dues, a common factor with almost every farmer in the area.

Before he can figure things out, his father passes away one night. With the loan shark bank at the door, a desparate  Kara decides the only way to pay back the loan, retrieve it  and sell the land, is by a bank heist.




How does he go about it with no help on sight? With an old senior cop ( Suraj Venjaramoodu) close on his heels,  and a crafty bank manager (Jayaram) using him for his nefarious ends, what happens to Kara's plans?  Does he fulfil the task left unfinished by his father?

The film is a gripping ride from start to finish . But what makes it tick further is the emotional angle, mainly the father-son bond and the familial legacy of trying to do good for the community which seeps through and brings redemption to a man who has seen the errorc of his ways. 

The rivetting portions start from the first scene itself, where Dhanush and Prithvi are trying to rob a house. From then on,  fast forward to the heist scenes in a rural period setting, ( sans mobile phones) and the thrills only increase and suspense is amplified manifold as Dhanush, Karunas and Prithvi take on  insurmountable tasks, one after the other. 

There is also humor interspersed subtly in situations even as the edge-of-the-seat tension is built up.

The father-son and mother-son portions touch a chord and KS Ravikumar scores big time in this role, all written without melodrama nor preaching, making scenes all the more impactful , and so, kudos to the director for that.

The film rests on Dhanush's able shoulders  and he carries it through with yet another mature, subtle and underplayed, effortless performance, giving every other main character ample space to shine,  thus making for a  solid team effort. Dhanush's action blocks, pack a solid punch, be it the opening action or scenes like the one with Suraj Venjaramoodu. 

Suraj has a meaty role and the cat and mouse game with Dhanush in the second half, elevate the film further. His quiet menacing looks and deep thinking persona add to the chills,as he gets hot on the chase.

Jayaram as the crafty bank manager gives a superb performance and his presence in the story adds, another layer, highlighting a social issue pertaining to the plight of debt ridden villagers.

Mamitha Baiju scores in her portions, leaving a mark despite the smaller length of her role. 

GV Prakash's bgm and music are a solid pillar in the film with many a soulful track.

On the flip side, there maybe  logical loopholes and scenes seem contrived  in places as the robbers zip from one branch to another,  rendering  cops helpless to catch them. The screenplay seems to slow down in places as things get repetitive.  Mamitha's presence seems much reduced though  she gives a fine performance. 

However, the climax scenes are to watch out for.  The film, a bank heist  with an emotional connect and a social message, along with superb performances, ample suspense and nail-biting moments,  is another Dhanush starrer that deserves a watch. 

Rating 3.75/5



KARA CAST & CREW


CAST
Dhanush
Mamitha Baiju
KS Ravikumar
Jayaram
Suraj Venjaramoodu
Karunas
Prithvi Pandiarajan
Sreeja Ravi

CREW
Written & Directed by: Vignesh Raja
Produced by: Ishari K Ganesh
Co produced by: Kushmitha Ganesh
Production Company: Vels Film International & Think Studios
Additional Screenplay & Dialogues: Alfred Prakash, Vignesh Raja
Cinematography: Theni Eswar
Editing: Sreejith Sarang
Production Design: Mayapandi
Costumes: Kavya Sriram
Publicity Designs: Kabilan Chelliah
Music Label: Vels Music International
PRO: Riaz

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