K. V Anand has delivered one brilliant package cackling
with energy and high-voltage action. Ko is a taut
and delightfully racy political thriller that keeps
you riveted to the shenanigans taking place onscreen.
Every scene is beautifully thought out and finely
executed. Even the glitches in the flick turn out
to be deceptive. It is a fine example of the highest
echelon a masala film is capable of reaching.
The writers- K. V Anand and Suba deserve a standing
ovation because the script is the actual hero in this
film. The plot is interesting and the duo lead up
to every twist and turn with an intelligence which
is usually unusual in movie land where plot holes
are far more common than the potholes in this part
of the world and that is really saying something.
Every character from the hero right down to the lowly
‘sidey’ characters is etched with perfection.
And the dialogue adds zest and verve to the film.
The near-flawless script single-handedly rescues Ko
from the inevitable pitfalls.
The actors aided by the powerful script deliver some
fine performances. Jiiva and Ajmal have meaty roles
that allow them to bring subtlety and finesse to their
characters. A pinch of charisma and a smattering of
screen presence were missing but one can’t expect
to have it all. Piaa Bajpai has a role that is tailor-made
for her particular brand of impish charm and she rocks
in it big time. The word ‘adorable’ has
been bandied about with considerable abandon regarding
her character and with good reason. It is a truly
memorable character and like Asin’s Kalpana
in Ghajini, Saro will live long in the annals of Tamil
cinema. The main female lead, Karthika was disappointing.
One cannot help getting distracted by her eyebrows
that are arched so sharply that they give her a perpetually
befuddled expression. Perhaps it was intentional,
designed to get a wooden face to express something,
even if it is not actually relevant. The supporting
characters all turn in neat little performances that
leave a lasting impression.
Harris Jayaraj is in fine form with Ko. The tracks
are delightful and filmed well but truthfully, the
movie could have done without them. The Ven pani number
is a case in point. Unfortunately it was stuck in,
at a particularly inappropriate moment and tends to
make you grit your teeth but all is forgiven and forgotten
when the movie resumes. The re-recording was also
pretty impressive as it sets up a nice tempo that
gives you an adrenaline rush and enhances the cinematic
experience. The tight editing also deserves a mention.
Watching Ko is like opening your newspaper one morning
and discovering to your pleasant surprise, that it
has covered practically everything in your tidy little
corner of the world and there is absolutely nothing
boring in it. From the existing shape of politics
in our country with ‘the hungry sharks and killer
whales swirling around’ to the superstitions
that prompt people to stoop down to new levels of
depravity, the power of the lust for power to strip
a man of his innate decency, and finally the premise
that good can triumph over evil and hope over chaos,
Ko covers it all and makes it entertaining and inspiring.
For all these reasons and more, Ko is special and
has done the industry proud besides kicking some serious
booty!
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