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Kathikappal – Review |
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| Behindwoods
Movie Review Board |
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Starring:
Anup, Kalyani
Direction: Dinesh Selvaraj
Music: Sree Sai / R Sahitya
Production: V Bhaktha |
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Kathikappal is the directorial debut of Mani Ratnam's former
assistant director Dinesh Selvaraj who also happens to be
the son of dialogue writer R Selvaraj. Although the title
card screams about the fictitious nature of the film, the
events in the film are anything but fictitious and are clearly
a reminder to the life of the sandalwood brigand Veerappan's
life.
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Veerayyan
in connivance with the local police kidnap a minister
and demand ransom. The money thus obtained is being
hidden by Veerayyan. Police kill the minister and Veerayyan
and blame the latter for the minister's death. Now,
Veerayyan escapes from the clutches of the police battling
for his life. And while he is on his deathbed, reveals
the secret about the place where the booty is hidden
and all the associated events to a doctor and breaths
his last.
Police force who is on the trail of this doctor kills
him also. The only alive person who is aware of the
truth is the doctor's wife and she goes in hiding after
realizing the danger lurking in the corner. Whether
the police force is successful in getting hold of the
money or whether the wife takes revenge on the police
for her husband's death forms the rest of the plot.
Expecting something significant from Mani Ratnam's assistant
is natural but unfortunately, the opening sequence itself
is a dampener when a newsreader in television in a close-up
shot reveals the plot. Entire cast performs very unnaturally
and it is an uphill task for the audience to get involved
in the film. Some of the scenes which are expected to
be spooky turn out to be contrived and fall flat. Besides,
it is also very difficult to tolerate the buffoonery
in the climax sequence
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The character of Meera Vasudevan and Prem who dons the role
of a doctor are passable. A word of advice for heroine Kalyani
- please learn to stop overacting. Logic is a complete casualty
in Kathikappal.
Verdict – Blunt weapon!
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