KADIKARA MANITHARGAL

This week saw close to 10 films release on the same weekend. One of the most less marketed, unnoticed films of the lot was Kadikara Manithargal, starring Kishore, Karunakaran, Latha Ravi and Bala Singh in crucial roles. Kadikara Manithargal is directed by debutant Vaigarai Balan and produced by Christ P International. How does this film fare? Read ahead to know.

The story is simple - A man is kicked out of his house, has to find a new house within a short span of time to accommodate his family. After a tiring search. he finally gets one in a mansion but has to lie to the owner. The film revolves around how he manages to cover up that lie and the lives of the people in that mansion. At the same time, it also makes a social commentary about the struggles that lower-middle-class people have to go through, to find a rented house.

The title ‘Kadikara Manithargal’ is a reflection of the film. Humans are like a clock. At the end of the day, no matter what happens, they have to keep running. That is the only way of survival. With respect to the film and its characters, this holds true both literally and metaphorically. The film is filled with a lot of detailing. The rooms inside the mansion look very realistic and natural. The film promises a lot but the problem is... it only promises.

Although the lead actors - Kishore and Latha Rao’s acting is on point, Karunakaran and Sherin Pilakkal’s acting looks bland in their romantic portions. In what is a very engaging film, it is these romantic portions that break the momentum. The movie does not have any song sequences, which helps the cause. Sam CS's background score blends well with the narrative except for some banal portions, and Umashankar’s cinematography supports the director's vision. That is what this film is all about. There are positives, but the positives are not very strong to make this film a likable film for all set of the audience.

Despite all these technical flaws, director Vaigarai Balan’s story and the editing doesn’t let this film down. The story by itself is simple and strong that it is relatable and moving. There aren’t many diversions except the forgettable Karunakaran-Sherin romance. The other supporting characters are interesting and well written, especially the grandmother character and the landlord character played by Bala Singh, who actually delivers a terrific performance. Nevertheless, this one can be watched and it won't disappoint you. Small films like these should be supported and can be given the long rope. The film, therefore, stands on the tip of a sword and can fall on any side to either become a top-notch film or an okayish film. Perhaps a few commercial elements could have titled the balance towards the former.