Kaapa on OTT: 5 reasons to watch Prithviraj Sukumaran’s gangster drama when it releases on Netflix

Director Shaji Kailas’ latest directorial Kaapa, which had an ensemble cast featuring Prithviraj Sukumaran, Asif Ali, Anna Ben and Aparna Balamurali in the lead, is all set for its OTT release on Netflix on January 19.

The film, scripted by GR Indugopan, is a gangster drama set extensively in Thiruvananthapuram and tells the story of the bloody gang wars that happened in the capital city, forcing the government to charge criminals with the Kerala Anti-Social Activities (Prevention) Act, in a bid to control the escalating crime rate. Here are five reasons that make Kaapa a good watch when it releases on Netflix.

Stellar cast

The makers of Kaapa pulled off a casting coup with some of the best in Malayalam film industry, essaying pivotal characters. While Prithviraj plays the role of a goon-turned-gangster Kotta Madhu, the movie also has Aparna Balamurali as his wife, Asif Ali as an IT engineer and Anna Ben as a woman, whose past has crossed with that of Madhu. Dileesh Pothan and Jagadeesh also essay roles that stand out due to their exceptional performances.

Inspired by true story

The base for Kaapa is writer GR Indugopan’s novel Shankumukhi, but the film is replete with several incidents and characters inspired by real-life, including that of its protagonist Kotta Madhu. Prithviraj’s role is reportedly inspired by Gundukadu Sabu, who incidentally also plays a small part in the movie. The film also showcases the gang wars that transpired in the capital city of Kerala.

Shaji Kailas’ best in recent times

Since the pandemic, veteran filmmaker Shaji Kailas has helmed three movies – Kaduva, Kaapa and Alone. While Kaduva was the first to release and had minted money at the box office, several critics opined that Kaapa was a much better outing, taking into account the craft that went into the film’s making. The narrative and how it is presented in the film makes for a unique experience, considering that the veteran filmmaker, who had gone without a hit the past decade, was at the helm.

Stylish Prithviraj

A lot of credit for why Kaapa worked at the box office goes to Prithviraj, who owns the film through and through. The movie had him essay a grey role and the actor does with elan, making the audience relate to his character. The stylish frames and background music also accentuated Prithviraj’s presence in the movie.

Unexpected climax

The film’s climax and tail-end sequences are sure to shock and surprise the audience in equal measure. The entire cast puts on some power-packed performances in the ‘mass’ gangster drama that elevates the film in the last 30 minutes.