Kadaseela Biriyani movie review: This outlandish crime drama is a compelling watch

3.5/5

Story: Three brothers from Tamil Nadu go to Kerala to avenge their father's death. But they could succeed only partially as fate had other plans for them. They realize that the person who they have targeted is nothing when compared to his son in terms of brutality and insensitiveness. Will he spoil their revenge plans?

Review: The advantage of having debut actors in a debut filmmaker's project is that the audience can enjoy unpredictable experience from the word go. Nishanth Kalidindi's Kadaseela Biriyani is no different. With a few newbies, the filmmaker has made a compelling screenplay with a wafer-thin story.

The movie, which has been made on a shoestring budget, delivers what is required with regard to the demands of the story. With this film, it has been proved for the umpteenth time that a few actors who know when to 'perform' and when not to, coupled with an engrossing screenplay which offer frequent surprises can create magic on screen.

The movie begins with a voiceover by Vijay Sethupathi - he says that the story might come across as unbelievable for many - given the unpredictable events and uncertain characters it offers. Periya Pandi (Vasanth Selvam), Ila Pandi (Dinesh Mani) and Chikku Pandi (Vijay Ram) go to Kanjirapally in Kerala to murder Sathyan, a big shot who killed their father.

But Chikku Pandi, the youngest among them, unlike his elder brothers, is least interested in avenging his father's murder. In fact, his brothers took him there in the disguise of a trip. Despite his requests of not to go ahead with the revenge plan, his brothers are hell-bent on finishing off Sathyan.

But upon reaching Sathyan's home, the trio realizes that the middle-aged man is a mentally weak person who is constantly abused by his son Johan Kariya (Hakkim Shah). After patiently waiting for sometime, they manage to kidnap Sathyan and drag him to a thick forest, where the rest of the drama unfolds.

Though Periya Pandi and Ila Pandi revel in capturing Sathyan, little did they know that their happiness wouldn't last too long. In fact, it was just the beginning of a roller-coaster ride. They meet with a bizarre fate after which Chikku Pandi and Johan Kariya lock horns with each other.    

What makes Kadaseela Biriyani a sumptuous fare is its unpredictability and novelty in presentation. The story begins with Periya Pandi-Ila Pandi versus Sathyan, but as the film progresses, the tables are turned, which eventually becomes Chikku Pandi versus Johan Kariya. 

While Johan is an unapologetic criminal who has no qualms about murdering his own father, Chikku Pandi, on the other hand, is a naive youngster in his late teen who is ready to forgive his father's murderer. This conflict between a deadly criminal and a seemingly harmless boy is elevated with smart writing and unusual staging.

The entry of two more characters, a lorry driver and his son, add complexity to the plot. Forest plays a pivotal part in the screenplay which acts as an interesting barrier between protagonist and antagonist. The cinematography by Azeem Mohammed and Hestin Jose Joseph acts as a catalyst in uplifting the mysterious mood throughout the film.

The subtle background score by Vinoth Thanigasalam helps in maintaining the bizarre and eerie mood in a few sequences. Many sequences in the movie reminds us of what Vijay Sethupathi said in his initial voice over - the story and its proceedings might be difficult to digest - but it is that unbelievability and unforeseeable moments that make the movie relishable.

Verdict: The film is a treat for those who crave for unconventional characters and innovative presentation, thanks to the number of outlandish sequences it offer. 

Kadaseela Biriyani is streaming on Netflix.