Kaduva movie review: Prithviraj's film sticks to the template, lacks bite to be a potent ‘mass’ entertainer

3/5

Story: Kaduvakunnel Kuriachan is a wealthy rubber planter, who doesn’t mind flouting the law and conventions for doing what he believes is right. After his unsolicited advice to Inspector General Joseph Chandy, another respected member in Kuriachan’s parish, bruises the former’s ego, it leads to a fight between the duo with each trying to take away what matters the most to them and this snowballs into an all-out war involving the state machinery.

Review: During the promotions of Kaduva, Prithviraj Sukumaran, who plays its protagonist Kaduvakunnel Kuriachan, said that with the Shaji Kailas directorial, he has completed a trilogy on male egos, referring to his previous films Driving Licence and Ayyappanum Koshiyum. While all three films revolved around the core idea of men’s ego being bruised for sometimes the most inane of reasons that could be resolved with an apology or further explanation, the overall making and storytelling of the films ensured that each are different. However, if we were to consider that it was indeed a trilogy, Shaji Kailas’ film is its weakest entry.

It's frivolous to look for too much logic or depth in the story of a ‘mass’ action entertainer, but yet the movies of this genre that have worked, had balanced the style and punch dialogues, with an engaging story. Kaduva had all those elements and yet falls flat, mainly because it doesn’t try anything novel. The story is set in the 90s and the protagonist Kaduvakunnel Kuriachan is a wealthy planter who has a habit of locking horns with authoritarian figures and coming up trumps. What leads to the core ego tussle between its two central characters – the other being Vivek Oberoi’s police chief Joseph Chandy – is an uninvited, off-handed comment that isn’t taken well. Things soon get blown out of proportion with the cop even pointing a gun at Kuriachan and egging him on.

This particular scene, along with how Joseph abuses his authority and power, strongly places him as the antagonist of the film; something that Driving Licence and Ayyappanum Koshiyum left for the audience to decide based on their perspectives. But that’s fine, given Kaduva is a different film. However, what follows is the entire story shown from Kuriachan’s perspective while Joseph is never quite built up as a force that could take the former down. Even when he is arrested, suffers property damage and loses his business, you always have the feeling that Kuriachan is going to bounce back. And he does. The so-called ‘mass’ films work best when they play to the gallery using devices that people aren’t expecting or by doubling what the audience is expecting. Kaduva, in that sense, delivers exactly what you think you are going to get; it almost holds back from making Kuriachan a larger-than-life character and leaves him be a clone of the usual headstrong Pala achayan. This predictability doesn’t help it rise above the template.

Prithviraj, however, infuses a lot of energy to Kuriachan and owns the character, who oozes macho confidence. The punch dialogues work but every now and then, when Kuriachan quotes war strategy or Bible, it feels like an afterthought to make the character smarter and doesn’t get the desired effect. The three action scenes, by Kanal Kannan and Mafia Sasi, are highlights of the film, especially the one in the beginning in the jail. It’s also refreshing to see a younger star finally get to do those ‘mass’ action sequences in Malayalam and that alone helps lend some credibility, even when the villains do an extra cartwheel after a punch.

Vivek’s Joseph Chandy though is a forgettable character, except for the moments he shares with his family. The Bollywood actor doesn’t get much room in the film as it’s the damage caused by his vengeance that gets more screen time than the character itself. Samyuktha Menon, Arjun Ashokan, Baiju Santosh and Kalabhavan Shajohn do their supporting acts well, but again doesn’t have too much to add to a film that has solely been designed around Prithviraj’s Kuriachan.

As the film marks Shaji Kailas’ comeback to the ‘mass’ genre, a positive aspect is that it doesn’t feel old even when it sticks to the template. The makers also try to draw parallels to the 90s Kerala political landscape but again it feels forced. The movie’s cinematography by Abhinandhan Ramanujam keeps you invested, even though the story feels like old wine in a new bottle. Jakes Bejoy’s music plays a huge part in elevating the mood of the film, right from its protagonist’s introduction to that of a hired killer. But only if the screenplay would have had some more for the actors to chew on, this Kaduva would have leaped higher.

Verdict: Though Prithviraj brings his charm to Kaduvakunnel Kuriachan, Shaji Kailas’ Kaduva doesn’t rise above its standard ‘mass’ movie template filled with flat punch dialogues and a forgettable villain.