Spoiler-free Review of “Kaantha”

Dulquer Salman’s latest dual language film Kaantha was first rumoured to be a biopic on Tamil cinema’s first superstar, M.K. Thyagaraja Bhagavathar. The film is, however, a fictional account set against the backdrop of Tamil cinema as it neared its golden period.

Dulquer Salman plays the hugely successful actor, T.K. Mahadevan who is estranged from the legendary director “Ayya” TPK (P. Samuthrakani) who introduced him to acting and moulded his career. The two are brought together in a film that introduces to the screen TPK’s own discovery, Kumarie (Bhagyashri Borse), a Burmese orphan.

The shooting of the film brings Mahadevan and Kumarie closer together. Mahadevan’s marriage to Devi (Gayathrie Shankar) does not prevent him from engaging in a ridiculously indiscreet affair with his co-star. In a bizarre juxtaposition with the power struggle between TPK and Mahadevan, the affair becomes a major turning point for all three of them.

Events take a dramatic turn after a murder occurs on set. The film then shifts gear quite abruptly to a mystery thriller and introduces the important character of Inspector “Phoenix” Devaraj – brilliantly portrayed by Raja Dagubati.

Director Selvamani Selvaraj has painstakingly constructed the film with the approach of an artist. The visual impact of the film remains consistently strong throughout the running time of 163 minutes. In terms of the screenplay, the first half has a Shakespearean feel in its characterisation and plot. The second half would appeal more to the masses, but many would feel the immediate slowing down of the pace and the reduced impact of the narrative.

Dulquer Salman is definitely one of India’s fines actors, and his portrayal of Mahadevan in Kaantha underscores this fact several times. He becomes fully absorbed in the character and is able to accurately portray the ambivalence of the character and its emotional intensity. Dulquer Salman’s voice modulation and timbre is remarkably different from his other roles.

Samuthrakani refuses to remain in Dulquer Salman’s shadow. In a performance that is worthy of the highest awards, Samuthrakani portrays a complex character brilliantly, oscillating between showing and suggesting the many emotions required of the role.

Bhagyashri Borse, in her Tamil debut, combines powerful expressions, expressive body language and subtle changes in voice modulation to accurately capture the angst of Kumarie.

Rana Daggubati brings a refreshing dimension to the character of Inspector Devaraj in a portrayal that draws strong inspiration from negative characters portrayed by Sathyaraj and S.J. Surya.

Nizhalgal Ravi and Vayaapuri play characters with limited screen time, but maximum impact. This is mirrored by the performances of all the other actors who refuse to allow the duration of their respective roles to limit the dramatic impact of their characters.

Cinematographer Dani Sanchez-Lopez delivers a stunning visual treat with deft camerawork, brilliant use of light and masterful use of filters and diffusers to create what is one of the finest products of a cinematographer this year.

Jhanu Chathar’s soundtrack already found favour with the public before the release of the film. The screenplay ensures appropriate placement of the songs for optimal effect. Jakes Bejoy’s background score dominates the film in a positive way, setting and supporting the mood of each scene.

It is baffling why the language usage is not constant in the film. While the language used in the film within the film reflect the language usage of its time, the rest of the film uses modern Tamil. This is particularly jarring as it clashes with the film’s visuals and negatively impacts the realism that the film tries to maintain.

Despite the film’s minor flaws in construction and screenplay, the many positive aspects of production and acting ensure that Kaantha remains in one’s memory long after the film ends.

Kaantha scores 9 points out of 10.