Spoiler-free Review of “Idli Kadai”

On watching Dhanush’s fourth directorial, Idli Kadai, a lot of superlatives come to mind. The sustained intensity of the film makes it difficult to separate the contributions of Dhanush as an actor, director, scriptwriter, screenplay writer and lyricist.

The key factor in the success of Idli Kadai is the simplicity of the story and its brave deviation from the recent move towards making films modern and trendy. Dhanush has opted for an old-fashioned approach and has thus shown other filmmakers what has been missing from many of the new films.

As the title suggests, the film centres around a small eatery in a rural village. Sivanesan (Rajkiran) uses a deep-seated love for his craft and a genuine desire to serve people to create a range of traditional food that soon becomes a hit in the village, transforming the eatery into one of the major landmarks in the village. Sivanesan’s son, Murugan (Dhanush) believes that his father should have and could have been more ambitious and sets out to make his mark as a chef by moving to Bangkok. He is forced to return to India during a crucial time in his personal life and has to deal with unexpected challenges and life-changing decisions.

It takes great skill to transform an ordinary story into compelling entertainment, and at the heart of this is the detailed characterisation involved. Dhanush magnanimously allows the rest of the cast to shine brilliantly, using their talents to augment, and not overshadow, his own performance.

It is not possible to fault Dhanush’s acting performance in Idli Kadai where he frequently chooses to skilfully underplay crucial scenes for maximum effect. His electrifying facial expressions and body language speak louder than the words he utters.

Nithya Menen delivers a classy and polished performance that refuses to be outshone by Dhanush or any other member of the cast. She too relies on subtleties instead of opting for over-dramatisation.

Arun Vijay has always been a talented actor, but has found in Ashwin a character that brings out his many versatility as well as his physical strength and agility in a fiery and captivating performance.

Sathyaraj’s portrayal of business tycoon Vishnu Varadhan shows class, finesse and raw talent. It is one of his most memorable performances in recent times.

Rajkiran has a powerful aura that multiples itself in his portrayal of Sivanesan with a role that combines quiet dignity with powerful acting.

R. Parthiban does not enjoy a lot of screen time, but – like any great actor – ensures that his portrayal of Inspector Arivu makes a lasting impression on the audience.

P.Samuthrakani creates magic in every one of his scenes, infusing a kind of duality in his character that probably outgrew what was intended in the script.

Illavarasu remains a largely under-utilised actor in Kodambakkam. His portrayal of Ramarajan in this film is another reminder of his acting depth and his ability to portray characters realistically.

Shalini Pandey’s acting talent comes to the fore in the second half, while the best of the others are Vadivukkarasi, Geetha Kailasam and Adukallam Naren.

The screenplay is a meticulously planned and brilliantly executed one. The script is loaded with powerful lines and these lines are further accentuated strategically placed wordless scenes.

Kiran Koushik’s cinematography is stunning. His creative framing and brilliant use of light make every scene a visual treat.

It is an excellent effort from G.V. Prakash Kumar who scored the music and tuned the songs. His background score in the second half is nothing short of masterful.

Stunt director Peter Hein makes an impressive effort but the sequences are marred by some unrealistic exchanges – for which blame must also be shared by director Dhanush.

Idli Kadai delves into a world of contrasts and choices. It holds up a mirror to the audience, painting an unflattering picture of modern life where the measurement of a person’s success is how much money they have or what possessions they have, a world where individual pursuits frequently ignore the existence of parents, loved ones and other support structures.

Idli Kadai is a feel-good movie that reignites positivity and forces the viewer to introspect.

Idli Kadai scores 9 points out of 10.