'Kaala' review: A fantastic 51% Rajinikanth - 49% Ranjith movie
It will be remembered as one of the best climaxes in a Rajinikanth movie.
On the surface, the premise may seem familiar, the poor pitted against the rich and the underdogs struggling for their rights. But the treatment by director Ranjith makes all the difference. Taking digs at several government schemes with the present day scenes at the slum, all of this is aptly woven into the narrative and makes for a great watch.
While ample action and staged fight sequences will keep you tied to your seat, the romance between Kaala and his ex-lover Zareena (Qureshi) is a sight to behold. The movie picks up pace with the introduction of Hari Dada (Patekar) — with his intimidating stance, he is our villain clad in pristine white.
What follows next is entertainment and social commentary, all rolled in one. The director spins an interesting tale, blending the narrative around the entrenched notion that white is pure and black is evil. He makes several valid points this way. Watching Rajinikanth in this avatar on the big screen will be a visual delight for his fans, while the scenes where he fluently speaks Marathi and Hindi will surely make them smile.
Rajinikanth beautifully personifies Ravan, but wait for the climax, as this one isn’t the evil demon from our folklore.
Rajinikanth's 'Kaala' tells the story of a slumlord in Mumbai's Dharavi slum who fights for the rights of oppressed Tamils and takes on a politician. The film's timing couldn't have been better with the superstar having recently made his official entry into politics in real-life.
Directed by Pa Ranjith, this is the second time the filmmaker is collaborating with Rajinikanth after 'Kabali'. Even before the release of 'Kaala', reports of a third film by the duo have already started doing the rounds.
Reportedly, Ranjith initially wanted to make a sequel to 'Kabali', but changed his mind after speaking to the Tamil superstar, and ended up making 'Kaala' instead.
Produced by Rajinikanth's son-in-law Dhanush under his banner 'Wunderbar Films', the film has an enviable supporting cast in Nana Patekar, Pankaj Tripathi, Anjali Patil, Huma Qureshi and Easwari Rao.
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Rajinikanth's 'Kaala' tells the story of a slumlord in Mumbai's Dharavi slum who fights for the rights of oppressed Tamils and takes on a politician. The film's timing couldn't have been better with the superstar having recently made his official entry into politics in real-life.
Directed by Pa Ranjith, this is the second time the filmmaker is collaborating with Rajinikanth after 'Kabali'. Even before the release of 'Kaala', reports of a third film by the duo have already started doing the rounds.
Reportedly, Ranjith initially wanted to make a sequel to 'Kabali', but changed his mind after speaking to the Tamil superstar, and ended up making 'Kaala' instead.
Produced by Rajinikanth's son-in-law Dhanush under his banner 'Wunderbar Films', the film has an enviable supporting cast in Nana Patekar, Pankaj Tripathi, Anjali Patil, Huma Qureshi and Easwari Rao.
