Kaduva Malayalam Movie

Feature Film | 2022 | Action
Critics:
Audience:
The narrative of Kaduva does not do enough to strike a chord with the audience. A mass film usually works better when a hero's failure seems like our failure and his triumph appears to be our triumph. It is hardly the case here, as the writing is unoriginal.
Jul 7, 2022 By Sreejith Mullappilly

Where To Watch:
Streaming:
   Amazon Prime

Shaji Kailas's Kaduva starts at a slightly odd place for a mass-hero film: a police station. Before Prithviraj's Kaduvakunnel Kurian enters the frame, an inmate talks him up so much that even the cops start fearing him. Kurian is a planter from Pala with some clout and the kind of physique that allows him to simply kick his way out of trouble. Kaduva is a mass film, so the hero has to win whenever he is in a physical duel.


Even then, the writing here is a tad too straightforward and predictable for a mass film. We usually know who the antagonists and protagonists are in a mass movie before its release. So, it comes as a surprise when Vivek Oberoi's Joseph Chandy Manjiledathu has a pleasant exchange or two with Kurian at the start of the film. But it does not take us long to realize that they are going to be at odds with each other.


Almost every mass film makes the mistake of making it all a fight between the hero and the vilain. This can make things seem redundant after a point, with the plot going nowhere. Shaji Kailas tries to overcome that challenge with multiple villains and a track that involves a failure for a character. But the storytelling here is so simplistic that we know that the character will eventually triumph.


What does not help is the smile on Prithviraj's face whenever he bashes up a few people. It does not suit the intensity of the character in a particular situation. His smile comes so soon after the situation that we barely get time to register these emotions properly. These things stand out because Prithviraj is a much more mature actor now. We know that he is quite capable of doing Koshi in an Ayyappanum Koshiyum. So, his lack of intensity is more of a missed opportunity for the filmmaker. If not for Prithviraj and some entertaining scenes in the first half, Kaduva would have seemed more of a slog than it already is.


The film is not all that cringe-worthy or, for lack of a better word, kathi. It is modest and believable enough for a mass-hero film. But the main issue is that the plot or the narrative does not do enough to strike a chord with the audience. It works better when a hero's failure seems like our failure and his triumph appears to be our triumph. It is hardly the case here, because the writing is quite unoriginal. The beginning and ending of the film make it seem like a bit pointless. At best, it is an excuse for a few set-ups and mass scenes with punch dialogues. Some of those scenes are enjoyable, nevertheless.


Kaduva is a technically well-made film, though. A lot of Abinandhan Ramanujam's frames are aesthetically pleasing, and Jakes Bejoy's background music is cool. Vivek Oberoi is a stoic presence here, but his lip-syncing is commendable, and so is Vineeth's dubbing. Samyuktha Menon has little to do as Elsa Kurian, but at least Kurian does not treat her like an accessory. Alencier Ley Lopez, Baiju Santosh, and Kalabhavan Shajon all do their respective parts quite well.

Sreejith Mullappilly

   

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JJ

Good entertainer.
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