I have given up on reviewing Tamil movies, but sometimes it pains a lot to see how even media reviewers are swayed by sentiments that are totally against the ideals of the society we live.
Kaththi is a movie about a criminal who takes the place of an identical social activist. Initially he tries to loot money using the other person’s name but later gets impressed by his life and solves the original issue in his own way. Directed by AR Murugadoss, with Vijay in the lead, the movie is an allegory on the Kudankulam issue but to be a part of the safer side, they pick up a villain who runs a cola company. The issue is of water and one of the famous Cola companies trying to takeover the village for the abundant water resources.
The fundamental question that struck me when I saw the movie was “Who is the hero?”. Jeevanandam, social activist and fights for the people take up the mantle of ahimsa and never resorts to violence even when goons beat him up. Kaththi Kathiresan, is a criminal and resorts to violence, beats up even 50 goons (that coin fight was well shot) finally wins the case for the people. So Mr. Murugadoss, do you mean that ahimsa based social activism is useless? If all those activists who fight for people’s rights through ahimsa and democratic protests see this movie, how would they feel about it? Don’t you think, you have made the biggest joke on them? Do you really know what is grassroots activism? Did you actually take an effort to study and talk to these activists?
The real hero of this movie is the character of Jeevanandam (subtly played by Vijay) and I really wished we could get more of him. But what we see is an action filled usual Vijay, who kills at his will and made as a hero for people to cheer because he beats up the bad guys. The truth is the actual hero Jeevanandam dies when Kaththi Kadhiresan takes up violence. The difference between masala and a classic ends there. If Jeevanandam had won, it would have been a classic but as Kaththi Kadiresan has won it, it has become a masala that gives a bad after taste.
Kaththi is a half-baked effort with respect to the social message it offers us. If you consider a monologue from the hero filled with statistics is enough to make people learn about the issue, Mr.Murugadoss, you are living in a fool’s paradise. Don’t worry, they will clap for it while drinking the coke they bought during the interval. Talk about irony.
The funniest part of the movie (definitely not Sathish, Samantha love story comes a close second) is the way corporate honchos plot the murder of Jeevanandam. By the way, do you know Shirag (played by Neil Nitin Mukesh – get back to Johnny Gaddar type movies please) is the Indian CEO of a multinational company, he uses local goons to kill people and of course, he gets killed by Kaththi Kadhiresan!!! (you guys don’t get it, do you?)
I don’t like to speak about logical loopholes and the idiocy in the screenplay. The biggest problem is the way local media houses and ‘educated’ reviewers doling out good reviews because it talks about farmers. The issue is not about the end, but the means used to achieve it. By giving good reviews, you have just approved the biggest joke on grassroots activism and the activists who sacrifice their lives and fight for the livelihood of people.
A superstar acting in a masala movie is much better than acting in a movie that shows false idealisms.
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