Though based on a routine revenge plot, Kadaseela Biriyani still delivers as a unique film, presenting the predictable content in the most unusual manner. The bizarre yet appreciable execution turns it into an original film, which is also unsettling because of its gruesome violence.
Directed by the debutant Nishanth Kalidindi, it has unique characters of two extremely cruel and one simpleton young brother on their mission to kill the murderer of their innocent father. But just when they reach his home, they meet his cunning, psychopath son, resulting in an unexpectedly chaotic mess.
The storytelling heavily relies on the events unfolding in a day with a subtle touch of dark comedy. It begins on a confusing note and one slowly gets the narrative after a good fifteen minutes. These are also the most difficult moments of the film, that might discourage the viewers expecting a fast-paced crime thriller. Interestingly, the pace remains the same, but what hits you hard in the next hundred minutes is some brutal killings, and the sudden road accidents heading towards a decisive climax.
Set in a misty mountain/forest region, the camera makes you feel the proceedings as if being witnessed in real. The minimalist background score using some mystical sounds plays with your mind, well-incorporated with quick edit-cuts. Such is their impact together that one takes his eyes away from the screen, avoiding the bloody violence. And at times, one might like to go back pressing the 10-sec option to see what exactly happened in just a couple of seconds.
Completely focusing on its male animalistic characters, the film never spoon-feeds but also doesn’t turn out to be a thoroughly engaging and satisfying watch in the end. The performances by Vijay Ram, Vasanth Selvamm, Dinesh Mani, and Hakkim Shahjahan are super, but the narrative keeps hanging somewhere in between a gory thriller and a quirky black comedy. For instance, the lemon-soda scene and tickling of police officer work mildly without leaving an impact. Plus, the psychopath character is neither entirely scary nor comic and the transformation of the youngest isn’t believable, missing the point.
Yet, Kadaseela Biriyani is recommended for its novel conception, raw experimental tone, and courage to make such risky out-of-the-box projects. The film has another merit in the form of narration by the renowned Vijay Sethupathi, who also makes a cameo appearance as a witty truck driver. And that’s truly commendable, how in South, the stars support such innovative ventures offering their helping hand.
Rating : 3.5 / 5
Streaming at Netflix
Bobby Sing
(bobbytalkscinema.com)
NOTE : The article was first published in THE FREE PRESS JOURNAL Newspaper (Mumbai Edition) on 11th January 2022.
