Kaathuvaakula Rendu Kaadhal Movie Review

Vignesh Shivan’s ability to conceive unique stories has always been welcomed. One of his outstanding potentials was his story in ‘Paava Kathaigal’ anthology, where he handles a tragic plot with humorous treatment. His recent outing ‘Kaathuvaakula Rendu Kadhal’ featuring Vijay Sethupathi, Nayanthara, and Samantha in the lead roles belongs to yet another unique domain.

Yes, we have come across movies, where a hero falls in love with many girls at the same time. There have been movies, where the hero strategically dates three girls at the same time and keeps eliminating them one by one like a TV reality show. But how different is KRK. Filmmaker Vignesh Shivan carefully deviates from this regular pattern, by making it a character-driven plot. Rambo (Vijay Sethupathi) was born into a family of misfortune, where men and women are cursed to be single, and his father manages to marry a Muslim girl. When the family is celebrating its fortune of breaking the generational curse, misery strikes again with the demise of his father, and mother bed-ridden. This makes the entire neighborhood claim a Bad Omen. Years later, his life takes a turn, when he comes across Kanmani (Nayanthara) and Khatija (Samantha). He falls in love with them at the same time, and they reciprocate their likeliness as well. But how far is this going to be a smoother journey for Rambo?

Being a character-driven plot, Vignesh Shivan takes his time to establish the prominence of the protagonist Rambo’s character. In fact, he has done a neat job in doing it. But the actual confusion begins after the encounters of Rambo, Khatija, and Kanmani. This is where Vignesh Shivan fails to narrate the story efficiently. It’s a sensitive topic, where the slightest miss would make it look like a spoilsport trying to be a two-timer. The characterizations of Nayanthara and Samantha are good, but again, they are shown as women, who are already going through troubled phases in their lives. It’s more like they are desperate for a man in their lives, and they soon get attracted to him for no reason. Yes, love is blind, especially on cinematic screens, but then, there should have been a valid reason, why they love him. The first half moves dramatically, and we are instilled with a strong belief that the second hour is going to be a fun-filled package. Instead, we aren’t endowed with what is promised. The scenes keep repeating, and to a certain extent, we fail to connect with the movie. There is a particular dialogue in the movie, where Kanmani’s character says, “This should have either happened too back in time or too long away in the future.” Yes, it’s a concept that might be a cherry-pick for audiences after a few years, but it would have gained a good reception if presented properly. Yes, the ending is perfect and all the characterizations get good completion, but still, there’s something missing.

The musical score by Anirudh is appealing, and visuals have been captured exquisitely.

Overall, Vignesh Shivan’s ideation of the core concept is appreciable, but the way, he presented it fails to capture our attention. There are situations, where a filmmaker conceives and crafts something that misses synching with the audience. Apparently, Kaathuvaakula Rendu Kaadhal is an illustration of it.