Kaantha Movie Review: A beautifully crafted period saga of ambition and betrayal

Selvamani Selvaraj is a filmmaker to watch out for. With his latest release Kaantha, he has cemented his position as one of the most unique voices of Tamil cinema. After making an impact with his indie debut film Nila and the widely popular docu-drama The Hunt for Veerappan; Selvamani pushes the envelope further with Kaantha – a thriller set in the golden era of Tamil cinema and is based on the clash of two of the most powerful men of that time. It’s both a period drama and a whodunit thriller that manages to serve best of the both worlds to the audiences.

The film opens with a shootout. Neither the victim nor the shooter is revealed. Cut to the next scene, film producer Martin of Modern Studios is seen discussing with Ayya (Samuthirakani) – a veteran filmmaker – about reviving one of his earlier projects which was dropped midway. The project is called Saantha – which has a story inspired from the life of Ayya’s mother. Revival of the project means Ayya reuniting with his favourite protégé, TK Mahadevan (Dulquer Salman). However, their relationship has strained over the years and that’s what caused the rift between them, leading to ego clash. Mahadevan announces his return to the project with one condition – altered climax (his version) and a change of title from Saantha to Kaantha. As the project gets rolling once again, the story keeps shifting from one incident to another and it reaches a point where a key member of the crew is killed in cold blood.

What begins as a period drama and focuses entirely on the ego clash between two grown men, soon turns into an investigative thriller when the story moves to the second half. However, the film doesn’t play out like a typical thriller as it takes a lot of time to build suspense – brick by brick – only to blow you away with a totally unexpected ending. Hence, one needs to be patient with the film to truly enjoy the pay-off.

The film is powered by unbelievably good performances and Dulquer walks away with the cake. It is the kind of performance that you rarely come across because it’s so honest, sincere and personal. Bhagyashree Borse stuns with the kind of act nobody saw coming. Samuthirakani and Rana, too, chip in with very strong performances.

The film stands tall in the technical department, especially in cinematography, music and background score. 15-20 minutes into the film, you are transported to a world that you’re completely alien to, and the credit for it must go to cinematographer Dani Sanchez-Lopez, along with Jakes Bejoy for the score.

Overall, Kaantha will definitely go down as one of the best movies of the year in all of Indian cinema. It’s a rare film that dares to blend artistry with accessibility, rewarding viewers who appreciate layered storytelling and nuanced performances. Selvamani Selvaraj has not just crafted a visually stunning and emotionally rich experience but has also reaffirmed his place among the most inventive filmmakers of our time.

Kaantha Movie Rating: 4/5