Kaala: Ranjit’s Show in Rajini’s Movie
QUICK SCAN
Rating: 3.25/5
First Impression: Pa.Ranjit gives his second successive blow on caste discrimination in urban India after Kabali. Superstar Rajinikant adds his stardom to Ranjit’s efforts one more time by giving much room for Ranjit.
Plus Points:
- Ranjit’s impressive visualisation of Mumbai Slums not just with mere dirt and sorrow, but with warmth and gaiety.
- Actor in Rajinikanth outwits star in him, in many scenes.
- Eswari Rao, who hails from Andhra Pradesh, plays opposite to Rajinikanth and looks like a prototype homemaker in slum dwellings.
- Nana Patekar, as a politician draped in white dress, sets new standards to villainy in Indian movies.
- Huma Qureshi as Rajnikanth’s ex-lover looks gorgeous
Pitfalls:
- Opening scene with a TV reporters’ PtoC (Piece to Camera) is drab and dull.
- Visualisation of Karikaal’s past in motionless painted pictures doesn’t give the required impact.
- The scenes introducing Rajinikanth don’t live up to his fans’ expectations.
- Pa Ranjit painstakingly spends the first half of the movie only to familiarise Mumbai slum to the audience, not allowing the story move an inch forward.
WHO’ WHO
Film: Kaala
Direction: Pa. Ranjith Production : Dhanush Script: Ranjith,Aadhavan Dheetchanya Dialogues: K. Magizhan Cast: Rajinikanth ,Nana Patekar, Samuthirakani, Huma Qureshi, Eashwari Rao Music: Santhosh Narayanan Cinematography: Murali G
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Editing: Sreekar Prasad Production company: Wunderbar Films Distribution: Lyca Productions Release date: June 7, 2018 (India)
Plot: Making Hero Raakshasha
Pa. Ranjit largely depends on symbolism in developing the plot of the movie. To symbolise outcastes he relies on the colour Black. As Afro-Americans take pride in by calling themselves Blacks, Dharavi slum dwellers express their self-esteem in the same colour in the movie. The Protagonist (Rajinikanth), bears the name, Black (Kaala) and wears the dress Black, as their icon, the antagonist (Nana Patekar) on the other hand, always appears in spotless white dress, to symbolise the oppressors’ caste and class. Barring, Zareena, everyone on Rajini’s side are dark in complexion. The entire story from the beginning to the end resembles the fight for land between Raakshasas (Blacks) and Devathas (Whites). To be more precise, it’s between Rama and Raavana. Rajini, of course, is (One-headed-Raavana) and Rama is Nana Patekar.
Story: War For Land
Karikaala (Rajinikanth) is the unopposed the leader of Dharavi, s slum in Mumbai. Haridev Abhayankar (Nana Patekar) wants to demolish it in the name of ‘Clean Mumbai’, to which one of Rajini’s sons gets attracted. Zareena (Huma Qureshi), Rajini’s ex-lover, who returns from Africa, believing blindly in the concept of ‘Clean Mumbai’, tries to convince the slum dwellers to give their consent. Kaala comes on her way and stalls the process. Zareena later sense the diabolic plans of Nana Patekar to grab Dharavi and comes to Rajini’s side. Nana Patekar starts settling scores with Rajini, his family members and his followers. How Rajini counters Nana Patekar is the rest of the story.
Treatment: Protecting Protector
The relation between the Protector (Leader) and the Protected (his people) is inversely depicted in the movie. Undoubtedly it’s the duty of the leader to protect his people. In this movie, Kaala, the Protector, comes to the rescue of his people once in a while. But it is the slum dwellers all the time come as shield, laying their lives. Rajini, the superstar, plays his role giving more space to his sons and followers with much grace.
Screen Play: Scenes Run; Story Stands Still
Though scenes are found running in accelerated pace in the first half, the story remains where it starts from. But the screen writers are not wrong. Making the lives of the people in the slum familiar to audience is important to him. We feel suffocated with the feel of narrow spaces, which don’t allow one to caress his wife in privacy. This breathlessness is the interval bang. In the latter half, the viewers take the side of the slum dwellers first and Rajini next. This is how scenes are arranged.
Lead Role : More of Actor, Than Star
With intermittent appearances as super hero in fighting scenes, Rajinikanth delivers his best as an actor. The way he lovingly submits himself to his talkative wife’s dictates, keeping his King’s status in Dharavi aside, offers chuckles. This is the real chemistry, sans glamour, between the couple. He draws thunderous applause to the hilarious humour he produces in his interaction with a minister (Shaiji Shinde) in the police station.
Others in Cast: Nana Sets New Standards in Villainy
Nana Patekar’s measured action as a politician with feudal ego is highly impressive. The grin on his lips and grimace on his face, when he eagerly waits for Zareena to touch his feet, make viewers intolerably indignant.
Rajini’s wife( Eswari Rao), whose voice is dubbed in Godavari accent in Telugu, has her origins in Telugu land too. She hails from Peddapuram of East Godavari. As the loving wife, caring mother, and mother-law, she becomes the central figure of the house. She keeps equal pace with Rajini in delivering emotions.
Dialogues: Noisy But Make Sense
More noise is created through dialogues. We find everyone keep talking in the slum. For the first half-an-hour, audience become clueless as to who speaks what. But the dialogues that the hero and the villain exchange are impressive. The narrative of Ramayana in Villains home elevates emotions in climax.
Cinematography:It’s Rainy Mumbai
Rain is used effectively in the movie. Credit goes to the cinematographer. (By the time the shooting of the movie is underway, really there were heavy downpours in Mumbai. The makers built a set in Chennai replicating the Mumbai slum and continued the shooting.) Rajini’s umbrella fight is impressively taken in the movie.
Music: Rap All the Way
As the director himself is known for creating ‘Casteless Music Band’, he relies on Afro-American Rap in music composition. The agitators are found singing lyrics even in times of crisis.Telugu version has failed to protect the impact of the rap.
Pitfalls: Kabali Hangover Haunts
Too much time is taken to get the roles registered in the viewers’ minds. Pa. Ranjit can’t be totally away from the hangover of ‘Kabali’. In Kabali, hero’s wife, who is believed to be dead, comes alive at the end. In Kaala, the trick is played with hero. The attires in Kaabali (Overcoat) and in Kaala( Black Dress) are thoroughly symbolised.
Bottom line:
It’s Pa. Ranjit show in Rajini’s movie and not the other way round. To feel the difference, one must watch it.
