Kaala is Grand stage for Rajinikanth’s political entry.
Kaala Review : Kaala (Rajinikanth) is the leader for people in Dharavi, Mumbai. A gangster from Tirunelveli, who is the King of Dharavi, fights for keeping the land safe from politicians and the land mafia. After Kabali Ranjith uses Rajinikanth the Superstar to tell his message land is the common man's right.
Kaala has a beautiful family comprising his innocent wife Selvi (Eshwari Rao), four sons and grandchildren. Kaala has a subtle nostalgic romantic angle with his ex-lover Zareena (Huma Qureshi). His life goes well till the arrival of a selfish politician Hari (Nana Patekar) who wants to grab Dharavi in the name of purifying the slums.
The pre-interval block has a typical masala stunt sequence. Kaala works mainly because of the strong characterization of Rajinikanth along with his powerful performance and screen presence. Superstar looks aged but owns the screen and his energy level is unparallel at the age of 67! The way Ranjith projects Kaala's relationship with Eswari Rao and Huma Qureshi has a cute, classy touch. Both the actresses have done their roles with ease. Nana Patekar is largely wasted while the supporting cast of Samuthirakani, Dhilipan, Anjali Patil and Manikandan have forgettable roles.
Sparks start flying once the antagonist Hari Dada (played with a menacing charm by Nana Patekar) enters the scene. The interval scene is a scream.
What follows after the interval is somewhat predictable, with Hari Dada seeking revenge and depriving Kaala of his loved ones. But slowly, Ranjith brings in his style of filmmaking. He talks about how the oppressed continue to be suppressed unless they protest against the establishment. Kaala does exactly that. He asks his people to use their body as weapon — telling his people to shut Mumbai down by going on a strike as the slum dwellers in effect run the city as taxi drivers, municipality staff, hospital staff and so on. Mumbai comes to a standstill. Hari Dada seeks revenge.
Ranjith gives a spin to the classic white-is-pure-and-black-is-evil logic. Here, Ram is bad and Ravan is good. Watch out for the confrontation scenes between Nana Patekar and Rajinikanth. They are total paisa vasool. Hearing Rajini speak in Hindi and Marathi at times will be a delight for his fans.
The slick climax is also worth a watch, but the film does not boast of a slew of bombastic dialogues that are Rajinikanth’s signature.If you are in the mood to watch a hyper-stylised tale about the trials, the triumphs and the indefatigable grit of Mumbai slum-dwellers living in Dharavi, then give this film a shot.
Ratings : ✬✬✬/5
