KADAISI THOTTA MOVIE REVIEW
Cast: Radharavi, Srija Ravi, Srikumar, Vanitha Vijayakumar, Vaiyapuri, Swaminathan Rajesh, Kottachi
Director: Naveen Kumar
Rating: 2.5/5
Naveen Kumar’s Kadaisi Thotta (“The Last Bullet”) aims for suspense-thriller territory, but mostly ends up shooting blanks. The setup is promising enough: a corrupt MLA stashes his black money in a Kodaikanal resort, just as a motley crew of guests checks in. We’ve got a retired military man (Radharavi), newlyweds (Srikumar and his wife), a family seeking medical treatment (Kottachi and co.), some prank-video YouTubers, and a guy with his mistress (Vaiyapuri). Then, a seemingly unconnected young woman is murdered.
Radharavi, as the ex-military man, is the film’s anchor. He brings a gravitas to the role, hinting at hidden depths with just a look. His scenes with his on-screen wife, Srija Ravi, are surprisingly touching, adding a layer of genuine emotion to the otherwise by-the-numbers plot.
Enter Vanitha Vijayakumar as the investigating police officer. Unfortunately, her portrayal is more irritating than intimidating, seemingly more interested in chain-smoking than solving whatever she’s pre-occupied with. The other guests, played by Srikumar, Vaiyapuri, Swaminathan Rajesh and Kottachi, do what they can with their limited roles.
Director Naveen Kumar manages to build some initial suspense, and the film’s second half picks up the pace. The reveal of the killer’s motive is unexpected, if a bit convoluted. But the film is let down by some lazy writing and predictable tropes. The attempts at humor, particularly from Vaiyapuri and the YouTuber gang, fall utterly flat.
V.R. Suwaminathan Rajesh’s music is a mixed bag. While a “gana” song adds some local flavor, the background score is merely serviceable. Mohankumar’s cinematography is competent, making the most of the resort setting.
Kadaisi Thotta isn’t a complete disaster. It has a few decent performances and a couple of clever twists. But the weak script, uneven pacing, and some truly awful characterizations (looking at you, chain-smoking cop) prevent it from hitting its target.