Malayalam cinema has not been doing so great in recent times in terms of box office collections in comparison to the onslaught of blockbusters from Telugu, Tamil and Kannada industries. The younger demographic of its fans has expressed sharp theories and thesis-worthy Reddit posts about the insufficiency of top-tier commercial cinema in the Malayalam industry. It is only natural that there was hence, a lot of hype for Kaduva, touted to be the return of filmmaker Shaji Kailas, known for his expertise in the action genre, after 6 years.
Starring Prihviraj Sukumaran, the movie is an ode to the heyday of Malayalam mass cinema in the 1990s, when actors like Renji Panicker, Dennis Joseph, and Ranjith revolutionised how the mass hero was portrayed on screen.
The film tells the story of Kaduvakunnel Kuriyachan (Prithviraj), a Pala planter, in the 90s, who ends up on a coalition course with IG Joseph Chandy (Vivek Oberoi), a top cop who is politically favoured. A disagreement over a piano that was given to the nearby church where an errant priest had been posted initially turns into a battle that intensifies over time even as the main character is put in jail. The rest of the tale describes how he defeats the IG, a local SI (Kalabhavan Shajohn), and the priest. Samyukta Menon is left with a role that doesn’t add much to the story but still turns out to be a powerful character overall.
Prithviraj’s performance is top-notch, oozing swag and going along the alpha male way, made famous by Yash in the KGF films. His status as the genuine action hero among the younger group is cemented by his performance. However, by simply fitting Vivek Oberoi into the stereotype of the vengeful villain, the screenplay gradually destroys any potential for a shadowy depth to the part.
Efforts have been put in to recreate the 90s era, and they show well. It is commendable how it has been ensured that not a single mobile tower is included in the wide outdoor shots, whereas the majority of the film has been shot outdoors. The background score by Jakes Bejoy elevates some scenes.
Another thing worth noting is some of the references the film makes to the political scenario in 90s Kerala. The constant disclaimer that the resemblance with anyone living or dead is purely coincidental may, however, raise some doubts among viewers of the film. As for the politicians, controversies and issues mentioned here would sound and look familiar to those who followed affairs of the state in the 90s.
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