Director: Sri Senthil
Cast: Bharath, Ann Sheetal, Suresh Menon, Aadhav Kannadasan
Kaalidas, directed by debutant Sri Senthil, is a murder mystery where a cop investigating a string of apparent suicides has to follow the trail of a mysterious killer while balancing out familial issues with his wife. The film begins when a girl falls from the top of a building and the local cops headed by Kaalidas (Bharath) term it as a suicide. Then a string of such incidents follow and Kaalidas has to dedicate most of his time on this case. His wife Vidya (Ann Seethal) becomes weary of the situation that he’s unable to spend any time with her.
Nonetheless, being the good cop that he is, Kaalidas works hard to educate the residents of his jurisdiction while teaming up with his superior officer George (Suresh Menon) to find clues to this puzzle. Meanwhile his wife finds comfort by befriending another tenant. How does our hero keep up with the gruelling task while saving his marital life?
Kaalidas is a return to form for Bharath, whose body language and mannerisms make him an ideal fit for the role. In fact, Bharath has underplayed and is a treat to watch. Both Ann Seethal and Suresh Menon have given an equally good supportive performance. Being her first film, Ann has done a commendable job in expressing the stresses of a homemaker. Aadhav is adequate and aptly cast.
Perhaps we could have had better production quality as some of the visuals don’t hold up to modern standards. Also, the psychology behind the killings could have been established better. The film is still very watchable and these shortcomings don’t withstand. The climax twist is worth the wait.
Vishal Chandrasekhar’s music is moody and hits the right vibe. Suresh Bala's camera goes well with the theme . Bhuvan's editing is also crisp. With a runtime of 120 minutes, there aren’t many fillers for you to worry about. Kaalidas is a well-made racy thriller for you to go out and watch with your family on a weekend.
