Another treat for Rajini fans

Film reviews

Kabali
Tamil (U) Director: Pa Ranjith
Cast: Rajinikanth, Radhika Apte, Dhansika, Kishore, Winston Chao, Rosyam Nor, Riythvika, Kalaiyarasan, Dinesh Ravi

Age cannot wither, nor custom stale, his infinite variety. Welcome to the world of ageless Rajinikanth! And here, it’s simply nerruppu da.

Set in Kuala Lumpur, Pa Ranjith’s Kabali is a larger-than-life celebration of the superstar. The style, swagger, dialogue, flourish of hand, trademark gait — it’s all there for the millions of thalaiva fans.

And the plot? It’s just an excuse to revel in his persona. Right from the moment he steps out of a Malaysian jail, after serving 25 years behind bars, Kabali is a 152-minute high octane roller-coaster.

As he is being driven back home by his loyal aide Amir, Kabali reflects upon what brought him behind bars. His task now is to find his wife and avenge his past.

Rajini’s Kabaleeswaran, aka Kabali, fights for the rights of Tamil minorities, infuriating a scheming Nambiyar who, in cohorts with Tony Lee — the mastermind of Gang43 — seeks to finish him off. The story goes on to portray how Kabali decimates them in a catalysmic climax.

Besides Rajinikanth’s trademark act, a highly nuanced performance by Radhika Apte (as his wife Kumudavalli), and Dhansika merit mention. Santhosh Narayanan’s resonating background score Nerruppu Da and G Murli’s fluid cinematography, provide the necessay zip and zest to Pa Ranjith’s direction.

The slow narrative at some places is a drawback of the film. But for the fans, it is a stellar show. And magizhchi (cheers) to that!