'Koli Taal' review: Rooted and refreshing

Koli Taal

Kannada (Theatres)

Director: Abhilash Shetty

Cast: Radha Ramachandra, Prabhakar Kunder

Rating: 3.5/5

'Koli Taal', directed by debutant Abhilash Shetty, means chicken curry. It has hit the theatres after doing the rounds of several international festivals.

The story is set in a small village near Shivamogga. Grandparents Vanaja (played by Radha Ramachandra) and Mahabala (Prabhakar Kunder) are delighted to welcome their grandson after three years. They decide to cook chicken curry as a special treat for him.

The old couple select the rooster and order the servants to capture it. It is caught for the next day's feast. Yet, the rooster goes missing the next day. What happens to it? Therein lies the story.

Be it the hacks the villagers use to communicate effectively to overcome poor mobile connectivity or the underlying human connectedness in the market place are beautifully told.

The narrative on the missing rooster underscores the existence of deep belief systems. There is an astrologer who wants to learn English to improve his economic prospects in a city even as the labourers are trying lucky charms to enhance their lives. It is only the grandson who sees everything in black & white and prefers the police to help find the rooster.

'Koli Taal' explores the power dynamics between several relationships. Vanaja slowly tries to assert herself after years of subjugation as a wife. We see that the seemingly friendly but inherently manipulative Mahabala always holds the lever of authority.

Abhilash subtly portrays patriarchy in our society and does well to avoid needless dramatic situations, except in some places. However, the film feels a tad inconsistent. The background details of the characters are minimal and sketchy. Also, the storytelling is marred by over-reliance on dialogues and there is little emphasis on visual storytelling.

The combination of actors and non-actors creates the experience of a well-made user-generated content. The film's editing and cinematography are adequate.

Made on a shoe-string budget, 'Koli Taal' is produced by Sachin Pattanshetty, an outsider in the industry. The story goes that he was impressed by a short film from the director. Despite its limitations, the film stands tall as it retains the native flavour. 'Koli Taal' deserves a good run in the theatres as the industry needs more stories rooted in the local milieu.