'Kaduva' review: This 90s masala lacks fun

Kaduva

Malayalam (Theatres)

Director: Shaji Kailas

Cast: Prithviraj Sukumaran, Vivek Oberoi, Samyukta Menon

Rating: 2.5/5

'Kaduva', by Shaji Kailas, is the third installment in the unofficial 'male ego trilogy' of Malayalam cinema. The previous installments were 'Driving License' (2019) and the exceptional 'Ayyapanum Koshiyum' (2020). The film is set in the 90s (a time when Shaji Kailas' movies thrived), and tells the story of the rivalry between Kaduva Kuriachan (Prithviraj Sukumaran), a prototype of the typical Malayalam mass hero from the 90s and early 2000s and DIG Joseph Chandy (Vivek Oberoi), a corrupt police officer backed by the establishment.

The film has all the beats that make a great mass film but it lacks a screenplay that can present these beats in an emotionally engaging manner. There is something off about the pacing of the film, no time is wasted in setting up the plot but no time is spared for character development either.

The action sequences are better in the second half and just okay in the first. Jakes Bejoy’s background score enhances the mood in these sequences but it's an overkill during dramatic portions. Cinematographer Abhinandan Ramanujan refines the shot designs that were a rage in the early 2000s like the tight closeups and the constantly moving camera. The scene in the church where the rivalryy between Kuriachan and Chandy begins is particularly shot very well.

'Kaduva' is not explicitly misogynistic like many other Shaji Kailas films but the female characters are not developed beyond 'wife', 'mother' or 'daughter'. The handling of the mental health issue seems problematic.

Unlike in 'Lucifer', where he was perfectly cast, Vivek Oberoi appears to be a fish out of water here. Prithviraj is in great form ever but Kuriachan does not make it to the list of iconic Shaji Kailas characters.

'Kaduva' uses expository dialogues as the audiences now are accustomed to them after big-budget action movies like 'RRR' and 'KGF.

'Kaduva' can be appreciated for representing a style of filmmaking that Malayalam cinema has long forgotten. There are many nostalgia-inducing moments and Prithviraj’s charisma is captivating. Apart from these aspects, the film is just average.