Kapatadhaari Movie Review – An exhausting but reasonable thriller – Socially Keeda

BOTTOM LINE

An exhausting but reasonable thriller

OUR REVIEW
2.25 / 5

CENSOR
2h 18m, ‘U / A’ certified.

What is the movie about?
Gautham (Sumanth) is a traffic inspector who accidentally comes across skeletons at a site. Despite the case being out of his jurisdiction, Gautham continues the investigation because he cannot keep the inner police quiet.

What does Gautham find in his research? How does it bring him closer to Inspector Ranjith Singh and journalist Gopala Krishna? How it turns out to be a matter of life and death for him is what the film is about?

How does Sumanth perform?
Sumanth is best known for romantic roles with a calm and easygoing nature. In his comeback he has changed gears and tries to take things out of his comfort zone. Kapatadhaari is such an effort. There is hardly anything to do with romance here. It is a serious story in which research is central.

Sumanth is suitable for the role. He’s trying his best. The clumsiness in battle aside, he did well. However, it is not a memorable part as an artist. It’s all about the story. He is subservient to it without spoiling.

Directed by Pradeep Krishnamoorthy?
Pradeep Krishnamoorthy directs Kapatadhaari. And not once but twice in Telugu and Tamil. It is a remake of the Kannada movie Kavaludaari. It belongs to the thriller genre.

The film starts interestingly with a murder sequence in 1977. Don’t miss it to get a better understanding of the story.

The procedure then shifts to the present and introduces our lead. That he (the hero) isn’t the usual cop, but a traffic inspector is a change here. However, he diligently follows whatever an investigating officer would do.

The real story begins when the investigation begins. The screenplay is engaging and keeps you sticking to the procedure. A lot seems to be happening, and it makes the whole thing look a bit complicated. The introduction of the heroine character takes it to the next level.

However, it all starts to come together in the second half, when the real story regarding the investigation slowly emerges. The bits and pieces of information that come together to form the bigger picture are neatly done.

The problem here is that it takes a lot of time and turns to get to the point. Even more so after the real problem has been revealed. The revelations are interesting, but the bloated story makes you feel tired. It seems to take ages to end.

The tension and twists and turns are everywhere. Although not all have the same impact. It’s because of the uneven story in which a high moment is diluted with an immediate boring and long-lasting sequence. It happens everywhere.

Overall, Kapatadhaari is a decent but overly long and over the top thriller. Story is the main strength, but length is a bummer. Give it a try if you like the genre.

Nandita Swetha and others?
Nandita Swetha is heroine to namesake. She’s just a different character and doesn’t do much in the main story.

Nassar and Jayaprakash discuss the real vital roles. The former, in particular, seems to enjoy a role that offers him something valuable after an interruption. Jayaprakash, on the other hand, is reliable and sincerely fulfills his role. The villain’s choice is excellent and surprising at the same time.

Music and other departments?
Simon K King provides the music and background score. The former is okay, but the latter is a huge plus for the movie. Rasamathi’s cinematography could have been better. The editing by KL Praveen had to be sharper. Writing is okay. There’s nothing out of the ordinary, but it’s enough to get things moving without complaining.

Highlights?
Story
Scenario
Starring Casting
BGM

Cons?
Length
Some far-fetched scenarios
Complicated and uneven narration

Take alternative
The political aspect of the whole story could have been better integrated into the story.

Did I enjoy it?
Yes, in parts

Will you recommend it?
Yes, but with reservations