Kaala Reviews

Pa Ranjith has some strong Leftist messaging and a lot to say about caste and colour, but all is lost within a mediocre film.

The second Rajini-Ranjith outing is better than 'Kabali', but still an odd fit for both...

Far more coherent and considerably more enjoyable than 2016s disappointing underworld rivalry saga Kabali also directed by Pa Ranjith Kaala is a return to storytelling and character-based acting.

Kaala is a polished production with slick set pieces, including an action scene built around an umbrella as the only choice of weapon. Then there is the powerful climax with an imaginative use of color.

...when the film ends abruptly, we almost feel that the writing and production team has suddenly decided to finish it all, as if to say, "Enough is enough!

The major drawback of Kaala is the length of the film — at 2 hours and 46 minutes, there is nothing new in the story. Kaala is an out-and-out Rajinikanth film and he is one of the biggest reasons to go watch it.

Kaala is an archetypal Pa Ranjith film with adequate Superstar mass moments. Rajinikanth is back with full vigour and energy, which is a major boost.

This time around, with Kaala, things have become far more clear.

Don't go for the slow-mos and the dialogues. Watch it for the story, and the incredible performances. It's a bit too long and there will be a time when you might feel bored but the climax will defintely make up for it.

All said and done, Kaala is all Rajinikanth – pure seeti-maar entertainment. 160 minutes well spent, watch this if you have an appetite for masala films.

When Rajini Sir arrives, it's as if the screen itself folds from both ends to bend down in a respectful namaskaram.

This time, Ranjith uses Rajinikanth the Superstar to tell his message — land is the common man's right. The story is simple... Migrants from Tamil Nadu settle in Dharavi and help build it, and run the city.

Kaala is Rajinikanth's film all the way. It's the kind of Rajinikanth movie you have been waiting for a decade. It's the film you can take your appa, amma, pati, or even your girlfriend and everyone will walk home with a smile.

Kaala isn't a film about a gangster but a film about revolution. And Ranjith stays true to his objective. The traces of what we saw in Kabali have been fleshed out and beautifully embellished.

Kaala works really well as a film and as a Rajinikanth vehicle; it would be wise to leave the politician outside the theatres though.

Pa Ranjith keeps talking of ideologies. Kaala seems to be the personification of his ideas. The dialogue "Ellarum Kaala thaan (Everyone is Kaala)," which comes at the tail end of the film, sums up the entire film.

Kaala is a film built on juxtapositions. Hari (Nana Patekar) and Kaala (Rajinikanth) aren’t just antagonist and protagonist, they are opposed in every way possible.

This review is in Telugu. Read it in full at the source.