Kabali

It is a very nice movie with limited songs and almost zero dance, Which is something special about this movie.

Rajini lovers please watch the movie and please notice his dressing style. Its Awesome!!!

Makeup Artist has done a great job.

Dunno why people said its draggy, which I totally dint feel.

Watch the movie and come to a conclusion, don't listen to what people say( Includes my opinion too).

Please do not read reviews and go with the same expectation because people have different tastes.

I personally liked every bit of it.

Overall a nice move. Will not disappoint fans.

Lot more expected from Kabali however it didn't meet my expectation. Please do not show this movie to your young kids. Too much violence. Interesting fact that NOBODY in the theater clapped or praised Rajni or any scenes after starting the movie till end. Everybody kind of so desperate. I don't know why Rajnikant decided to accept this character and story. There are few good messages in it, though overall it promotes violence. First half is completely boring. Sorry dear Rajni fans, its my honest opinion. I love Rajni movies and Tamil movies. Rajnikant did his role pretty well in this movie as usual. No doubt on it, however the director trying to impress all kind of viewers by adding unnecessary scenes.

'Kabali' turned out to be a phenomenon across the globe prior to its release,being the most hyped film from India in recent times featuring Thalaivar Rajnikanth in a gangster avatar that was expected to be a treat for the fans of the veteran superstar in particular with sequences reminding his yesteryear blockbusters.The movie reached theaters amidst sky-high expectations in a massive count of 300 screens across Kerala,thanks to the combined effort from S.Thanu and Ashirwad Cinemas.

If someone ask me a one word review for the movie,my immediate answer will be 'Disappointing'.Nothing surprising as the scenario isn't new to Kollywood where the major share of well-anticipated movies,particularly in this decade has failed to generate a satisfactory response from the common audience and the critics alike.In simple words,the mass hype generated was too much for a half-baked emotional thriller like Kabali that moves in a lethargic pace for the most part of the narration.

Pa.Ranjith has made a mark on the Kollywood industry with his two odd films Attakathi and Madras that were utterly realistic and easily expected in the list of personal favorites of anyone who is seriously into Tamil movies.Kabali being helmed by Ranjith,there were clear assumptions from a major section that its going to be a realistic,slow-paced thriller rather than an out and out Rajnikanth film like Shankar's Sivaji or K.S Ravikumar's Padayappa.

The movie gave me a feeling that Thalaivar Rajnikanth was casted in a role that had shades of typical Ulaganayagan Kamal Hassan portrayals,particularly coming to the emotional sequences.The goose-bump sequences were minimal and elevated only by the grace and dialogue delivery of the superstar.

The pace was really an issue leaving side the initial sequences and choked a smooth narrative.The lack of logic in the screenplay was evident and turned a hiccup in multiple junctures in the clichéd storyline.The flashback sequences were comapritively realistic and presented well by Ranjith.

The climax turned unintentionally funny due to poor execution and could have dealt much better..The action sequences too were a mixed bag,with two fights being well-choreographed and two,especially the climax fight being a big letback.

Rajni movies are always known for repeated audience and cherishable mass sequences,but Kabali fails in this part too as there were only a hand full or even less number of memorable sequences that will stay in the minds once we are out of the cinema hall. There were rumors about a superstar making surprise cameo in the movie but didn't materialize.

None would point-out a single film where Rajnikanth failed to impress with his style and acting prowess and this time too the 66 year old actor has managed to pull off a really impressive performance as Kabaleeswaran,the good-hearted gangster.Another pick among the cast was Dhansika playing the role of a hit-girl giving out a refreshing performance.Radhika Apte was well-cast as the lead heroine,but couldn't deliver a standout performance as expected.Attakathi Dinesh's character was peculiar and made its presence felt ,the same time giving him a break from his usual village-oriented roles.The rest of the cast that includes Kishore,John Vijay etc did their part well.Taiwaneese actor Winsyon Chao failed to enact a menacing villain.

The songs and background score by Ranjiths favorite Santhosh Narayanan were adequate as far as the narration is concerned,but couldn't make much impact except for the 'Nerrupu Da' bit that created a huge buzz before the release.There were good number of interesting slow motion sequences by G.Murali who did his job well the camera.Cuts by Praveen K.L could have been better.

In all means,Kabali is an opportunity wasted by Pa.Ranjith who failed to utilize the charisma of the veteran actor to the fullest.Better less said about a thriller where the so called 'thrills' take a backseat.Give it a miss or watch it just for Superstar Rajnjikanth and his evergreen style of acting.

Rajini is always seen as a larger-than-life superstar on-screen but in Pa.Ranjith's Kabali, he seems to have turned into a complete actor. Well, I feel that Kabali is the right film for Rajini the actor. After Thalapathi, he has much scope to perform rather than smashing the bad guys and attract the audience with his stylish walk and mannerisms. There are still fan moments in the film but it's much more a drama than a mass entertainer. Pa.Ranjith has utilized Rajini's acting ability and made him perform a role of his age. He even looks stylish with that grey beard which remembers me of the famous Neelambari's dialogue in Padayappa. Unlike the mass feel that the teaser created, the film is a complete drama that revolves around Kabali, a Malaysian Tamil gangster who is in search of his lost family. The film goes deep into the character exploring the emotional side of a stylish gangster. Well, it's fresh to see that Rajini has stepped out of his comfort zone to fit into a much performance-oriented role. I personally really enjoyed the scenes where we get to see him emote deeply for his loved ones. Pa. Ranjith has made a film that dives into the underworld which is very well explored in this gangster drama. Especially, after Rajini, we have so many actors to remember in Kabali. We have Radhika Apte, Dhanshika, Kishore, and Winston Chao who played their characters convincingly. Santhosh Narayanan's album and background score are the right elements to make the film connect with the audience. Pa.Ranjith's Kabali feels a bit refreshing but still has a lot of flaws that could have been avoided for the betterment of this gangster drama. The film is really slow. It takes so much time to establish the platform and the characters. Apart from Rajini's characterization, we don't have much excitement in Kabali because it feels less engaging and even less impactful. Even the climax was a bit rush and completely out of the context. The Neruppu Da theme is added in every mass scene of Rajini which is strictly for Rajini fans. Honestly speaking, Kabali can't be a film for Rajini fans because apart from the few mass moments that Ranjith added for Rajini, this is definitely not the typical mass Rajini film. Overall, Kabali is a Pa.Ranjith film filled with Rajini moments.

Kabali is not a usual Rajni film to begin with. It doesn't have any of Rajni's tricks which have made him famous. Nor it shows Rajni as a young ageless man romancing some heroine one third his age.

Rajni finally plays his age, a 60 year old gangster, out of jail in search of his missing wife and seeking revenge for those who destroyed his life. And this is good part of the film because it great to see Rajni the actor and not Rajni the star.

However, the issue I found with Kabali is writer director is not clear whether he should make a gangster or a serious drama film. There are times where Ranjith is telling us about the underworld in Malaysia run by Chinese and Indians. He also highlights the racial tension between the Indians and Malaysians. But on the other hand, he is also depicting a husband having visions about his wife and searching for her.

One of the main reasons Godfather II is considered one of the best gangster films is because it tells both the stories which such ease without losing its core - the life of Michael Corelone and the revenge story of Vito Corelone.

But unlike the Godfather series, Ranjith adds too much of emotions leaving us confused. So there are two beautiful scenes where Kabali meets his daughter for the 1st time and when he meets his wife after 25 years. Both scenes are very high on emotional quotient. Plus there is a long and meaningless climax and a twist in the end which I felt was not required.

Another problem with Kabali is the villain. Rajni's movies have strong villains. But Kabali lacks strong villains. Winston Chao and Kishore are neither menacing nor convincing and end up as any normal cartoonish villains thanks to the poor writing. Chao especially looks funny wear purple suits with funny expressions.

Apart from Rajani, the saving grace is his women co-stars. Radhika Apte is mind blowing as his long lost wife. Apte who is 30 years old gets into the skin and with ease plays the role of 50 plus year old. She and Rajani share a nice sweet old world charm and chemistry.

Other hand, Dhansika plays Kabali's long lost daughter who is also a contract killer. She also put up a nice performance.

Finally, Kabali is not the usual Rajani film. Its different. However, it had the potential to be a great Rajani film.