Kottukkaali

This movie really caught me off guard! The plot is pretty simple: it's a road trip film that kicks off with two families heading to see a fortune teller in another region to lift the spell of forbidden love affecting one of the girls, who's not interested in marrying her cousin. But in just 90 minutes, we don't just get to know the family members and their dynamics-we also uncover layers of meaning, symbolism, and cultural depth, which is a huge achievement. The ensemble cast is fantastic, especially Anna Ben, who barely speaks throughout the movie-something that carries its own significance. The cinematography isn't flashy, but it works perfectly for this film. The production design and landscapes are stunning. There's something really unique about this movie compared to other road trip films. Halfway through this seemingly simple trip, the stakes keep getting higher with every moment. And the ending? It's just mind-blowingly fascinating!

The themes are familiar-similar to what we saw in All We Imagine As Light in 2024-but it's the execution that makes this film stand out. There's a rawness and precision in the storytelling that sticks with you. At the beginning of the movie, we see a girl with a rooster tied by its leg to a heavy stone. This rooster represents Meena's lover but also parallels her own situation, suggesting she's being treated as an object to be controlled or fixed rather than as an individual with her own desires. The symbolism is clear from the start, but how the filmmaker uses it throughout makes it even more captivating. By the end, that rooster isn't just a symbol; it becomes almost like a character in its own right. I won't go on about the usual themes like caste and social hierarchy, patriarchy and gender roles, tradition, superstition, personal freedom, and the many forms of female oppression by society, family, class, gender, and religion-those are all there-but the magic lies in how they're executed.

Although the movie is primarily a drama, there's comedy mixed in, along with some horror elements. The comedy feels like it comes straight from the culture itself, reflecting how the characters speak and behave. As I mentioned earlier, something scary happens midway through, and from then on, the stakes keep rising, making me feel really uncomfortable-but it's necessary for the ending. At first glance, the ending seems surprising, but it didn't take me long to figure it out for myself. It feels open-ended, but I'd argue it's not really. I won't say more about it-just watch the movie! It's great on so many levels. The acting is phenomenal; it feels almost like a documentary for most of it. There's no music at all, which isn't needed here. Not a single extra scene drags on; it never gets boring for a second! This should have been the real awards contender instead of All We Imagine As Light, which I didn't care for at all. This movie deserves way more attention-don't miss it!

It is great to see such a film being released in mainstream Tamil cinema. For the first time, I can say that I have witnessed something of international art film standards being released in mainstream cinema with good expectations among the audience. I wonder if the audience for whom this movie was made would actually be able to relish it, or rather, I ask whether they are ready to engage with the questions and thoughts this movie raises.

This movie reminds me of a Turkish film called Once Upon a Time in Anatolia. That movie isn't about the journey the characters embark on at the start, but rather about the lives of the characters that led to this journey and the lives of all the people of Anatolia. Similarly, Kottukkaali isn't about the journey these characters embark on; rather, it's about their life in their village and their customs.

Having lived in the suburbs of Madurai/Dindigul for about a year, I have closely observed the behavior of the people around here and could easily connect to so many things shown in the movie. They are portrayed accurately and beautifully.

This movie would surely be a good watch on any OTT platform while watching alone, but I am unsure if the B and C center theater audiences would actually enjoy this, in contrast to the commercial content they are accustomed to consuming.

Cinema educates you, cinema enhances your mind, cinema liberates you. Kottukkaali is good cinema. Interestingly, the English title of this movie, The Adamant Girl, adds more context to the understanding.

Kottukali many of you say is an art film, nah it's not. If you literally creating art, u mean nothing, it's more like an experimental movie. Journey of an characters, you should have release the movie in a Ott or as a short film, not a theatrical material. Coz if you creating an slow burn story buildup for around 1.15 hrs, you should give a impact climax for audience not a open ending, seriously bruh what the heck was that?, The only good factor was "soori" guy literally walk away from his comedian shade and entering and breathing hell of a fire as an main actor, just kudos to "soori". Anna ben? Yeah she's okay more of an shuttle performance, side characters or all of them are raw natural.

You all know movie was just that, but at the end u need to think i need more of that, movie should be an unique and masterpiece but they missed the main factor.

First of all, i need to address who said kottukali is a below average film, u just didnt understand this masterpiece. Cinema is not always linear and easy to understand, tats wat all cinema is all about(commercialised) more ljneant and easy to understand , tats not actually cinema. It should make you think Nd understand whats hidden in the inner beauty. That way Kottukalli is such a gem. You may wonder the whole lot of travel too much lag , tats not at all a lag, the director is telling a story every frame, u just didnt get it and not in a ready mood to take it. I loved the way he portrayed the movie and going. I wont say good story because the story is a strong message with sounding screenplay. P.s. Vinoth is truely a master. If you r still wondering whats in this film, u just watch it again and try to collect all the things again. Because if i say every twists then the film wont be intresting, the main thing about art films is that let people think and understand thi gs making many perceptions. In that way kottukali is a true master piece. Its all about soori and anna ben has killed with performances. Soori deserves a national award, more than soori the director is highly recommended. He is mind blowing. When i come to know abt the twists and turns it was seriosuly i was blown. A must watch movie never miss it out. This is real cinema . Pls do watch it available in prime.

Let's start with Soori's whirlwind of a performance, then transition to Anna Ben's big breakout. Wonderful right? Sure, why not? Let's give them the solace of performance. Now, I'll take a dramatic pause before beginning (the director certainly took a few). What on earth did I watch? Whether or not Meena was possessed, Vinothraj certainly was. With shades of Sathyajit Ray, Vinothraj promises a Pather Panchali-esque viewing experience minus the Pather Panchali.

You read that right. A lack of sympathy, heartfelt emotion, dialogue, and god forbid Vinothraj adds a soundtrack. While the themes and symbolism hit the spot from an artistic view, such a film would be best kept in an exhibition, or better yet, a museum. Promising nothing apart from a subtle twist, a few gripping scenes, and some impeccable cinematography, the film lacks substance. Of course, it'll be raved on by pseudo-cinephiles in the hopes of putting on a cultured facade, but personally, I can see through the shallow attempt at garnering praise.

Too many overhead shots of Soori simply walking, or other characters doing absolutely nothing. One must ask themselves, have the principles of Chekov's gun vanished from modern era filmmaking?

The symbols are fine, the film, however, is not.