Film- Katchikkaran
Director- P.Iyyappan
Cast- Vijith Saravanan, Swetha Dorothy,Sivasenathipathi, Appukutty, A.R. Thenali, Marudhu Pandian, Jawahar,Vijay Gautham, C.N. Prabhakaran ,Vincent Rai.
A film with a political backdrop, it explores the relationship between a leader of a political outfit and a grass root level worker, and depicts the consequences when the trust is broken. Elements like, survival tactics used by politicians, emotional manipulation of workers by the higher ups in the party, sycophancy, defections, and the disillusionment that sets in when a selfless worker realises that he had been emotionally manipulated and taken for a ride, form part of the scenario. The director’s second venture, this is a far better fare than his debut film ‘Dhoni Kabaddi Kuzhu’..
After essaying brief roles in various films and a villain in the director’s earlier film, Vijith gets to play the lead role of Saravanan a devoted selfless worker of a political party. Saravanan’s hunt for a bride included a crucial clause, that the girl should be affiliated to his party, other factors like caste or religion no bar. Running a mechanic workshop and spending his own money for party affairs, he doesn’t take it to heart when his party chief (Sivasenathipathi) cancels events in his area at the last minute leaving Saravanan in the lurch. Far removed from the conventional looks of a hero, Vijith (film’s co-producer too) fits in suitably as the simple innocent Saravanan. It’s what happens when the mask slips and Saravanan discovers his leader’s true colours.
The concept is refreshing, the screenplay is neatly etched and the story telling has a smooth flow. The dialogues are well written, meaningful and pertinent. A political film normally takes jibes at political parties and politicians. But here the director while making a commentary on the political situation, has refrained from indulging in personal jibes at any individual or party and has depicted a general scenario viewers can relate to. But one does get the feel that had the director cast more experienced actors in crucial roles, it would have worked to the film’s advantage and enhanced its appeal.
‘Katchikkaran’ delivers much more than what one would have expected from a small budgeted film, which has no big names to boast of either in its cast or technical crew.
Malini Mannath
Malini Mannath 