'Kanmani Rambo Khatija', the Telugu-dubbed version of 'Kaathuvaakula Rendu Kaadhal', hit the cinemas today.
Story
Rambo is the epitome of bad luck. Soon after he was born, his mother fell terminally sick. If he befriends someone, things go haywire for the person. A cabbie by the day and a bouncer at a pub by the night, Rambo impresses Kanmani and Khatija with his innocence. They both fall in love with him. Before he knows, Rambo is in the middle of a triangular love story. Who will he end up marrying? Can the two women change his bad luck and turn it into permanent good luck?
Performances
Vijay Sethupathi is enjoyable in many scenes, although his dubbing is far from being fine. The 'Uppena' and 'Sye Raa' actor is remarkable in one of the scenes where he says much the same thing to Kanmani and Khatija in a comical turn of events. His ease is enjoyable but not consistently wow.
Between Nayanthara and Samantha Ruth Prabhu, it is the latter who looks more at ease with the quirky universe of the film. Sam brings to the table the charm of her 'Oh! Baby' act here and there. Nayan is glamorous and barely makes us root for her character of a kind-natured woman who is looking for a suitable groom.
Prabhu has the role of a TV show anchor. Former cricketer Sreesanth plays Sam's boyfriend who gets a rap on the knuckles.
Technical aspects
The film's cinematography (by SR Kathir and Vijay Karthik Kannan) is functional at best. There is no wow factor in terms of visuals. Anirudh Ravichander's music is peppy but it sounds routine at times. Ganesh Acharya's dance choreography doesn't redeem the songs, one of which involves the three main leads. Dilip Subbarayan's action choreography is a non-serious affair.
The editing department has been forced to mess it up. Director Vignesh Shivan lets the first half go on and on for 125 minutes. It is deeply frustrating after a point.
Analysis
After an overlong first half, 'KRK' attempts to double down on its quirky comedy. But the nature of this comedy was known (at least, we had a hint of it) even before the film came out. The film's trailer revealed that Rambo is a two-timer who is torn between Kanmani and Khatija. How cute the jokes are is what matters.
Unfortunately, the humour turns out to be flat after a point. The very many unfamiliar artists add to the audience's lack of interest. The Tamil nativity is pronounced, especially in the way the mother-son sentiment plays out.
The scenes involving the three main leads should have been the craziest. But the immense talent of the actors is squandered away by a mix of corny writing where Badam indicates wedding and Pista indicates pre-martial sex. What the film offers is Poha entertainment, though.
The reveal about Rambo's mental status can be seen coming miles away. Nobody would believe that a male lead would have two rare features to his characterization. One of them has to be a lie.
Amid all the chaos, 'KRK' has time for a tragedy song as well as a glitzy number involving the three leads. It attempts to give a new definition to the idea of companionship without making anything of emotional value.
Probably, the film's lead actors should have been a younger set of actors cast as fickle-minded 20-something chaps. The tone of the drama is off-putting and uneven because of the high expectations the casting provokes.
Closing Remarks
'KRK' is a lost opportunity. Even if you like idiosyncratic characterizations and quirky rom-coms, watch it with below-par expectations.
