Kadha Innuvare movie review: Biju Menon and Methil Devika’s film presents four underdeveloped love stories hampered by outdated execution

Must Read | Kishkindha Kandam movie review: Asif Ali, Aparna Balamurali-starrer is a brilliantly written, skillfully crafted mystery drama

As the movie begins, we meet Ramachandran (Biju Menon), an unmarried middle-aged man working as a peon in a government office. Leading a monotonous and uneventful life, his only solace is his circle of friends, with whom he often gets together to have drinks. However, his life takes a turn when Lekshmi (Methil Devika) arrives as his new superior and the two gradually grow closer. As this story develops, writer-director Vishnu introduces us to three more love stories, adopting a parallel narrative structure. While one has a schoolboy developing a crush on his classmate, another follows a young Leftist party activist (Anu Mohan) falling in love with Uma (Nikhila Vimal), a woman from a savarna caste. The third story focuses on a man in his thirties (Hakkim Shahjahan) who forms a romantic relationship with a sex worker, Nazeema (Anusree), and their efforts to overcome societal obstacles.

Despite having four different love stories — almost as though one for each phase of life — Kadha Innuvare fails to resonate emotionally, largely due to its weak screenplay and outdated execution. One of the film’s major shortcomings is its lack of character development as not a single person is fully fleshed out, resulting in a sense of superficiality. The choice to reveal the connection between the four stories only at the film’s conclusion also proves to be a poor artistic decision, leaving the central character of Ramachandran coming across as underdeveloped.

Watch Kadha Innuvare’s trailer here:

At the same time, the film struggles to transition smoothly between the different storylines. Often, the emotional tone of one and the next are completely opposite, leaving viewers little time to process their feelings for the characters, let alone empathise with them. The focus of the film generally shifts between only two storylines at a time, making it seem as though the others are almost forgotten. The narrative progression, subplots and making style frequently give the impression of watching a ’90s movie or a Malayalam TV serial, where dialogues dominate and little attention is given to other crucial elements like the visual language, character development, scene cohesion, layers etc.

Other than the love story between the schoolchildren, none of the stories leave a lasting impression and even the former cannot be dubbed as absolutely novel as it could remind one of director C Prem Kumar’s ’96 (2018), starring Vijay Sethupathi and Trisha Krishnan. While the storyline involving Hakkim and Anusree had the potential to explore a love that defies societal norms, its blatantly Islamophobic undertones prevent it from the same. Despite the seemingly progressive portrayal of a Muslim woman being unapologetic about her job as a sex worker and a man who loves her regardless of societal expectations here, the film’s anti-minority politics becomes clear when contrasted with its depiction of Hindus, temples and Hindu symbols in other parts of the movie. A scene that glorifies Uma’s father, a Brahmin man (Siddique), and his monologue about the hardships he faced raising her as a single parent, thus emotionally manipulating her into practising endogamy, highlights the same. Toward the end of this storyline, Anu’s character discards the cross necklace he always wears — a moment that, while seemingly representing his loss of faith in god, when considered alongside Ramachandran living near the Padmanabhaswamy temple, takes on a different connotation. This becomes even more crucial when analysed in tandem with the ending of the schoolchildren’s storyline.

Kadha Innuvare also struggles to transition smoothly between the different storylines. (Image: Vishnu/Facebook)

ICYMI | Ajayante Randam Moshanam movie review: A landmark film in Tovino Thomas’ career

Kadha Innuvare’s character inconsistencies are also glaring, especially in the case of Uma. Initially, she opposes violence, intervening when Anu’s character beats up someone on his party’s orders. Yet, soon after, she seeks help from the same Leftist party to manhandle a man who has been harassing her friend. Other characters, from Lekshmi’s daughter and brother to the schoolboy’s father, are similarly underdeveloped.

Among the cast, only Anusree delivers a noteworthy performance, showing an effort to bring some depth to her character. Methil Devika’s ineptness as an actor (Kadha Innuvare is the renowned classical dancer’s debut movie) is visible throughout the film with none of the emotions Lekshmi experiences coming across properly. Although Jomon T John’s cinematography occasionally stands out, it never truly elevates the film and Shameer Muhammed’s editing is unable to save it from sinking. Ashwin Aryan’s music, too, ends up being forgettable.

Kadha Innuvare movie cast: Biju Menon, Nikhila Vimal, Anusree, Methil Devika
Kadha Innuvare movie director: Vishnu Mohan
Kadha Innuvare movie rating: 1.5 stars