Review: Kaari

The film, which showcases Jallikattu in all its glory, underlines the bond of trust and love that exists between humans and animals and stresses on the need for humans to live up to the trust that animals place in them.

Kaari film still

Film: Kaari
Director: M Hemanth
Cast: Sasikumar, Balaji Sakthivel, Parvathy Arun, Aadukalam Naren, Ammu Abhirami, J D Chakravarthy and others
Music: D Imman
Cinematography: Ganesh Chandra
Rating: 3.5 stars

Director Hemanth’s ‘Kaari’ is a gripping emotional thriller that keeps you hooked to the screen from start to finish.

The film, which showcases Jallikattu in all its glory, underlines the bond of trust and love that exists between humans and animals and stresses on the need for humans to live up to the trust that animals place in them.

The story is refreshingly new and begins in the city where Sasikumar and his dad, Aadukalam Naren, work for a wealthy businessman who fancies horse racing. Sasikumar is a jockey while his dad, Naren, takes care of the stables and the animals in them.

Naren, who practises Ahimsa, is a kind-hearted soul who believes in living up to the trust that an animal places in a human. However, Sasikumar is someone who is more “practical” than his dad and treats animals for what they are to him — just animals.

It is under these circumstances that one day, Sasikumar chooses to throw away a race to help a fellow jockey win. Sasikumar does it in the belief that the win will fetch the fellow jockey a huge sum of money which he requires for the treatment of his ailing wife and daughter.

However, Sasikumar’s owner does not take to the loss kindly and ends up shooting the horse, which should have ideally won the race.

The development shocks Sasikumar’s dad so much that he suffers a cardiac arrest and dies on the spot. These deaths have a profound impact Sasikumar and he struggles to come to terms with these losses.

Even as he mourns the loss of his dad and his horse, people from his native place arrive seeking a solution to their problem.A reluctant Sasikumar initially refuses to even listen to their problems but then fate has other plans and he eventually goes back to his native place along with them.

What is the problem about which the village headman had come to see him? How does Sasikumar overcome the problem? Who is causing the problem and how does Sasikumar handle him? Kaari gives you the answers to all these questions.

Director Hemanth comes up with a refreshingly new script that is a little dramatic but at the same time which strongly underlines the bond that exists between animals and humans.

He tells an engaging story and through it makes an attempt to showcase the significance of rituals, practices and festivals.

Sasikumar is tailor-made for this role and plays the part with elan. Sasikumar excels in the part and looks very convincing.

Parvathy Arun, who plays the female lead, delivers a commendable performance as the daughter of Balaji Sakthivel, a poor farmer, who is raising a Kaari bull for Jallikattu. Her performance is so convincing that there is no way that one would get to know that this is just her debut film.

Balaji Sakthivel, as the poor farmer who has to sell his dear bull for the sake of getting his daughter married, wins hearts. The ace director, who has delivered several critically acclaimed films, shines as an actor as well in this one.

On the technical front, D Imman’s music is simply outstanding. Be it the songs or the background score, Imman rocks. ‘Kaari’ will easily be among the best works of Imman.

On the whole, Kaari is an engaging watch that delivers a significant social message.