Kaali is an intense thriller starring Prince and Naresh Agastya in the lead roles. The trailer has generated significant interest. Directed by Siva Sesh, the film was released on October 4. Let’s dive into what this movie has to offer.
Story: Shivaram (Prince) finds life as a man too challenging and decides to end it all by committing suicide. However, Kali (Naresh Agastya) steps in to prevent Shivaram’s attempt. What are the struggles Shivaram is facing? Why does he want to take his own life? And how does Kali manage to stop him? These questions form the core of the story in Kaali.
Performances: Naresh Agastya continues to impress with each new film, showcasing his growing talent. His ability to fully embody a character, his sharp and expressive eye movements, and his delivery of intense dialogues are all testaments to his acting skills. With the right role and a strong film, he has the potential to become a star actor. On the other hand, Prince’s appearance gives the impression that the film feels dated. While he didn’t seem to put much effort into his performance, Naresh outshines him on screen.
Technical Aspects: Ramana Jagarlamudi’s cinematography stands out as one of the few technical highlights of the film. The framing during the conversations between Naresh Agastya and Prince is well-executed. Particularly, the camera angles capturing Naresh Agastya’s expressions provide a notable cinematic experience. Jeevan Babu’s (JB) background score is the film’s strongest asset, enhancing every emotion and twist with finesse. The production design and artwork in the film were good.
Analysis: Director Shiva Sesh attempted to bring a fresh perspective to a simple story. While the central idea is commendable, the visual execution falls short of being engaging. Despite the film’s short runtime of one and a half hours, the inclusion of an unnecessary song dragged the pacing. There was no need for the songs in the film in the first place.
If more depth had been added to Prince’s character and the dynamic between him and Kali was more gripping, the film would have had greater appeal. When it comes to films that have a strong concept, the execution becomes crucial. Sometimes budget constraints affect the presentation, and other times the composition of scenes may falter.
Unfortunately, both issues affected Kaali. Budget limitations impacted the VFX, and the scene composition missed the mark, leading to some potentially strong moments being wasted. Prince is a talented actor but is sadly choosing bad films. Let’s hope that he makes a comeback stronger. On the other hand, Naresh Agastya is improving with each film of his and makes his presence felt in the film.
Verdict: Overall, Kali is a film that has an idea but is not executed properly. Though the film has a few standout moments, its overall quality is not that great and ends as a disappointment at the box office.
Bottom Line: Nothing New
Rating: 2/5
