It has been a while since we saw Arya on the silver screen. He is back after a gap of more than a year, with Kadamban, which has hit the screens on this Tamil New Year (April 14th).
If you had seen the trailer of Kadamban and if you have guessed the plotline of the film, congrats to you. You haven’t gone wrong. The film is all about the battle between a group of villagers in a forest, headed by Arya and a corporate business tycoon. Though the story might not be something new, the treatment and the visual experience, give you a good feel throughout.
The director has taken some extra time to establish the characters (people of Kadambavanam). Right after the first song, the film starts to travel on the path of the core plot, and there aren’t many deviations. When the story takes place in a forest backdrop, animals are a must, and the director has wisely used them, wherever required. The climax sequence, involving a herd of elephants, is shot in such a way that it is convincing. Kudos to the entire team for pulling off that! The film’s subtle emotions about human relationships are dealt well, but a section of an audience might find it melodramatic.
Thankfully, there aren’t any love portions in the second half, that definitely would have hindered the pace of the already averagely engaging film. The screenplay lacked intensity, was predictable, including the small twist towards the climax. There are a few worries here and there, but on the whole, it doesn’t look that bad, as a film.
This movie looks to be Arya’s forte. The transformation of his chocolate boy look to a beefed up, muscular man is good and his stunt moves are extremely well done. He easily fits the bill. Catherine’s performance has been decent enough. Though there aren’t any romance in the latter half of the movie, she does have some screen time. Aadukalam Murugadass, Super Subbarayan, and the Kadambavanam people do what is expected of them. The villain, Deepraj Rana definitely could have been much better.
The biggest pillar of the film is its visuals, by S.R.Sathish Kumar, which are spectacular. The aerial shots, which showcase the scenic beauty of the forest and its surroundings are a visual treat to watch out for. The colour pattern is also maintained throughout the film. The songs lack Yuvan’s touch, but the background score makes up for it, to an extent. Dev’s editing could have been used more precisely, as there are a lot of fill up shots, which aren’t of much value to the film. Had the Kodangi song and few other scenes been chopped off, we would get a more engaging film. The VFX is average, but with better production value and budget, that could have been done better.
Executing a film based on forests, animals, and nature, needs immense clarity and dedication, and director Ragava has handled that with care. He hasn’t experimented anything new but has tried his best to give an emotional action entertainer with the given budget.
