Kaantha Review: If you’ve followed Dulquer Salmaan’s career even casually, you know there’s always been this tug-of-war around him, this strange cocktail of admiration, expectation, and, honestly, a bit of insecurity from some corners of his fanbase.
When a star who’s loved this much disappears from home turf for a couple of years, people start projecting their own fears onto him. “He left us.” “He’s forgotten Malayalam cinema.” “He only does other-language films now.”
But all of this… It’s loud only on the internet.
The real audience, the one that fills theaters, cheers at his first frame, and has practically adopted him as family, is far more forgiving, far more excited to see what he tries next.
And Kaantha is exactly the kind of film that reminds you why Dulquer keeps chasing these wild, risky, artist-first stories.
I walked into this movie almost blind, just with a generic synopsis, and walked out genuinely shaken by how immersive and layered this experience was. It’s not perfect, but my god, when it works, it really works.
My Rating: 4.0/5
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Title | Kaantha |
| Language | Tamil (Dubbed in Telugu) |
| Genre | Period Drama, Psychological Drama, Investigative Thriller |
| Release Year | 2025 |
| Director | Silva Mani Silvaraj |
| Producers | Dulquer Salmaan, Rana Daggubati |
| Cast | Dulquer Salmaan (TK Mahadevan), Samuthirakani (Aya), Bhagyaraj Shree / Bhagyashree (Kumari), Rana Daggubati (Phoenix) |
| Setting | 1950s Madras film industry |
| Runtime | 2h 30m |
The Story (Without Spoilers)
We follow TK Mahadevan (Dulquer), a 1950s Madras movie star trying to reconcile with his mentor, Aya (Samuthirakani), a purist filmmaker who believes cinema is sacred and should be untouched by commercial insecurities.
They reunite for a film shoot after years of resentment and creative disagreements, and what begins as a clash of egos slowly morphs into something unexpected: a murder mystery that puts the entire crew under suspicion.
Rana Daggubati enters as Phoenix, the investigator who adds both tension and chaos to the mix.
It’s a story about ego, art, insecurity, truth, and the pressure of being “the star”— themes that strangely mirror everything Dulquer himself is navigating off-screen.
My Take — The Human, Messy Version
The first half of Kaantha might be one of the most compelling things I’ve watched this year.
There’s something electric about watching two artists who clearly loved each other at one point but now can’t stand what the other represents. Every insult is disguised as an “instruction.” Every creative choice is a passive-aggressive punch. I found myself leaning in like I was eavesdropping on a very personal argument I shouldn’t be hearing.
But, and this is where people are divided, the film shifts gears halfway.
It leaves the raw artist-versus-star drama behind for a full-blown investigation. It doesn’t fall apart, but it definitely wobbles.
The tone suddenly changes. Rana Daggubati plays Phoenix with this quirky, borderline-comedic pitch that feels like it wandered in from another movie. I didn’t hate it, but it took my brain a minute to reset.
Still, once the investigation tightens, the film pulls itself together again.
What Absolutely Worked for Me
The production design and cinematography? Ridiculous.
Easily among the most stunning visuals I’ve seen this year.
Danny Sanchez Lopez, my god, this man uses mirrors, shadows, and shifting aspect ratios like they’re characters in the story. There are sequences where the film jumps from color to black-and-white, and instead of feeling showy, it tells you exactly where you are emotionally.
As someone who loves films about filmmaking, think Luck By Chance or Kaagaz Ke Phool, this movie hits that sweet spot. That old-school aura, that mystique around movie stars, that era before interviews, vlogs, and Instagram… It’s almost heartbreaking to realize how much magic we’ve lost.
And speaking of magic, Bhagya Shri is luminous in this film. There are shots where she looks like she stepped out of a frame from a 1940s classic. Graceful, controlled, and quietly powerful. I genuinely hope she gets more roles like this and fewer loud, forgettable commercial ones.
Samuthirakani as Aya? Pitch-perfect. He carries the arrogance, the hurt, the pride of an artist who believes purity has been corrupted.
And Dulquer… this might not be his single best performance, but it’s easily among his most layered.
There’s ego.
There’s insecurity.
There’s charm.
There’s fear.
He taps into Chaplin-esque physical comedy, shifts into melodramatic 50s delivery, then slips back into modern vulnerability—all without cracking the illusion.
Also Read: De De Pyaar De 2 Review – The Sequel That Forgot Its Own Hero
Where the Film Stumbles
Let’s be real: recreating 1950s Madras is no small feat.
Interior sets? Beautiful.
Exterior shots? The CGI is… not it.
There were moments where I was pulled out of the movie because the backdrop looked like a screensaver from a mid-budget TV show. It reminded me of those old films where the actors sit in a stationary car while a projected road moves behind them.
Also, the transition to a murder whodunit feels a bit abrupt.
Not bad, just sudden.
You miss the artistic duel so much that the tonal shift takes time to settle.
Why This Film Hit Me Personally
Beyond the story, beyond the visuals, Kaantha captured something I didn’t expect: nostalgia for wonder. There was a time when films weren’t content dumps and stars weren’t algorithms.
Surprise existed, Mystery existed, Distance existed.
This movie reminded me of that era, its charm, its flaws, its magic. And that hit me harder than I expected.
Good & Bad in Kaantha
| What Worked | What Didn’t |
|---|---|
| Dulquer’s layered, ego-filled, vulnerable performance | CGI outdoor shots feel cheap and distracting |
| Mesmerizing cinematography and mirrors-as-metaphor | Tonal shift to murder mystery is abrupt |
| Samuthirakani’s grounded, intense mentor role | Rana’s quirky pitch may not land for everyone |
| Gorgeous production design, old-world charm | Pace dips in the middle |
| Emotional subtext about art vs. stardom | People expecting a “mass” film will be confused |
Final Thoughts on Kaantha
Kaantha isn’t a crowd-pleaser. It isn’t designed to make everyone clap in unison. It’s a film for people who love cinema, cinema with tension, ego, artistry, and mess., Cinema that fights with itself., Cinema that asks for patience but rewards you for paying attention.
If you go in expecting a glossy star vehicle, you’ll walk out annoyed., If you go in ready to watch an actor push himself into uncomfortable, fascinating zones—you’re in for something special. Either way, Dulquer didn’t “leave” Malayalam cinema., He just outgrew the box some people wanted him to stay in.
And honestly? Thank god for that.