Love and anger collide in Sameer Thahir’s Kali, which is based on the thought’anger can rival treachery in a marriage’. It shows how your own ire can be your undoing. Siddharth is one tough kid who unleashes his fury at the slightest of provocations. Though he is aware, weary and confused about the issue from childhood, such outbursts continue to be a part of his daily life.
Over the years, it runs deep inside him. None of it affects his relationship with Anjali, who marries him straight after college. Be it his home or workplace, Siddharth lands in a situation or two where his temper flares. Anjali, who forgives easily, and a quick-to-apologise Siddharth work things out one at a time. But as the story goes, you realize love isn’t enough all the time.
Though often punctuated with Sidharth’s amity and anger, the first half is light-hearted. The movie assumes a dark mood and grey characters crawl in during the second half, and trouble brews with his anger. The background theme gives vent to the protagonist’s anger, sprinkles romance and brings out a host of emotions, even despair. It seems as if Gopi Sunder’s chenda beats light up Siddharth’s’kali’.
Dulquer Salman is quite convincing, without excess drama. The action scenes showcase his attitude and style. Sai Pallavi easily slips into her role and her efforts to converse in Malayalam is appreciable, but inept at certain moments. The duo share an amazing on-screen chemistry. Chemban Vinod, Soubin Shahir and Vinayakan merit a mention for their sheer performance.
That said, the note on which Kali ends isn’t impressive. The repetition of scenes at certain junctures - though weaved in probably for the ease of understanding - could have been paced better. Kali doesn’t bother to bank on the turn of events to show any impact on the protagonist, which is slightly puzzling.