‘Kaithi’ review: An engrossing, poignant thriller

Director Lokesh Kanagaraj proves that ‘Maanagaram’ was not just a flash in the pan. ‘Kaithi’, his sophomore film, emphasises the talent of this young filmmaker who takes you on a thrilling adventure one night. With its engrossing screenplay, and hinged around a little girl, ‘Kaithi’ leaves you teary eyed.

Setting rolling ‘Kaithi’ is police officer Bejoy (Narain) who confiscates a consignment of cocaine. The joy of the police force is short-lived when during a celebration party, all the policemen except Bijoy — who did not drink that night — find themselves unconscious.

It now becomes Bejoy’s mission to transport the policemen to a hospital before it is too late. Bejoy is handicapped himself with his hand in a sling and the only available vehicle an old rickety truck. When Bejoy finds no one capable of driving the lorry, he summons a prisoner Dilli (Karthi) who has been brought into the station.

Kanagaraj’s script gets moving quickly once the lorry hits the road. Every movement of the lorry is closely monitored by the cocaine gang who are close on their heels to kill Bejoy and the team. Meanwhile their leader, Anbu (Arjun Das) is trying to retrieve the confiscated drugs and also rescue his older brother — the kingpin of the gang — now behind bars.

Amidst all this turbulence is a little girl waiting eagerly at an orphanage, unable to sleep a wink that night with the knowledge about an unknown visitor coming to meet her the next morning.

Kanagaraj’s writing is brilliant as he builds the story, with five college students including a young woman who find themselves locked inside a police headquarters along with a constable (George Maryan) to wage a war with a drug gang.

The fast-paced narration keeps you hooked. Karthi’s mass-appeal image gets whipped up with larger-than-life action sequences.

Kanagaraj does not take viewers on flashback mode to narrate Dilli’s past, ensuring that the audience is not distracted and they stay with the night’s events.

After playing a tough police officer in an earlier film, ‘Theeran Adhigaram Ondru,’ Karthi slips on the shoes of a prisoner. He is terrific and continues on his exploration as a performer who has stretched a good range of dramatic muscles, pushing his boundaries since his debut.

Supporting him well is Narain who does tight rope walking as Bejoy goes through a wide range of emotions.

Making the audience sit up is Arjun Das, making an impressive debut as Anbu. George Maryan plays constable Napoleon who on reporting for work at the police headquarters finds himself caught in an unusual situation.

Child actor Monika wins hearts. Playing the little girl waiting for her father, she makes you invest in her character and leaves you in tears when the curtains fall.

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Don’t miss it!

‘Kaithi’ is now showing across the UAE.