Kaatru Veliyidai: A painting!

Director: Mani Ratnam
Cast: Karthi, Aditi Rao Hydari, RJ Balaji, Rukmini Vijay Kumar, Shraddha Srinath
Music: A.R. Rahman

Compact yet, sophisticatedly packed, Kaatru Veliyidai is a visual treat to every cinephile out there. It is said to be a classical love story but isn’t treated like one, to be honest. Set in the late 1990s, almost at the end of the 20th century, it portrays the intricacies of a military-civilian love story beautifully. VC (Karthi), a fighter pilot recalls his lover, Dr. Leela Abraham (Aditi Rao Hydari) when he is imprisoned by the Pakistani army during the Kargil war. An air force pilot and a doctor fall in love, but their contrasting personalities, especially his self-centredness, keep their relationship tense. It’s during such grave danger, he realizes that it’s his love for Leela that keeps him alive and values her more for what she is.

Despite the urban, ManiRatnam-esque writing, it is Ravi Varman (cinematographer)  who elevates the story to another level. His third eye captures the poetic sense in every frame (Literally!!) Nobody could have shown Srinagar better! (Hats off). The narration technique is similar to the back-and-forth narrative used in Alaipayuthe.

Aditi’s screen presence is absolutely stunning in every possible way. Karthi, who looks demented at times, has surprised us all but not convincingly enough. During certain moments, he tries to emote too hard and ends up looking ridiculous.  Aditi Rao Hydari portrays Dr. Leela with so much subtlety and carries the film delicately on her shoulders. Actors like Delhi Ganesh, KPAC Lalita have been underused. Personally, I really loved the character Dr. Nidhi, played by Rukmini Vijaykumar.

Like some of Mani Ratnam’s recent films, Kaatru Veliyidai feels abstracted, as though there was an entire story and then pages were ripped off and now it’s up to us to join the dots in our head. (Baradwaj Rangan, Film Companion)

A. R. Rahman, blows you away with his compositions (like always), especially during the action sequences. Even after 25 years, Mani Ratnam- A.R. Rahman together create magic on the screen and leave you spellbound.

Costumes, visuals, choreography, production design, background score, and dialogues are impeccable. But, a sense of rhythm or the gripping factor, however, is missing. For a general cinema goer, the film drains his/her patience and leaves them craving for more, only to be disappointed in the end. It’s Ravi Varman’s vision that keeps the audience going. Mani Ratnam, I think, may have slightly disappointed his fans but as always, this love story leaves us yearning for our VC/Leela to arrive.

Final Verdict- Kaatru Veliyidai is a great contribution to cinema but just a satisfactory movie to an average viewer.

P.S. VC is an extension of Inba from Aaytha Ezhuthu? Maybe, maybe not.