Kaantha Movie Review- Tamil (2025)

Movie: Kaantha (2025)

Director: Selvamani Selvaraj

Production: Wayfarerl Films & Spirit Films 

Cast: Dulquer Salmaan, Samuthirakani, Bhagyasri, Rana Daggubati & Others

Music: Jhanu Chanther & Jakes Bejoy

Editor: Anthony & Gonsalves 

Cinematography: Dani

Language: Tamil & Telugu

Release Date: 14/11/2025

Censor: U/A

1.5/5

"Struck in Past, Drowned in  Melodrama & Movie Lost in Time"

01. About Kaantha.

The recent release Tamil & Telugu entertainer 'Kaantha' featuring the veteran Dulquer Salmaan & Samuthirakani in lead roles opposite to each other has created an hype but from frame 1 itself the film terribly fails in execution. 

Kaantha is an old age drama or I can term it a - theatre melodrama that by mistake made it's way to big screens. It is all about two persons - TK Mahadevan by DQ & Ayya by Samuthirakani set in 1950s Madras Modern Studios who have indulged themselves in ego clashes with petty fights to serious allegations untill killing each other or framing any of them as murderers by killing somebody else & ironically who once upon a time were 'Teacher-Disciple' duo. I don't want to talk much about plot as there isn't any much either too. Simply if not exaggerating it's literally a 2.5hrs+ pain in head. 

02. What went wrong with Kaantha?

A better question might be: what actually went well? Kaantha feels hopelessly outdated, burdened by sluggish content and loaded with melodrama. The director clearly wanted to make a period film — understood. But honestly, who asked for this?

The entire first half sits in the 1950s, revolving around ego clashes between the director and the hero, with the heroine stuck uncomfortably between the two. The second half isn’t any better, slipping into a dull investigation drama led by Rana Daggubati that never manages to grip.

I understand the limitations and the appeal of an art film or a period film. I’m not someone who dislikes the genre — we all enjoy Maayabazar, Missamma/Missiamma, Gundamma Katha/Manithan Maravillai — but this is definitely not that film, nor is it even 10% of what the recent Mahanati achieved.

Simply put, it’s an exaggeration gone wrong. The film is packed with unbearable melodrama and a heavy dose of theatre-style acting that doesn’t fit the cinematic space. It genuinely feels like a stage play meant for theatre, accidentally screened in cinemas. From the frames to the acting to the execution, everything is outdated — which the film is, of course, bound to be — but none of that translates into even a flicker of interest or makes it a breezy experience.

03. Performances & other concerns. 

Dulquer Salmaan as TK Mahadevan delivers a compelling performance, though not uniformly strong. The film leans heavily into his theatre-style intensity, which works in parts but turns overly melodramatic in several key moments. In the deeper emotional stretches—where he must break down or show raw vulnerability—his performance feels slightly forced, suggesting that these were among the tougher scenes for him. And for the first time as someone who genuinely admires his work, I found myself feeling disconnected from his portrayal—perhaps more a reflection of the film’s tiring execution than his own talent.

Bhagyasri, as Kumari, gets a substantial role and performs steadily, though the overwhelming melodrama in the writing restricts her impact. Samuthirakani, as Ayya, remains consistently strong and is easily the film’s most grounded presence, even if his performance can’t completely uplift the weak material. Rana Daggubati, as Phoenix, fits the part and does justice to it, but the heightened theatricality and method-style exaggerations occasionally trigger unintended humour instead of emotional depth—especially for today’s audience.

Beyond the performances, the film struggles in its overall execution. The editing is uneven, and the background score and music emerge as notable drawbacks. Dani’s cinematography, however, is a bright spot—successfully recreating the texture and mood of a black-and-white 1950s film and visually grounding the period setting even when the narrative falters.

04. So finally?

I didn’t like the film. The overwhelming melodrama made it feel endlessly tiring, and despite one’s affinity or indifference toward the genre, such a dull and feeble execution makes the three-hour experience difficult to sit through. My honest recommendation: this is better suited for an OTT viewing, not a theatrical one.

It also leaves me wondering why the director chose to adapt what feels like a stage play into a feature film. It might have worked far better as a theatre production—or even as a series—than as a full-length movie.

In the end, Kaantha simply didn’t work for me.