KAANEKKAANE (2021)

Critic No. 242

Director: Manu Ashokan

Written by: Bobby Sanjay

Produced by: Dreamkatcher

Casts: Suraj Venjarmoodu, Tovino Thomas, Aishwarya Lekshmi, Shruthi Ramachandran

Music: Ranjin Raj

Language: Malayalam

Genre: Drama, Thriller

SYNOPSIS: 

Paul’s daughter Sherin is no more and her husband Allen has remarried. When he visits the new couple, who is also taking care of his grandson, a few doubts pop up in his mind, regarding his daughter’s death.

REVIEW:

Losing our loved ones in a freak accident is everyone's worst nightmare. The suddenness of the tragic event can be unbearable and even change our course of life. Kaanekkaane focuses on such emotion and incident with dwelling into various perspectives. 

Paul (Suraj Venjaramoodu), a deputy tahsildar, is still grappling with the death of his daughter Sherin (Sruthy Ramachandran), who was married to Allen (Tovino Thomas). The couple also has a little son, Kuttu. Allen goes on to marry Sneha (Aishwarya Lekshmi), who cares for Kuttu like her own son. But, when Paul visits them for the first time after a year of Sherin’s death, he is troubled to see how they have all moved on in such a short span. With sharp tension in the air at all times, the story moves on to unveil a few revelations, giving way for guilt and vengeance to engulf the characters slowly. 

No doubt that Kaanekkane is an emotional roller coaster ride throughout, exploring the similar tragedy through the eyes of a bunch of imperfect characters involved, through its expertly crafted, mysterious, non-linear narrative. I really loved how the director had created such a close bond between Suraj and Tovino Thomas roles and how the tragedy flips that bond mercilessly.

There are no distinct bad or good people in the film. All of the characters are flawed. The beauty of Bobby and Sanjay’s writing lies in how the film manages to make us feel for each of them. Even though the plot had lots of potential to turn into a melodrama, the deft writing and controlled performances ensure that the story scores high on realism. With an unshaven look, dull eyes and lean body, Tovino Thomas expresses his grief and guilt brilliantly more with his appearance than dialogues. Aishwarya Lekshmi superbly underplays her complex role as Sneha. While she managed to get a life to put an end to her loneliness, her marraige soon pushes her back to her turmoil. Again, the role had the most scope to go over the line but Aishwarya aces it beautifully. 

The main show stealer is undoubtedly Suraj who grips every single scene he is in. Paul’s dream of having a happy retired life is shattered and life demands him to overcome a big hurdle. Internally and externally he fights through his battle. Suraj stings our heart with his eyes and till the end he sustains the essence of his character well. It is really nice to see an actor, who rose to fame as a comedian in the past, pushing his scale up by trying more and more challenging, realistic roles. I hope Suraj continues this winning streak!

Kaanakkaane will definitely leave you all welled up with its relatability (watch out for the heart sinking climax). It might even push you to reflect on your own questionable actions and embrace the imperfections of life. 

VERDICT:

Kaanekkaane is a genuine, thrilling drama that plunges deeply into raw human emotions and flaws, with air tight mystery and riveting performances. 

CELLULOID METER- 4/5: