Films that revolve around a social theme are a tight rope walk. Slip on one side you would end up being preachy and on the other side you might bombard it with too many commercial elements that dilutes the essence. Does Kaadu get the proportions correct?

Plot:

Native inhabitants of a forest area are restricted from using it’s resources by a system that unknowingly seems to support perpetrators who thrive on these very resources for their selfish gains.

A neat first half:

Everything about the first half of Kaadu is likeable. The rustic setting and the characters are nicely established. The routine of these characters that include cycling long distances to transport wood, their relationships and their hide and seek with the forest officials are nicely presented and we get to be a part of their life. Even the romantic angle does not look forced.  The conflicts at this stage look believable and we sympathize with the people who are being taken for a ride. The music and cinematography blend well to raise the aesthetics of Kaadu.

The weaker links:

When you anticipate a much more gripping narration Kaadu somehow starts falling apart a little. The jail scenes that have Samuthirakani (who plays a revolutionist whose backstory is not revealed) do not evoke or kindle the kind of emotions that it ought to. We are not sure where to point the finger at for this. Probably this is because until this jail episode Viddharth himself lives a fear free life and never steps back to question the powerful. Hence all the messages that Samuthirakani conveys to him seems redundant. The climax is rushed and a lot of things are solved too easily through a song and a fist fight. There is no sense of euphoria at the end when the hero triumphs.

Bottomline:

Kaadu is dense and arrests your attention for a major part. The final punch is what struggles and pulls down the film a little.

Rating:2.5/5