Kottukkaali review: A masterful example of visual storytelling, anchored by stellar performances from Anna Ben and Soori

PS Vinothraj’s second film, Kottukkaali, echoes his acclaimed debut—Koozhangal (Pebbles; 2021)—inviting comparisons due to its raw, poignant storytelling and use of lesser-known actors for added realism. Like Koozhangal, Kottukkaali embodies pure cinema, which affects us. The film’s setting is vividly brought to life through the interactions and dialogue of its characters.

Kottukkaali features lingering frames, single-shot sequences, and ambient sound over traditional music, blurring the lines between reality and fiction. Meena (Anna Ben) is revealed to have been in love with someone other than her fiancé Pandi (Soori Muthuchamy). The film opens with her praying to a deity before dawn, setting a tone of desperation intertwined with faith. She appears in a zombie-like state as her lips move in a silent prayer, leaving us to question who or what this prayer is meant for.

Meena’s distress and silence lead her family to believe she is possessed, prompting a journey to a temple to drive away the supposed evil. The men ride motorcycles, while the women—along with Meena, a young boy, and an aggressive rooster—are cramped in a rickshaw.

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Of metaphors and a compelling narrative

Meena is portrayed as a caged bird, symbolised by a rooster tethered to a stone, bringing to the fore her helplessness. The film begins with a sense of something amiss, though specifics are unclear.

Kottukkaali is a “road movie,” tracking characters as they journey from one location to another. Vinothraj uses unbroken shots to meticulously capture their movements or stillness, creating mood and texture before they even speak.

Meena remains mostly silent, contrasting with Pandi’s incessant speaking despite his gruff voice. Vinothraj highlights Meena’s choice of silence as a form of resilience, while Pandi’s constant need to be heard shows his rage.

A scene reveals Pandi’s bruised ego when he sees Meena lip-syncing to “Othaiyadi Paadhayila”, (the song is from Sivakarthikeyan’s production venture Kanaa, released in 2018) triggering a violent reaction. This moment showcases Meena’s plight and hints at her life before Pandi.

After a brutal fight, we see Meena adjusting her hair and smiling at her reflection in the auto mirror, remaining calm despite the chaos. Her silence, more impactful than any noise, personifies her strength.

Eventually, we see a tranquil river flowing, unaffected by the turmoil, symbolising the “calm after the storm”. It almost makes us sense how fleeting our worries are.

Kottukkaali delves into patriarchal norms and personal beliefs, exploring rural India and our minds. At one point, Pandi apologises to other men for his violence, showing that even unpredictable characters can display tenderness.

The film employs metaphoric imagery, like a housefly bothering Pandi and a rooster feigning death, to illustrate nature’s supremacy over humanity.

Vinothraj presents a day in the life of a dysfunctional family in Kottukkaali, delivering a deliciously made film with no notable missteps. The filmmaker occupies a distinctive place in Tamil cinema, where his tales of human suffering are not morbid or cerebral but deeply humane and refreshingly candid.

Also Read: Soori says Kottukkaali is a mainstream film focused on content

From the insider’s perspective

Kottukkaali challenges viewers to confront their prejudices through a non-traditional narrative of micro-stories. The film presents a mosaic of shots capturing everyday poetry, each image offering a reminder of a larger context.

Like Koozhangal, Kottukkaali exhibits the small but profound tragedies, faced by women, in rural Tamil Nadu, often imposed by men. A scene where a young girl retrieves a bull blocked by men illustrates the power dynamics and the men’s egos being figuratively bowed.

Although the story is remarkably simple, the film features many such nuanced details, effectively adding depth and commentary without heavy statements.

Combining comedy, road movie, and family drama, Kottukkaali also serves as a collection of landscape images telling a story. Vinothraj’s focus on atmospheric details allows the subject to fade into the background, culminating in a long, dialogue-free segment that beautifully ponders life’s struggles.

Vinothraj’s debut, Koozhangal, was marked by minimal dialogue. In contrast, Kottukkaali features a larger cast with some overly explanatory scenes, such as a direct mention of one of Pandi’s sisters menstruating. The film invites contemplation of societal imbalances and daily inequities from an insider’s viewpoint.

The camera focuses on Meena’s watchful eyes, offering a passive observation of her side of the story. Anna Ben shines with her mostly restrained expression, while Soori’s portrayal of Pandi stands out prominently.

Despite mouthing a few lines, Anna Ben’s defiance and determination are evident in every frame. The film’s final stretch is particularly astounding. They say the simplest things are often the hardest to capture, and that rings true for Vinothraj’s film. Its emotional depth comes from its authentic writing, bolstered by Anna Ben’s strong performance.

#Kottukkaali is all yours from today. See you all at the theaters. 👍 Thank you 🙏 pic.twitter.com/gkzgKPpUx4

— Actor Soori (@sooriofficial) August 23, 2024

Meena’s eyes, silently witnessing the abuse, evoke emotions ranging from confusion and pain to resolve and defiance. She represents the story’s moral core, aware of right and wrong despite her fiancé’s rage and the destructive impact of patriarchal pride.

Anna Ben has transformed into an actor who skillfully immerses herself in her roles, delivering a performance that could sway even the most skeptical viewer. She displays both vulnerability and strength, effortlessly shifting between different modes. It’s a performance for the ages.

Pandi appears to conflict with everyone and everything around him, including himself.

The film’s depiction of obstacles on the way to the temple mirrors life’s struggles, where fate often diverges from our plans.

Vinothraj captures the sudden intimacy of familial violence and its futility from a distance, exploring emotional and physical spaces that seem to exist only in Meena’s dreams.

Kottukkaali trailer launch: Sivakarthikeyan opens up about the film

Deeply unsettling yet humorous

Kottukkaali distinctively delves into generational trauma, abuse, and power dynamics with Vinothraj’s beautifully minimal approach. Unobtrusive camera movements by Sakthivel, complemented by Ganesh Siva’s seamless editing, are perfectly synchronised.

Sakthivel’s camerawork is fluid, capturing the momentum in the writing. Scenes in Kottukkaali linger like an old photo album. Each shot is purposeful, such as Pandi’s faltering expression when Meena catches him staring.

Kottukkaali is both unsettling and humorous, providing a form of liberation through indirect means. Its ending feels like a new beginning, inspiring introspection and leveraging the power of cinema to provoke reflection.

Kottukkaali invites the audience to fill in the gaps through minimalism rather than silence. Its effectiveness and maturity lie in its subtle approach, avoiding didacticism and delivering its story with effortless simplicity. The film seems within reach, yet the closer we get, the more it eludes us. What’s not to like?

Calling Kottukkaali “merely brilliant” feels like an understatement. Few films linger in the mind long after viewing, and this is one of them. It’s not just the actors or their performances, but the pure love for cinema that Vinothraj has brought to the screen that makes it memorable.

Final take

Kudos to the producer in Sivakarthikeyan, whose unwavering support to art in his distinctive style, is something we can count on.

(Views expressed here are personal)

(Edited by Y Krishna Jyothi)