'Saani Kaayidham' review: Keerthy Suresh slays in oddly satisfying revenge-drama
What's the story
Saani Kaayidham, starring Selvaraghavan and Keerthy Suresh, hit Amazon Prime Video on Friday. Directed by Arun Matheswaran, the film narrates the tale of a woman's vengeful murders and her highly disturbing background story. The hyper-brutal film highlights the price that a family from an oppressed class has to pay just for dreaming about politics and refusing to clean toilets. Here's our review.
Details
What is the film all about?
The film starts with Ponni (Suresh) and Sangayya (Selvaraghavan) setting a lawyer, Rani, ablaze. But before that, they stab her multiple times while making sure that she stays alive to feel the pain of fire. The graphic visuals and Rani's screams would creep you out. But when you see their backstory, you would perhaps be contented with the kind of suffering that Rani underwent.
Motive
So, what is Ponni's motive?
Tragedy strikes her hard because Ponni's husband refused to bend down to his casteist employers (Not going into the details here). With the help of her half-brother Sangayya, she savagely murders all those who destroyed her life. And every time you see her sawing someone or pouring acid on someone's penis, rather than getting disturbed, you would get a sense of satisfaction and relief.
Novelty
Film is presented in a unique narrative
Saani Kaayidham is presented in chapters and when a new chapter unfolds, you know a new murder is on the cards. For every murder, a brilliant irony happens in the background, making you enjoy the scene more than you probably should! For example, when Ponni murders a disgusting villain of the gang, we hear the Tamil song Malarndhum Malaraadha (a lullaby) from Paasamalar playing.
Story
Same formula with different treatment
Yes, the story of the Tamil film follows the same formula of revenge dramas we have been seeing since the dawn of time: a humble woman leaves the life of a commoner in pursuit of vengeance. But, Saani Kaayidham breathes life into this tried and tested premise, thanks to the splendid actors, choreography, unique narrative, and the anti-hero performance from the ensemble of actors.
Verdict
Brilliant film, solid performances
Yamini Yagnamurthy's camera angles and Sam CS's background score provide the apt support required in the film to take the story forward. The stylized nonchalant outlook of the lead actors makes Saani Kaayidham appear all the more momentous. Must say, this movie is that much-needed comeback vehicle for Suresh. We also see a brilliant performer Selvaraghavan is. Verdict: We are going with 4/5 stars.