Kaala - Thalaivar & Ranjith serve up the perfect post-Kabali fix we needed

Just got back from Kaala and I was super pumped to pen down my quick thoughts on the movie. Haven't felt so elated right after watching a Thalaivar movie since Sivaji. I know it's an Apples and Oranges comparison (heck, its a fruits and vegetables comparison) but I am saying it mainly to express my response RIGHT after I was done watching the movie. It took me 3 viewings to fully appreciate Kabali but with even its flaws, fell in love with Kaala right after the 1st watch.

I cannot imagine a better mix of a re-imagined Thalaivar style movie fitted within the confines of a Ranjith film. Loved the way Ranjith has let himself loose when it comes to talking about his politics. What he did in a very subtle way from Attakathi to Kabali, he does it here with no reservations whatsoever. I am so glad that Thalaivar has given all the freedom to Ranjith to express himself and what he stands for ideologically. And for that we have to be thankful to humongous success of Kabali

Nana Patekar - can't begin to describe his performance and how he matched up to Thalaivar in the confrontation scenes. I believe it was in that dining room scene where he just straddles between 4 languages oh-so-seamlessly - Marathi, Hindi, Tamil & English. Thalaivar wasn't kidding when he said Hari Dada is one of the 3 best villains he has faced in his movies. Easwari Rao was another gem of a casting call - she and Samuthrakani were the ones who held up the proceedings in the very few scenes that didn't hold up together well. Dileepan was phenomenal as his Thalapathi, as Thalaivar calls him in a scene. Anjali Patil and Manikandan as his other son Lenin were super impressive as well. Huma was definitely a miss, IMO. Didn't quite connect with her character (especially what she was trting to do with Dharavi) even though I loved Thalaivar's interactions with her when she newly arrives. BTW, what do you think happened when Nana Patekar insists she touch her feet the first time she meets him at his house?

Those 20-odd minutes in the 1st half was when the movie definitely dragged. But Ranjith more than makes up for the sluggish pace from about 20 minutes to go to the interval. He just doesn't take his foot off the pedal until that totally unexpected but beautiful climax. What an awesome way to end the movie! SaNa's score was simply brilliant, as good as his score in Kabali which I go back to listen every now and then 

And finally to Thalaivar - I cannot love this man more than I already do. But wow, just wow! Whether it be the lovely scenes with his family (BTW, how beautiful it is to see him as a grandfather) or his harmless flirting with Huma or the nakkal-filled delivery in the police station scene or the fierce performance in several of the scenes in the 2nd half, I couldn't stop admiring this man. How grateful I am that Linga happened and that has led him to change course entirely to give us a Kabali 2 years back and a Kaala now and hopefully another terrific movie with Karthik Subbaraj next year (The icing on the cake would be that political movie with Vettrimaran that he mentioned at the Kaala audio launch. I know I am asking for the moon but hey, you can't complain about someone who is on a high after having just watched Ranjith & Thalaivar deliver a terrific Kaala)