Kaantha Review: Dulquer Salmaan Shines in 1950s Period Thriller Drama

Kaantha, the film, was released in theaters with a wave of curiosity and the initial feedback indicates that Dulquer Salmaan has given one of his best performances so far. The movie is the creation of director Selvamani Selvaraj and it immerses the audience in the electrifying atmosphere of the film industry in the 1950s Madras, where the force of art, the clash of egos, and the changeability of loyalties are all present in every decision making process.

The movie dives into the tumultuous nature of movie-making at that time instead of romanticizing it. As the plot unfolds, we see Ayya, a great Tamil filmmaker, and Mahadevan, the actor whom he had once turned into stardom, in their love-hate relationship. The tie betwe0en them breaks when Mahadevan takes over the new women-oriented project of Ayya and changes its name to Kaantha, thus pushing the story towards his own heroic image. This step triggers a bigger confrontation, which reveals ambition, the lack of confidence and the delicate interplay between the director and the star.

Dulquer Salmaan's and Rana Daggubati's performances are the main power source of the film that gives it a profoundness, while Bhagyashri Borse receives very good recognition for a remarkable first show on screen. Besides, the viewers recognize the work of Jakes Bejoy’s background score and Anthony’s editing as the main factors that not only intensified the drama but also kept the momentum of the story throughout its lengthy runtime.

The audience's feedback on the internet describes the film as the crime investigation drama whose layers are many and the setting is a period one. Among the many, the idea of change in the mood between the two parts is highlighted, and the second part's investigative route is ranked as "exceedingly interesting". A few early spectators have even gone to the extent of branding the performance of Dulquer as "National Award–worthy".

The film's introduction has been very promising, with the public of Kerala coming in large numbers and the early box office figures being positive. Although the film was made with an estimated budget of Rs 35–40 crore, its success will be based mainly on the continuous good talk, but its early reception will put it in a good position for the stable run.

The industry trackers predict that Kaantha will have to get past Rs 70–80 crore net in India in order to be considered a hit. The mix of excellent acting, realistically created historical times, and emotional struggle has all contributed to placing it among Dulquer Salmaan's most-talked-about films of the last few years.