Kaala is a nice one-time watch for the dramatic and confrontational moments, the issues raised and Rajinikanth’s towering presence. The first half is quite exhilarating and it’s fun to see the character of Kaala Kalikaaran teaching the baddies a lesson. The scenes of Rajinikanth and Nana Patekar together are brilliant to say the least and watch out for the intermission point. It’s wow! The second half however becomes too heavy. Also, the climax will have multiple interpretations and such kind of an artistic finale didn’t match this otherwise massy film. The film is also 10-15 minutes too long and moreover, Huma Qureshi doesn’t look that aged. In one scene, the makers have romanticized the idea of vandalizing a public bus as a means of protest which is very unfair. Performance wise, Rajinikanth rocks! He plays his age and still has the charisma intact. Nana Patekar gets his act right. Huma Qureshi is decent but as mentioned above, it’s difficult to believe her as someone who’s in her late 40s or early 50s. Easwari Rao is endearing, Anjali Patil leaves a very huge mark, Manikandan is first-rate, Dileepan has a great screen presence and Samuthirakani goes a bit over the top but makes an impact. Pankaj Tripathi plays his part with conviction. Despite the minuses, watch Kaala for its entertaining moments and above all, super star Rajini!
My rating – *** out of 5!