What Is the Story About?
Kaiyum Kalavum is a unique story of two characters Anbu (Sanchana Natarajan) and The Boy (Rohit). The former is a member of a pickpocket gang, always bringing bad luck to the plans, whereas the latter lives on his own but suffers from a peculiar condition which makes him do weird things to suppress it.
Fate has planned for Anbu and The Boy to come together and fall in love. Only then will their unique conditions be resolved. Did they fall in love? The series’ basic story is how they come together and what happens in the end.
Performances?
Sanchana Natarajan and Rohit are the main leads in the series, comprising a vast ensemble cast. Both are apt for the role and do their parts convincingly.
Among the two, Sanchana plays the bold and more confident part like a hero. She takes the lead in most situations and has many emotions to deal with. The street side’s raw attitude in body language and talk is also neatly done. And when there are simple moments expressing happiness or confusion, she is game for them effortlessly. It is a meaty role, and Sanchana makes sure to impress.
Rohit, on the other hand, has a soft role. He cries and is mainly shown as a simpleton unaware of the realities. Anbu brings a change in him with her gusto presence and actions. Rohit subtly brings out the growth in the character. The character progression is better as the series goes and towards the end, The Boy, aka Police, slowly becomes The Hero.
Analysis
Roju writes and directs Kaiyum Kalavum. It is a unique story where fantasy elements (magic realism) are mixed with reality crime drama and a love story. The characters and setting remind one of Karthik Subbaraj’s movies, who is a presenter.
Kaiyum Kalavum is one of the series where not just the opening but the entire opening episode is a must-watch. One might still find the series hard to follow, but watching it will surely make it a little easier.
The story is rooted in the local milieu. Chennai’s small pockets and other places are integral to the narrative. Also, a knowledge of Tamil cinema will further enhance the effect. The characters’ names, for example, are all taken from MG Ramachandran (MGR) movies.
The series begins on an amusing yet confusing note and gets going only in the middle portions, where there are fewer bizarre moments, and the focus is on crime drama. The screenplay and the fantasy magic realism bring freshness but also demand attention. If one skips a few minutes, the proceedings might get confusing again.
Each episode has a self-contained short story, and at the same time, the overall narrative too is taken forward. The way things round up is what demands attention as the screenplay moves in circles.
The biggest plus for the series is the characters and the writing. The actors do a superb job of making them compelling. The police angle gives it a twist, but it isn’t a new one, though.
The overarching story is where the convolution in the drama comes from, and an open ending adds to the chagrin. It looks simple, but how the critical sequence towards the end is dealt with and the climax doesn’t help the cause.
All said and done, Kaiyum Kalavum is a series meant to be enjoyed in Tamil. Its dubbing in Telugu is not up to the mark, and many moments are lost as a result. The many references and minor details have no impact without the background knowledge.
Overall, Kaiyum Kalavum is an intriguing and interesting watch that demands attention. The writing and acting shine, but the ending disappoints. If you want to watch something unique, bizarre and entertaining in a dark comedy space, try it.
Other Artists?
The entire pickpocket gang headed by Jeeva Subrahmanian are well-cast. They are all different character-wise and stand out. Performance-wise, not all have the big moments like Jeeva, but some of them, Vikas, Avinash and Jane Thompson, do impress nonetheless.
The kids are also effective in the small bits given to them. Gajaraj as a police constable, is adequate. The rest of the cast, too, is acceptable. Madonna Sebastian, in a brief role, registers.
Music and Other Departments?
Sathish Raghunathan provides the music, and Sundaramurthy KS does the background score. The songs are light, and most come as montages which is fine. The BGM is different and adds to the unique feel of the series. There is lightness from the start despite all the complexity; the writing and BGM aid in generating the effect.
Sandeep K Vijay’s cinematography is decent, considering the scale and budget. The rustic vibe in an urban setting is neatly maintained. Manikandan B and Radha Sridhar have had challenging work as editors. They have mostly done an excellent job of making the complex narrative clutter-free. The writing is good.
Highlights?
Story
Screenplay
Casting
Drawbacks?
Complex Narrative
Repetitiveness
Ending
Did I Enjoy It?
Yes
Will You Recommend It?
Yes But with reservations
Kaiyum Kalavum Series Review by Binged Bureau