Kallappadam Movie Review: A Tribute To Struggling Filmmakers!

What is a meta-film? It is a style of filmmaking in which the movie is presented as a story about its own or other film's production and Kallappadam is one such film. Ready to know how this meta-film has shaped up? Continue reading our review.

Apart from being an infrequent attempt, what makes Kallappadam even more interesting is the fact that the film's director along with his crew members(music director, editor and cinematographer) have acted in this film.

Kallappadam Plot:

As mentioned earlier Kallappadam is a meta-cinema and hence it narrates the difficulty and the distress involved in making a film.

The movie begins with a group of friends and their failure of realizing their dream, dishing out a movie. They come across a failed director who inspires them through his wise words making them understand how an artist should never give up.

While their struggle continues, they are left with no option but to choose a wrong path to fund a good, non-commercial script. They come across an interesting character, a popular actress in the past, who desperately wants to get back what once belonged to her, a glossy lifestyle.

An interesting sub plot surfaces then, making Kallappadam grippy. But what really manages to stand out in the entire film is its narration and the attempt to convey a rather sad story in a light-hearted manner.

Will the struggles of a dedicated team end? Or will they put themselves in trouble in the process of fabricating a quality film? These questions are answered in the remainder of the movie.

Performances:

Though all the lead actors have done what is required, two performances which will leave you satisfied comes from the veteran comedian Senthil(failed director) and Aadukalam Naren(an inconsiderate producer).

Lakshmi Priya, the female lead manages to make the audience believe that she indeed fits into the character.

Technicalities:

Screenplay is a big let down, in the first as well as in the second half. While the movie is gripping in parts, a few unnecessary songs and some avoidable scenes makes Kallappadam a tad too stretchy.

On the flip side, director Vadivel's narration and the cinematography stands out and manages to keep its audience interested enough to sit through for 2 hours and 10 minutes.

Music director K has failed to deliver with his songs while his background score is lousy and loud. Editing too could've been better as there are some unwanted scenes which could've faced the scissors, one might feel.

Overall View:

Kallappadam is refreshing amidst its slow paced screenplay and some logical loopholes. It is definitely an honest attempt and is also praiseworthy.