Kadak Singh Movie Review

Kadak Singh is a 2023 Hindi-language film directed by Aniruddha Roy Chowdhury Aniruddha Roy Chowdhury is a film director in the >> Read More... and produced by Viraf Sarkari In Mumbai, India, Viraf Sarkari resides. His posit >> Read More... and Mahesh Raman. It revolves around a mind-blowing tale of how a man with amnesia solves one of the biggest mysteries of his life. The film stars Pankaj Tripathi Pankaj Tripathi is an acclaimed Indian film actor >> Read More... in the lead role, along with Parvathy Thiruvothu Parvathi is an Indian actress and dubbing artist. >> Read More... , Sanjana Sanghi Sanjana Sanghi was born on 2nd September 1996 in a >> Read More... , and others.

Plot

The film begins with an introduction to a man named Arun Kumar Arun Kumar is a famous Indian film actor. He is th >> Read More... ("AK") Srivastav, played by Pankaj Tripathi, an officer of the Department of Financial Crimes who wakes up in a hospital bed after an attempt at committing suicide. As a result, he is diagnosed with retrograde amnesia.

He finds out that before his attempt, he had been investigating a chit-fund scam. Intrigued, he prepares himself to try and solve the case despite his condition. Upon AK coming to his senses, several people show up to visit him in the hospital, each introducing themselves as someone he knew and loved well when he still had his memories.

Many people come to his door, from his daughter to the woman he was apparently seeing after his wife's death, his colleague, etc. Kadak Singh notes everything they say about him with full attention. Each of them brings in a different perception and narrative of Kadak Singh and his life. He puts together all of the information piece by piece to solve the mystery of his suicide attempt, and the biggest case of his life.

Star Performance

It would be safe to say that this film is carried on the back of Pankaj Tripathi, the lead actor, who plays AK Srivastav AKA Kadak Singh. His character is righteous but suspenseful. The character is so beyond intriguing, finding parallels between his life, his memory, and the version of him that each of his apparent loved ones knew. AK is certainly a complicated character, with many different layers and aspects to his personality, but Pankaj Tripathi more than does the character justice.

Another very impressive performance is of Sanjana Sanghi as Sakshi, AK's daughter. She has a very important role in the film but she proves herself worthy of carrying that role in every second of the film.

Parvathy Thiruvothu plays Miss Kannan, the nurse in the film, a spectator to this story. She has done a great job as a somewhat confused but invested nurse.

Analysis

When we talk about films starring Pankaj Tripathi, there is always a certain level of competence that can be expected. If nothing else, his acting and the way he delivers the story as the main character is always nice to see. This is partially true in the case of Kadak Singh.

The first half of the film is slow but gripping. Different versions of Kadak Singh, as AK's children call him, are revealed and a compelling image is painted in the minds of the audience. It almost seems as if we're piecing the information together along with AK.

The film also has several deep and meaningful moments. The relationship between AK, a strict, uptight, disciplinarian father, and his kids, Sakshi and Aditya, is portrayed beautifully. AK's condition tasks his children with trying to make him regain his memory, and in doing so, we see them confront their issues in many emotionally charged scenes that are handled beautifully by both Sakshi and AK. The film is also very realistic, as every character in the film is shown to have a negative trait, but it is portrayed in a way that shows them as inherently human. The film shows the often selfish and inconsiderate side of humans and how they are capable of leaving no ends loose in the pursuit of their own profit.

But the film has some light-hearted elements too, such as the romance between AK and the nurse, Miss Kannan. We see them flirting innocently, and the scenes they share are rather wholesome, if slightly unrealistic. But both Tripathi and Thiruvothu create a fun chemistry and dynamic between themselves on screen, supported by their fabulous acting.

Perhaps the best part about Kadak Singh is the way it interweaves different stories and perceptions into one. That being said, the film is far too slow, and though it is engaging, there are times when the plot simply does not feel like suspense or a thriller. The writing is to blame for that and it could have been written in a more fast-paced and actively engaging way.

What's There?

• The cast has done an amazing job.
• The plot is brilliant and fresh.
• There are many meaningful and deep scenes.

What's Not There?

• The film is too slow at times.

Verdict

Kadak Singh is certainly not without flaws. But a gripping narrative, incredible acting, and a solid plot are enough reasons to watch the film at least once, and it will certainly make for an enjoyable experience.