Just returned (Friday, July 22) home after watching Kabali (Tamil) in a theater in Dublin, California. The following is not a review. Just my impressions.
I went for a matinee show. Today being a working day, there were only about 30 people. I am told it is house full for Saturday and Sunday.
For the first 5 minutes all conversation were in Malay. For a moment I thought I bought a ticket for the Malay language version. But the credit titles were in Tamil. So I was relieved.
Even now I do not know what the story is. All I understand is it is one gang versus another gang in Malaysia.
Good gang vs. bad gang. But they are all gangs.
There was no big fanfare when they introduced Rajni Kanth in the movie. I was kind of disappointed.
This movie will be loved by hard core Rajni Kanth fans. The fans love the way Rajni Kanth walks. So they show him just walk so many times.
The fans love his laugh. So the Director makes him laugh in several scenes - some for no reason.
Superb acting by Radhika Apte. Especially, when she meets her husband and daughter in Pondicherry.
The song “Vaanam Paarthen” is pleasing to the ears.
The usual Rajni kanth punch dialogues are there:
There is a reason for Gandhi going shirtless and Ambedkar wearing a suit and a tie.
If you have a fear, don’t show outside.
In Malaysia Tamil, Sarakku means pombala samacharam (women matter). In Tamil Nadu, Sarakku means thanni (liquor)
More than 500 people are shot “dead” in the movie from beginning to end. Are there no police in Malaysia to arrest anyone?
Rajni Kanth does not have that “oomph” any more. He looks old.
Disappointed. May be because of over-hype prior to release.
Tamilians are always Tamilians wherever they live. There were 3 guys and a lady in the audience. The lady was constantly recording portions of the movie at various times in her cell phone. I wanted to tell her to stop taping illegally. But I controlled myself. They were 3 guys and I am only one. I can handle one on one. But against 3 of them? Better sense prevailed and I kept quite.
*
Kabali Daa
First Half Veruppu Daa (Frustrating)
Second Half Kaduppu Daa (Frowning)
(* this is just for fun, playing with rhyming words for humor)
*
Kabali Daa
First Half Veruppu Daa (Frustrating)
Second Half Kaduppu Daa (Frowning)
(* this is just for fun, playing with rhyming words for humor)
When so much hype was there before release itself, I thought, the movie will fail. Same thing happened before 'Baba' was released. I saw it...don't remember anything in the movie. I thought of watching it for Radhika Apte. She is a very good actress. Now, have second thought.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comments Sandhya. Over hyped movies always end up as disappointment.
DeleteRajinikanth sucks.
ReplyDeleteHe is an overrated overactor.
Regards,
Sivaji Ganesan
(returning from the grave to comment on your blog)
Thanks for your comments Sivaji. Hats off to you. You are the best.
DeleteGrrrrrr Sivaji puhleese......thalaivar rocks anyday ..... your movies sucked big time i have absolutely no idea how u became a star.
DeleteSoooo…do you know what’s my favorite part of every Rajinikanth movie?
DeleteAnswer - The end credits. Thank GOD, it’s finally over.
Boooorrriiing…There goes three hours of my life that I’ll never get back.
Padaiyappa was good though…but only because I single handedly carried that movie to greatness.
That’s why my name shows up first in the credits.
Rajinikanth, yeah we let him on the scene as a back up option for the first team.
hhahahah You know even from your grave u are hilarious, so that means you watch Thalaivar's movie completely, instead of deciding in the first few minutes you don't want to see it....
DeleteBTW Shivaji Thatha who asked for your opinion in the first place, and to state the brutal reality, Padaiyappa wasnt a hit because of you, the film crew couldn't deal with u so decided to end your part in the beginning itself, so that the true SUPERSTAR can take it forward to its glory.
How come u don't like Thalaivar, still did 6 movies with him....I know.... Rajini, he is irrrestible
Who asked for Sivaji’s opinion in the first place?
DeleteWell apparently Rajinikanth did…
You see when he was a bus conductor he asked me – Sivaji, you are the greatest, I beg you…please let me act with you in a movie. So I threw a dog a bone. Felt bad because he approached me like a beggar.
Then later in life, he asked me, oh Sivaji, you are my hero and I was born with your stage name. But I changed it from Shivaji Rao to Rajinikanth…because I knew I could never share the same name or measure up to the one and only great Sivaji.
So let’s get this straight, I never acted with him, he begged me…so I obliged.
I have seen some of his other movies…as I stated earlier…booooorrriiing.
I would rather listen to a three speech about pencil erasers than watch a Rajini movie.
I would rather have a three hour conversation with my mother in law about “feelings and emotions” than watch a Rajini movie.
Rajinikanth once told me… I worship the ground you walk on sir, so I will make a movie called Sivaji. Because everyone knows Sivaji is THE BOSS and Rajinikanth takes the loss.
Drop The Mic
OMG.... No wonder i never liked your movies... such dramatic dialogue......people came to watch ur movies to get good sleep, not because they liked you. I am sure your roomies near your grave might be deaf listening to ur theatrics. No wonder you had such a crappy political career.
DeleteYou know sometimes u should watch your own movies to know how torturous they are, once you see them, you will not even have the strength to come out of ur grave.... pls...stay there ..... watch your pencil erasers speech or 3 hr conversation with ur MIL..... Thalaivar is the best. you are just plain JEALOUS....RIP Villupuram Chinnaiah Ganesan
Another Rajinikanth movie that was overhyped and couldn't deliver.
ReplyDeleteToo much violence and too many death scenes for my taste.
Regards,
Quentin Tarantino
Thanks for your comments Quentin. Look who is talking here! If Kabali movie is kindergarten in violence, your movies are PHd in violence.
DeleteIt is an old dictum that beauty lies in the beholder's eyes.For fans of Rajni here,it is the pinnacle of excellence and the ultimate.A friend of mine in US told me that she is so pleased with the film ,she will see it again.There are a few like you too.
ReplyDeleteBut the bottom line is the film has garnered more money than the equally hyped Sultan!
Thanks for your comments Mr. Parthasarathi. As I said in my post, "This movie will be loved by hard core Rajni Kanth fans." I am sure it will be one of the biggest box office hits.
ReplyDeleteNerupu da !!
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comments Shilpa. Magishchi.
DeleteNandri !
DeleteI do not go for movies regularly. At times of course I too do.But the hype of this one pulled us to the theatre.I too doubted about the legal procedures against murders. Little children when they watch such things may feel killing is natural.Anyhow the theatre was filled with hilarity, applause, howling and all.Kochi contains a lot many Rajni fans.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comments Sarala. I wish I had seen this movie in a theater in India. I would have enjoyed the Rajini fans' reaction in the theater more than the movie.
DeleteI guess I am skipping this movie. Most bloggers and authors have thrashed the movie, only the fans are appreciating it. Most movies that are over-hyped fail to live up to their expectations.
ReplyDeleteDestination Infinity
Thanks for your comments Rajesh. I don't know how far this is true. I am told Jaya TV bought the TV rights. So look for this movie during Deepavali or Pongal holidays.
DeleteFrankly,never have I seen any Tamil movie..
ReplyDeleteBut,with the reviews ,I had thought of watching the Hindi version even though friends have not given very encouraging feed back.
Rajnikant is a super hero.
He is worshipped........something I can't understand.
Thanks for your comments Mr. Chowla. Mr. Rajini Kanth is very lucky. Bald head, not a fair skin color of a typical movie star, small eyes, and speaks Tamil with a Kannada accent. But still he is worshipped.
ReplyDeleteI think I will skip this movie. You will be shocked to know that I have not seen a single movie of his except I think Robot and Chalbaaz(Hindi movie). I avoid movies with violence.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comments Ash. I liked two of his movies. In my opinion they are his best. Padayappa and Baashaa.
DeleteI watched it yesterday. Don't remember anything now. Even 'Magizhchchi' didn't hit me. 'Kabaali da' also was just OK. We should not compare Baasha or Annamalai with this. Those films are in a different level.
ReplyDeleteThe hero-worshipping for Rajinikath is legendary! Have seen a couple of his earlier Hindi movies and none of his South Indian movies. It's amazing that despite lackluster story etc the movie is raking in the moolah at the box office.
ReplyDeleteI like the person that he is in real life.
ReplyDeleteA non-tamilian; but just to enjoy the feel of the overwhelm a Rajni movie would present on the first day...Me and a group 10 friends got the tickets for the first day show...To watch it even before the world would watch, we were all dressed up with T-shirts to applaud the hi-fi entry and above the top action of Rajni sir...But, disappointed we were... A pure director's movie, but felt, he could have done this experiment with any other actor. Why use the fame of such a renowned actor to showcase a very average mafia movie...If Kabali collections were in crores; all because of the Rajni sir's name...
ReplyDeleteI must say I saw the movie, it felt a bit off because of the dubbing in hindi.. But you are right Rajnikanth looks old now, and when we compare the on screen pic to the off screen ones we can see .. god knows how much makeup is put on..
ReplyDeleteAlthough he indeed is a legend..
The story and the direction was a bit haywire too.. I guess everyone wants to cash in on Rajnikanth's popularity and make some money.. because surly this movie will make a lot of movie even if it was just an average one ...
I was reading some of the comments above hilarious :)
Bikram's