Pankaj Tripathi and Parvathy Thiruvothu’s potent pairing loses its magic in Aniruddha Roy Chowdhury’s ‘Kadak Singh,’ a psychological thriller marred by a meandering plot
Do you know what dreams are made of, especially for a film enthusiast? Allow me to tell you: They are made of Pankaj Tripathi and Parvathy Thiruvothu starring in the same film. That dream breaks when that film with these two more-than-reliable actors fails to create the impact that you’d expect. Directed by Aniruddha Roy Chowdhury, and starring Sanjana Sanghi, Jaya Ahsan and Paresh Pahuja, alongside Tripathi and Thiruvothu, Kadak Singh (Zee5) is a psychological thriller that unravels the mystery surrounding how Arun Kumar Srivastava (Pankaj Tripathi) aka Kadak Singh, a financial crime sleuth, ended up in a hospital with retrograde amnesia.
The film, in the beginning at least, seems to have a compelling premise. When Srivastava wakes up in the hospital, several people come to visit him, but he remembers none of them, including his adult daughter, Sakshi (Sanjana Sanghi). Sakshi tells him that he hasn’t been a present father ever since her mom, and Shrivastav’s wife, passed away. She also tells him that he has a 17-year-old son, which the latter believes is only 5; he thinks Sakshi is lying. Srivastava asks her to bring Adi to him, which Sakshi says isn’t possible because he is in rehab.
Skimming the surface
It’s here that the film shows immense potential — in the way that Srivastava refuses to believe that he could be a bad, and stern father, because at work, he is a compassionate officer with pristine moral integrity whose heart goes out to even strangers who’ve lost their money in the case he is investigating. It only takes a Pankaj Tripathi to show these contradictions, and make the Rashomon Effect (storytelling and writing method in cinema in which different perspectives of the event are provided) seem impactful. However, despite this, the film falters at multiple fronts.
The plot meanders aimlessly, lacking a cohesive structure and leaving viewers bewildered rather than engaged. Additionally, the characters are poorly developed, with their actions and motivations often feeling contrived and unconvincing. Its pacing feels glaringly inconsistent, alternating between sluggish and rushed moments that disrupt the overall flow of the film. This lack of balance prevents any real tension from building, robbing the audience of the mystery or surprise factor that one expects out of a psychological thriller.
Moreover, the dialogues lack depth, failing to create meaningful connections between the characters and leaving viewers disconnected from their struggles. There’s too much happening, too many angles to explore, and because of that none of them is explored diligently. Chowdhury just brushes past conversations and subplots without actually delving deeper into any. There’s the family drama, of a deceased wife, a new lover, and children who feel estranged from their father, and there’s the parallel crime drama of a financial scam, and the events leading up to Srivastava’s apparent suicide.
A void in the narrative
Tripathi’s character is faced with the challenge of reconciling his past actions and the impact they have on his present and future. As he navigates through different roles and identities, the audience is left questioning whether he can truly escape the consequences of his past or if they will continue to haunt him. Tripathi’s nuanced performance adds depth to the character, blurring the lines between good and bad.
However, it is Thiruvothu’s role in the film that is the most disheartening because you wait endlessly to understand who she is, why she is there, and the reason the actor of her calibre is playing this character that seems to have no significance except for being a quirky sounding board. You hope that she’ll turn around to be the final piece of the puzzle that Chowdhury is trying to create, but nothing of that sort happens, and it’s actually perplexing as to why the filmmaker wasted such a great talent on being a sweet head nurse.
Sanghi as Tripathi’s daughter is endearing as she gives her most earnest performance to date. The scenes between her and Tripathi showcase a tender bond that highlights their vulnerability, making those moments some of the most heartfelt ones in the film. However, the lack of character development for other supporting roles leaves a void in the overall narrative, making it difficult for viewers to fully invest in their stories.
Despite an interesting script at hand, the numerous flaws and shortcomings in Kadak Singh prove to be a let-down, overshadowing its potential with a poorly executed delivery. However, amidst the disappointments, Pankaj Tripathi emerges as the magical fairy dust capable of transforming even the most lacklustre scenes. His charm and impact are undeniable, and he skillfully breaks away from his previous tropes. It leaves you yearning for a plot that could have complemented his performance as much as he enriched the overall narrative.
