Kadaisi Vivasayi movie review: Vijay Sethupathi, Manikandan's film stands out with its genuine portrayal of farmers' plight

3.5/5

Story: A gullible octogenarian farmer lands in a legal soup after he buries three dead peacocks in his farm land. The district court puts him on remand for a few weeks even as people in his village are expecting him to come back and grow grains for the much-awaited big festival which is expected to happen soon. Will he be acquitted of the act?

Review: Manikandan's Kaaka Muttai, Kuttrame Thandanai and Aandavan Kattalai are great examples of realistic portrayal of people belonging to different walks of life. What makes them relevant forever is the unpredictable nature of the characters and screenplay, apart from the placement of humour in seemingly serious sequences.

The purposeful evading of exaggerated melodrama in situations where you expect regular tear jerking moments is another positive factor the director ensures in his films. Kadaisi Vivasayi, which has been lying in the cans for some time, is no different.      

Staying true to the film's title, Maayandi (Nallandi), its protagonist, is the only farmer who still pursues farming in his village in the traditional manner with utmost love and respect for it. The 82-year-old, who lives alone in his small home without electricity, leads a care-free life and is least concerned about money.

His son Ramayya (Vijay Sethupathi), a gypsy who visits him once in a while, is his only living relative. The villagers there have been planning to conduct a festival to appease their powerful deity so as to protect them from natural calamities. One day, Maayandi buries three peacocks which were found dead in his farm land. But little did he know that he would land in a legal soup because of it. 

The octogenarian goes to police station along with a police constable after the latter asks him to follow the legal procedures with regard to killing peacocks. Maayandi, who suffers from hearing impairment, is brought before the district judge. The latter puts the former in remand for a few weeks.

The dejected villagers who are expecting Maayandi to grow grains for the festival go to the court to get more details on the proceedings. Though Maayandi is innocent, he has no evidences to prove his honesty. Will the court set him free? 

The realistic depiction of farmers' plight without resorting to melodrama and over the top performances is the prime highlight of Kadaisi Vivasayi. Nallandi's characterization and his reactions to the situations that happen around him is a treat to watch. Making the viewers engaged for 150 minutes with flawless performances from newbies is not an easy task to pull off. 

Nallandi single-handedly carries the film on his shoulders with his subtle reactions and innocence. Some of the sequences featuring his rational dialogues are thought-provoking and leaves us in splits. His genuine reactions and doubts while replying to the district court judge after being accused of killing peacocks is a scream. The climax scene where the cops and the judge misinterpret his long, tiring sleep is another example of the director's knack in making a casual scene appear extraordinary.

One might wonder what the director had in mind while writing the characters of Vijay Sethupathi and Yogi Babu that appear as cameos. Though the two of them are the only familiar faces in the film, they are presented as mere two characters in the village with unique characteristics.

Raichal Rebecca is convincing as the judge, while some of Kaalai Pandiyan's histrionics leaves us in splits. Kaali Muthu and Chaplin Sundar are other characters who keep us engaged with their raw and enjoyable performances.

The background score by Santhosh Narayanan and Richard Harvey complement the underlying emotions in the film. Manikandan himself has cranked the camera. Some of the aerial shots are breathtaking and helps in connecting the soul of the village to the viewers. 

The slow-paced, relaxed style of narration might not work for everyone. But at a time when the topic of farming is used by several filmmakers just to capitalize on farmers' plight to evoke sympathy, Manikandan's attempt is honest and stands out. 

Verdict: Kadaisi Vivasayi is another rooted film from Manikandan which is full of heart and real characters