Pettaikaali Episode 4 Review: The riveting climax portion is the saving grace of the latest installment

2.5/5

After the lackluster third episode, makers of Pettaikaali are back with another episode which offers some excitement only towards its end. The fourth episode has been aptly titled Kaaliyin Avadharippu as it marks the introduction of majestic bull Kaali into the plot. 

Kaali holds crucial significance in the story as the sister (Sheela Rajkumar) of Maayandi, who was killed by Muthayya (Kishore), treats the pet as her brother. How she prepares the bull for the next jallikattu event forms the major plot. The conflict lies in Veerasekaran (Bala Hasan) eyeing on Kaali, while Muthayya asking people of his village to tame the bull.

The episode begins with Selvasekaran (Vela Ramamoorthy) getting the shock of his life after knowing that his young wife is pregnant with Maayandi's child. Veera's unofficial takeover of the family has left Selva furious, though he is aware that there is little he could do to it.

Some of the emotional moments featuring Sheela work, thanks to her sincere performance as a doting sister who is hell-bent on dedicating the bull's success to her deceased brother. 

But the prime highlight of the episode is the manner in which the jallikattu event has been staged. Velraj's terrific visuals capture the essence of the traditional sport and the ambience of village life. Every minute details showcased against the backdrop of the sport is a treat to watch.

The frantic pace of various bulls, enthusiastic participants, fervour among the public, the excitement of the event host, are all depicted quite intriguingly. What is more exciting is the show's runner and filmmaker Vetri Maaran revealing recently that the series is a prelude to his ambitious movie Vaadi Vaasal. The major drawback of this episode is that there is hardly anything which keeps us waiting for the next installment.