Kaapa Movie Review: This Prithviraj gangster drama is a different attempt from Shaji Kailas

Kaapa hit the theatres on December 22

As the movie starts off, we are introduced to a married couple, Anand (Asif Ali) and Biju (Anna Ben), who shift from Bengaluru to Thiruvananthapuram. Anand then finds his wife’s name in the Kerala Anti-social Activities Prevention Act because of news stories that carried her name along with crimes she allegedly committed. He then tries to clear her name, claiming she is innocent, and seeks out Kotta Madhu (Prithviraj), the city’s leading gangster, for help. Anand then meets Madhu’s wife Prameela (Aparna Balamurali) and pleads for her help. It is after this that Anand inadvertently gets caught up between the local gang wars.

Set in Thiruvananthapuram, the movie revolves around the local gangsters and rivalries in the city. Kaapa is taken from Anand’s perspective but it’s not consistent throughout the film. We are drawn into Madhu’s world and the second half becomes tedious. The climax twist is also predictable. 

Kotta Madhu reminds us of a sophisticated 90s gangster, who eventually turns politician. As arrogant and ruthless as Madhu is, we also learn that he has a heart. The scenes between a younger Madhu and the small boy show his softer side, but we never get to know who Madhu really is and what his motivations are. He is plagued by constant guilt, an emotion which we repeatedly see in the film. And that is also his downfall. 

Here's the trailer: 

Kaapa sees Prithviraj join hands with director Shaji Kailas once again after Kaduva, which was a hit. Kaduva, however, received mixed reviews. And Kaapa is better than Kaduva. This movie was inspired by writer G R Indugopan’s novella about Kaapa. Indugopan wrote the dialogues for the film. Shaji Kailas, who is known for his mass local films, attempted to make a dark gangster drama with Kaapa and succeeded for the most part.

With regards to the supporting cast, there are exceptional actors like Asif Ali, Dileepan Pathan, Jagadish, Aparna Balamurali, Anna Ben. Prithviraj's act is flawless, but Asif Ali doesn’t look too comfortable as Anand. Not all of them are able to show off their acting prowess due to limited screen time.

he cinematography by Sanu John Varughese and music by Justin Varghese are some of the highlights in this film. 

Kaapa is one of the better films from Prithviraj this year, among the six releases he had. Those going to watch Kaapa for Shaji Kailas and Prithviraj must go with an open mind for a new experience.