Kadak Singh, directed by Aniruddha Roy Chowdhury, delves into the life of AK Srivastava (Pankaj Tripathi), an officer at the Department of Financial Crimes (DFC) who suffers from selective amnesia after a failed suicide attempt. As Srivastava grapples with his fragmented memories, he attempts to piece together the events leading up to his attempted suicide, all while unraveling the financial scam he was investigating.
The film’s premise holds immense promise, exploring themes of identity, memory, and the complexities of human relationships. However, the execution falls short of expectations. The narrative, while intriguing, feels overstuffed and lacks the cohesion necessary to truly engage the audience. The pacing is excruciatingly slow, dragging the film through its two-hour runtime. The suspenseful elements are further dampened by an oddly placid background score, which fails to match the intensity of the story.
Despite these shortcomings, the film boasts a strong cast of actors. Pankaj Tripathi delivers a nuanced performance, seamlessly transitioning between the various facets of Srivastava’s personality. Parvathy Thiruvothu is understated yet effective as Ms. Kannan, the nurse who becomes a silent observer of Srivastava’s struggles. Jaya Ashan and Sanjana Sanghi also make their mark in their respective roles.
The film’s climax, where Srivastava finally confronts the truth about the financial scam and his colleague’s suicide, offers a glimmer of hope. However, by this point, the narrative’s slow pace and overstuffed nature have already dampened the impact. The reveal of the culprits, while suspenseful, feels anticlimactic, as some viewers may have already guessed the identities of the suspects.
Overall, Kadak Singh is a film with promising elements that fail to fully materialize on screen. Its slow pace, overstuffed narrative, and lack of suspenseful elements weigh it down. However, the strong performances of the cast, particularly Pankaj Tripathi, and the thought-provoking themes provide some redeeming qualities. For those seeking a suspenseful thriller with a complex character arc, Kadak Singh may be worth a one-time watch, but it’s not likely to stay with you long after the credits roll.
Kadak Singh released at Zee5
Star rating : 3 star
