There has long been a notion that art films or films that win awards will have low production values and will not be entertaining. ‘Kaaka Muttai’ has rewritten history by being one of the most entertaining films that is also thought provoking at the same time. Producers Vetrimaaran and Dhanush have brought to light an immensely talented director Manikandan who knows the pulse of the audience.

‘Kaaka Muttai’ is about two underprivileged brothers known as Chinna Kaaka Muttai and Periya Kaaka Muttai, named so because of their penchant for stealing eggs from crows nests and consuming them. The boys live in a one room hut with their mother (Iyshwarya Rajesh) and grandmother leading a life of extreme poverty as their father is in jail for some crime. The boys who have discontinued schooling collect charcoal from the rail tracks, with the help of a railway worker Pazharasam and sell them to earn ten or fifteen rupees per day. A pizza shop opens in the neighborhood and the boys seeing actor Simbu eating a pizza on the inauguration start craving for it and this obsession leads to a chain reaction of events that is hilarious, touching, thought provoking and life changing (for the characters as well as the audiences) all at the same time.

Kudos to director Manikandan for extracting a wide range of emotions from the child actors Ramesh and Vignesh, winning them both National and International Awards. The innocence the boys display when trying to sell a stray puppy for twenty five thousand rupees or the pain their eyes show when the pizza store employee beats one of them are just two examples out of much more in the film. The chemistry between the two real life brothers is so heartwarming that everyone can relate to them. To put it in a nutshell ‘You Will Just Love Them’ and take their images home with you. The ‘Kooda mela kooda vacha…’ girl Iyshwarya Rajesh completely transforms into a slum mother and excels in the career defining role. This talent is going to go places. Special mention is due to Joe Malluri who has performed the role of Pazharasam and the loving grandmother who is a scream, especially in the scene where she attempts to make a ‘Dosai’ pizza for her grandsons. Ramesh Thilak and Yogi Babu as the slum party workers provide laughter at regular intervals throughout the film and ‘Naan Kadavul’ Krishnamoorthy steals the show the last twenty minutes or so having everyone in splits. Babu Antony and all the other actors are adequate.

G. V. Prakash Kumar’s BGM is unobtrusive, which elevates the narration to the higher level and all the three montage songs are pleasing to the ears. Cameraman Manikandan transports the viewer to the slum and the rail yard and one can almost smell the stink and the charcoal. The late Kishore T.E. has seamlessly edited the film to let life unfold on screen. Director Manikandan is a welcome addition to the list of new age filmmakers who are revolutionizing the movie experience. Be it extracting flawless performances from every actor in the film, to telling a tale which has the perfect blend of comedy, heroism, tragedy and a thrilling climax Manikandan has proven he has a tight grip on his medium of expression. ‘Kaaka Muttai’ turns out to be a near perfect marriage of Art and Commercial Cinema. Don't miss this Movie .

Verdict : Rush to the nearest theatre and don’t forget to take your children along to witness a slice of life that will fascinate you