Kaalidas  - A winner with interesting performances and screenplay

Actor Bharath, who was last seen on screen in the stoner flick Simba is back on screen, this time playing a cop for the first time in his career, with Kaalidas. Directed by debutant Sri Senthil, the movie had interesting visuals and a thrilling premise presented in the promos, and let's see what's in store.

Kaalidas (Bharath) is a dutiful cop, who has no time to spare for his wife Vidhya (Ann Sheetal), and now he gets to investigate a murder case, accompanied by the Assistant commissioner (Suresh Menon). As Kaalidas and the commissioner sense a pattern in the murders, Vidhya gets closer to a mystery man(Aadhav). Who is the mystery man? How is he connected to the murders and was Kaalidas able to resolve the crime mystery is what the movie is all about.

As the sincere cop who is stuck between his demanding job and his loving wife, Bharath is good, and the actor delivers subtle underplay which makes his act convincing. Suresh Menon leads from the front, with his dialogue delivery and this stands apart from all other roles he has played in his return to acting, as he gets the most important, screenplay driving character. Ann Sheetal is an impressive find, as she emotes well, expressing the longing of a wife, the vulnerability and the way she finds solace in a stranger perfectly. Aadhav Kannadasan doesn't have much to do, though his character maintains a mysterious angle till the end. The rest of the cast including Priyadarshini, Ammu, Thangadurai are aptly cast.

The movie begins on an interesting note as the non violent cop Kaalidas gets to handle a suspicious death case, and we are shown the other side of his world, where he is unable to cope up with his wife who feels being ignored. With the arrival of Suresh Menon, things get interesting, as he gets involved in Kaalidas' life as well as the case, where he acts intelligently.

The second half unwinds the transformation in the character of Ann Sheetal with regards to Aadhav, and Bharath and Suresh Menon steadily approaching the culprit in the case, ultimately leading to a shocker of a finale, which might not cater to everyone, though it's an interesting and cleverly connected one.

Vishal Chandrasekhar's background score rises the tension in several sequences, though the song doesn't quite make an impact. Cinematography by Suresh Bala captures the mystery man and the murders well, while editing by Bhuvan Srinivasan ensures that Kaalidas is a gripping entertainer.

Director Sri Senthil has taken up a cop thriller as his premise on debut, and has weaved an interesting screenplay. Devoid of cliches like unnecessary gravity defying stunt sequences or dreamy numbers or a mass intro sequence, Bharath makes a calm entry as Kaalidas, and right from the word go, the maker sets the mood of the movie. With the arrival of Suresh Menon into the scene, the movie gets even more interesting that you don't worry about the leisurely pace of the screenplay.  Though Aadhav doesn't get much scope, Sri Senthil builds a mysterious web around him, and his character ends as the surprise factor the movie ultimately. While the first half of the movie establishes the characters and gets Kaalidas and the commissioner connecting the dots leading to the culprit, the second gets more interesting, exposing how the vulnerability of the female lead leads to troubles, to finally reveal the mystery. Bharath playing the second fiddle, and letting Suresh Menon and Ann Sheetal control the proceedings for most part is one good aspect of the movie, and Sri Senthil's clever writing which keeps you hooked supported by Bhuvan Srinivasan's tight editing makes Kaalidas a good thriller that deserves a watch.

Verdict: Kaalidas is a winner with interesting performances and screenplay.