A still from the movieWith the festival season getting into the high spirits, this man truly has a hard time staying away from the box-office. Barely a month after the release of Thodari, Dhanush is back with Kodi, that too in double roles. And, it seems like he would be staying in the screens a tad bit longer.
The political-thriller, written and directed by R.S. Durai Senthilkumar and produced by Vetrimaaran, hit the screens right before Deepavali, the biggest commercial season for Tamil film industry. And with Kaashmora, which is dubbed as the biggest release in Karthi's career, being released alongside, one might wonder if it takes two-Dhanushs to top the charts.
Well, the first half of the movie gives you two different Dhanushs, a rough extrovert politician and a charming, shy college professor. By the end of the movie, the qualities of both submerge into one making a strong and desirable character.
The story portrays the lives of identical twin-brothers Kodi and Anbu, who differ from tip to toe. Kodi is a hothead who works hard for the well-being of his homeland and party. On the other hand, Anbu is a pacifist who is nothing like his brother. Anbu falls for Malathi, played by Anupama Parameshwaran, a peppy poultry farm owner. Kodi shares a passionate relationship with Trisha Krishnan's character Rudra, a member of the opposition party.
A chain reaction of events lands Kodi and Rudra competing against each other in an upcoming assembly by-election while maintaining their secret relationship. The film then tells us how the two brothers become one to beat an enemy in dark.
The transformation of Dhanush's character was predictable; one which we have been fed by filmmakers for long. The real surprise was not him, but Trisha. Her character Rudra, who could have been ended up as just another pretty face, broke the pattern and rose into a much bolder role, who takes the audience to the edge of their seats. Trisha somehow managed to balance her character between an ambitious politician and callous poison ivy.
Veterans S.A. Chandrashekhar and Saranya Ponvannan did a decent job adding a gist to their characters which would have been yet another cliche otherwise.
The songs by Santhosh Narayanan stayed true to the emotions conveyed through the film. The song 'Sirukki Vassam', penned by Vivek and sung by Anand Aravindakshan and Shwetha Mohan, stays unique in the love song-league with its zealous lines that define an unconventional, wild romance. Another song, 'Ariraro' will take you through various emotions, owing to the magical voice of K.S. Chithra.
However, one should not be blamed for having a déjà vu moment listening to the BGM at moments, especially during action scenes.
The one thing about Kodi that bugs out is the racy action sequences that spoil the grim drama but win some whistles from the audience. After all, what is a Dhanush movie without some sparring?!
Onmanorama rating: 3/5
