Kudumbasthan (Tamil)
Rajeshwar Kalisamy’s Kudumbasthan is cut and designed almost like a kinetic, endless runner game, with Manikandan’s Naveen constantly fielding obstacles as he runs, waiting to replenish his “lives”. When he’s not running to wed his girlfriend in a ‘controversial’ inter-caste marriage, he’s running to scramble some money to face loan sharks. When he’s not running to maintain an elaborate lie to his ostentatious bully of a brother-in-law, he’s running to gather seed money for his business idea.
Accompanied by Vaisagh Baburaj’s score that’s strewn with relatable diegetic sounds, not least of which is the ding from a successful PhonePe transaction to depict emptying of pockets, the film is a largely edgy and modern iteration of soapy yesteryear Tamil family dramas. Its modernity isn’t just found in the filmmaking, but also in writing.
Manikandan is back to doing what he does best: he is Naveen, a middle-class every man with an edgy sense of humour. Yet, there is a trait that differentiates him from the rest — he craves and protects a sense of dignity, but isn’t just a narcissistic man with a big ego.
Here is a man who will weave together a labyrinthine master plan to ensure his family doesn’t find out that he is unemployed. This is also a man who doesn’t think twice before slapping his boss for treating his working class friend with contempt, even if it means losing his job. A series of such events nudge him into a world of chaos, deceit, and money problems.
Kudumbasthan is also a brilliant representation of what happens if one always works on highly-impulsive, obsessive thoughts. Even small moments get the dramatic writing treatment. For instance, a penniless Naveen sprinting to buy a naatu kozhi for his brother-in-law (a superb Guru Somasundaram) gets a madcap action-sequence treatment.
Comedy is in full, unregulated supply as Naveen navigates his way through life, one sprint at a time. This works best when the jokes stay focused on Naveen’s issues — Manikandan’s face-offs with Guru Somasundaram provide much needed mirth. But sometimes, the jokes land flat when the humour veers towards the absurdist, like in the final act.
Whether its hero is in the throes of angst or poverty, the film takes a light-handed approach, not taking itself too seriously. But this doesn’t stop the film from asking the tough questions that are often swept away in families where the men tend to be breadwinners.
Naveen meets his match in Vennila (Saanve Megghana), with who he discusses various aspects of marital life, including whether or not to keep their unborn child and their problematic living arrangement — they share space with his parents who bitingly point out the woes of having an “SC daughter-in-law”. Vennila isn’t just Naveen’s calm anchor, but also the one who can call him out on his drivel. We only wish she got a bigger role.
Kudumbasthan loses a little bit of its speed post the fantastic interval sequence. But that’s also because, as it is with games, Naveen keeps getting more “lives” every time he falls. The stakes become almost non-existent and his obstacles become repetitive, forcing us to relive the same concern for him. Nevertheless, the film ends up using the lead actor’s characteristic chutzpah to deliver a family drama that is still able to stay relevant.
If there’s anything Sruthi loves more than watching films, it’s writing about it. Sruthi Ganapathy Raman’s words can also be read in Film Companion, Scroll.in, and The Times of India.
Disclaimer: This review was not paid for or commissioned by anyone associated with the film. Neither TNM nor any of its reviewers have any sort of business relationship with the film’s producers or any other members of its cast and crew.