PLOT
In the little North Indian village of Moba, an MLA reports the disappearance of his two Jackfruits (Kathal). Mahima Basot (Sanya Malhotra), the most effective inspector at the police station, accepts the case and begins an investigation with her boyfriend, Saurabh Dwivedi, a policeman who works beneath her. Mahima manages to solve both the issue that arises from the search for Jackfruits and the more significant case.
A strange object is lost, and everyone becomes personally invested in finding it – for some, it is a way to climb higher; for others, it is a means to an end or a valuable reward. Greed fuels Kathal. The movie starts light but turns serious. It is a cunning trap to engage and convey a message to the audience.
REVIEW
Kathal is a story about a police officer battling her gender, caste, strength, and voice. Despite catching a wanted man, she must find two missing Jackfruits. To some extent, Kathal is like a cinema of illogical things, like a village chasing a missing bull.
The film partially addresses caste discrimination, societal pressure on women’s clothing choices, and patriarchal dominance, but the transitions could have been smoother. Sanya Malhotra’s admirable part-selection led to her dual role as a female cop this month, following Sonakshi Sinha’s impressive Dahaad performance. Two marginalized women, Mahima and Saniya, worked hard to climb the ladder and are still struggling. Saniya brings humanity to her inspector role.
Anant Joshi offers a refreshing take on cop characters; he’s not your typical tough guy but a flawed and relatable figure. Writing depicts his change and realization, but the execution is vague. Vijay Raaz is an impressive MLA who openly supports the caste divide, while Mahima silently opposes him – a parallel plot worth exploring further. Kathal features great talents like Neha Saraf, Raghubir Yadav, and the amusing Rajpal Yadav, who add to the enjoyable viewing experience.
Various films inspire Yashowardhan Mishra’s direction. He commends the way he opens the movie, setting the tone for the script. He loses balance in transitions, but the living world is enjoyable. A human trafficker’s den may be painted in bright pink and have various interpretations.
Rating: 3/5
Ram Sampath’s music is fun but used haphazardly. Kathal is a new idea with many benefits, but some people might need to help implement it. You should see it because the actors give outstanding performances. It got a rating of three stars from five.
The director’s name is Yashowardhan Mishra. Guneet Monga Kapoor made it. The movie features Sanya Malhotra, Anantvijay Joshi, Vijay Raaz, Rajpal Yadav, and Neha Saraf. The movie came out through Netflix on May 19, 2023.
