National award-winning filmmaker Aniruddha Roy Chowdhury’s latest Hindi offering, “Kadak Singh,” made its debut on the OTT platform ZEE5, and it’s time to dissect how the film fares. With a stellar cast featuring Pankaj Tripathi, Parvathy Thiruvothu, Sanjana Sanghi, and others, the film carries a unique premise but fails to deliver a compelling cinematic experience.
The narrative revolves around AK Srivastava (Pankaj Tripathi), an honest officer in the Financial Crimes Department in Kolkata, who grapples with amnesia while investigating a chit-fund scam. The film promises an intriguing plot as AK pieces together his fragmented memories with the help of various characters. However, director Aniruddha Roy Chowdhury’s execution falls short, particularly in the second half.
On the positive side, the story unfolds with initial intrigue, thanks to the efforts of writers Viraf Sarkari, Ritesh Shah, and Aniruddha Roy Chowdhury. Pankaj Tripathi, in the lead role, offers a satisfactory performance, infusing serious scenes with moments of humor. Sanjana Sanghi impresses with her emotional portrayal, while Jaya Ahsan makes a notable Bollywood debut.
Unfortunately, the film stumbles in its execution, primarily due to screenplay issues. The second half loses control of the narrative, leading to moments of boredom, especially in the climax. The casting choices also come under scrutiny, with lead actor Pankaj Tripathi’s potential left underutilized, and the inclusion of Parvathy Thiruvothu in a seemingly unrelated role raises questions.
Technical aspects, including direction, music, and editing, contribute to the film’s shortcomings. While the first half is well-narrated, the second half struggles to maintain momentum. The music fails to captivate, and the inappropriate use of the Sitar in tense scenes is jarring.
In conclusion, “Kadak Singh” is a lackluster thriller that fails to live up to expectations. Despite commendable performances from Pankaj Tripathi and Sanjana Sanghi, pacing issues, particularly in the latter part of the film, make it less engaging. Aniruddha Roy Chowdhury’s direction and the subpar score further contribute to the film’s drawbacks. This weekend, it might be wise to explore alternative entertainment options.
