Rendagam - A Fistful...

Rendagam (Ottu)

2022, Tamil

Watch on: Einthusan

Director  T P Felini

Cast of Characters

Kunchacko Boban as Kichu

Aravind Swamy as David

Jackie Shroff as Adiga

Eesha Rebba as Kalyani

Aadukalam Naren as Chacha

Mohan's Measure ⭐⭐

The missing ingredient in other critical reviews of this film is the opening scene. This pulp fiction is inspired by the Spaghetti Westerns, particularly A Fistful of Dollars. So this movie is basically an Italian B movie reincarnated as a South Indian film.

Sadly, the original Malayalam didn't have subtitles, so I had to watch the Tamil dubbing. But what I saw was quite interesting.

Without doubt, the quiet refrains of Mr. Aravind Swāmī steals the show. It is compelling, as we are asked to see the world through his eyes, those of an amnesiac unable to understand himself, leave alone the stranger who is showing him so much concern 

Mr. Boban is that stranger, and the dubbing does little justice to what must have been some good acting.  From what we can tell, his character knows the streets, and is anxious to make he and his girlfriend's dream come true. 

But it is in dreaming up melodrama where this movie fails. The item songs, the over the top fights, and the ridiculous heroism are too much for noir. What to speak of the dumbest ending for a gangster film ever made?