Movie Name: Kaantha
Rating: 2.75/5
Cast: Dulquer Salmaan, Samuthirakani, Bhagyashree Borse, Rana Daggubati, Ravindra Vijay, and others
Director: Selvamani Selvaraj
Produced By: Dulquer Salmaan, Rana Daggubati, Prashanth Potluri, and Jom Vargheese
Release Date: 14th November 2025
Kaantha, the Tamil-Telugu period drama thriller film, is co-written and directed by Selvamani Selvaraj, starring Dulquer Salmaan, Samuthirakani, Bhagyashri Borse, and Rana Daggubati, and was speculated to be based on the life of M. K. Thyagaraja Bhagavathar. The film received unanimous positive reviews from the press premiere in Chennai, and let’s find out what the film has in store for us in our review.
Story:
TK Mahadevan (Dulquer Salmaan) is the talented student of director Ayya (Samuthirakani). As time passes, Mahadevan becomes a star and eventually outgrows his mentor. When the two come together again to make Shaantha, Telugu cinema’s first-ever ghost film starring newcomer Kumari (Bhagyashri Borse), their egos clash, leading to an unexpected crime during the film’s shoot.
Performances:
Dulquer Salmaan delivers a brilliant performance as TK Mahadevan. His screen presence is powerful as always, and the small details he adds to his performance, like his character mispronouncing words (“aadience” for audience, “draap” for drop), make it very entertaining. Samuthirakani is excellent as the director Ayya, and Bhagyashri Borse gives a convincing performance as Kumari. She has several close-up scenes, and she handles them very well. Rana Daggubati plays an interesting role and performs it effectively, though his character could have been given more importance. Ravindra Vijay and the rest of the supporting cast fit their roles perfectly.
Analysis:
Debut director Selvamani Selvaraj sets Kaantha in a period backdrop of the film industry. He gets strong support from his actors and an impressive production design team.
The film explores several interesting themes: The ego battles between artists, the creative tension between a director and an actor, and a woman’s struggle when caught between two men’s conflicts. It also looks at how personal relationships affect what happens on a film set.
However, the writing does not explore these ideas deeply. The first half starts a bit slowly but soon becomes engaging thanks to some well-written scenes and strong performances. Though the narration dips at times, it builds nicely toward the interval with a gripping twist.
Rana Daggubati’s entry in the second half as a police officer adds energy and fun to the murder mystery. But just when it seems the story is about to reach another level, the writing fails to deliver the expected emotional and dramatic depth. The internal conflicts of both Mahadevan and Ayya are not explored enough, and Mahadevan’s relationship and betrayal angle with Kumari doesn’t connect strongly.
The twists that should have been thrilling end up feeling basic. The climax has some emotional weight, but it could have been far more powerful if the revelation and confession scenes had been written better.
Positives:
- Terrific Performances
- Impressive First Half
- Background Music/Art Work
- Initial Part of the Second Half
Negatives:
- Ordinary Handling of Key Twists and Scenes in the Second Half
- Insufficient exploration of the Ayya-Mahadevan conflict
- Emotional build-up to the climax is not strong enough
Kaantha Review and Verdict:
Overall, Kaantha stands out for its excellent performances by Dulquer Salmaan, Samuthirakani, and Bhagyashri, along with solid technical work and a strong first half. However, the ordinary writing in the second half and the lack of emotional impact make it an average film. It is worth watching mainly for the outstanding performances.
