Kathal Review: A confident Sanya Malhotra single-handedly carries a half-baked crime-drama on her shoulders

By Rashita Sahni

on May 19, 2023 02:42:18 PM

Series: Kathal

Cast: Sanya Malhotra, Vijay Raaz, Rajpal Yadav, Anantvijay Joshi & Neha Saraf

Director: Yashowardhan Mishra

Rating: 3 Moons

OTT: Netflix

Kathal - a film with a unique name is nothing like it sounds. It's a well-made crime drama that talks about a much deeper issue that still lies in our society. Yashowardhan Mishra's Netflix film starring Sanya Malhotra, Vijay Raaz, Rajpal Yadav, Anantvijay Joshi & Neha Saraf might seem like a light-hearted comedy but delves into an important subject.

The 1-hour-55-minute long film begins with a local politician's (Vijay Raaz) prized jackfruits being disappeared from his garden. A young policewoman Mahima (Sanya Malhotra) along with her colleagues (Anantvijay Joshi & Neha Saraf) desperately tries to solve this strange case to prove herself worthy of her position.

However, with the help of a local reporter (Rajpal Yadav), Mahima finds out that the issue is not only about the Kathals being missing, it's about a much deeper and more important issue. How Mahima solves the entire case with so much sincerity and hard work is what makes Kathal an interesting watch. Kathal starts on a high note but soon goes on to feel like a half-baked crime drama.

Sanya Malhotra aces her role as a cop. She walks, talks and breathes like one and impresses with her performance. Anantvijay Joshi and Neha Saraf play their roles with pure onesty and lend good support to Sanya. Vijay Raaz and Rajpal Yadav add the right amount of comedy and quirkiness to the film.

Director Yashowardhan Mishra tries his best to send across a social message, subtly but the film does feel dragged at times. Ashok Mishra and Yashowardhan's writing could definitely have been better. Harshvir Oberai's cinematography is decent but Prerna Saigal's editing could have been crispier. Ram Sampath's music matches the tone of the film.