Investigating the murder of Vijay Sethupathi, three police officers discover that his shadowy life is far from easy to decode. His identity shifts through recollections of each person who knew him, leaving one wondering who he truly is. Despite its narrative flaws, this slow-burn mystery series is captivating and intriguing
Still from Kaattaan
In a sleepy village in Tamil Nadu, a police station runs the risk of shutting down due to the low number of cases. But when a severed human head is discovered on a nearby hill, things spiral out of control.
With no body in sight, but a bundle of cash and a letter at the crime scene, this is no open-and-shut case, and it is up to three police officers to piece together what happened.
When the first episode ends in such a manner, one can only assume that the investigation that follows will unravel several layers with multiple twists.
Through some old-fashioned digging, the police discover that 1) the man is named Muthu and 2) he harbours sordid secrets. Every person interrogated presents a narrative of how they met him, and provide wildly different impressions of Muthu (Vijay Sethupathi) emerge.
Over the years, Muthu has been a part of a troupe of dancers in Madurai, a mahout, a watch mechanic in Kerala, and a manager at an orphanage, switching professions at the drop of a hat.
To a man whose restaurant stands because of Muthu’s benevolence, he is nothing short of divine. Muthu's former boss, however, suspects him of harbouring ties to a criminal (Milind Soman). At the centre of these conflicting recollections, Muthu stands as a mystical and elusive figure.
Who is Muthu? And more importantly, who killed him?
Kaattaan unfolds at a slow pace, ambling through the houses and fields in the village to establish its milieu. The sweeping vistas of rural Tamil Nadu are absolutely gorgeous, yet, for all its atmospheric intent, the opening stretch fails to create any real emotional resonance with its characters. Investigating officer Kaliyan Pandiyan's central conflict of being torn between continuing the family legacy of herding goats and being a police officer feels underdeveloped, making it difficult to be invested in his dilemma.
The series does not fare better in lighter moments either. Whether it's Pandiyan’s mother teaching her helper, Kuttu Karippu, how to shave a goat's horn, or the age-old mother-in-law and daughter-in-law squabble, these moments are tedious instead of funny. They unnecessarily stall the pace, making one wish the series would move past domestic detours and return to the far more compelling murder investigation.
Equally frustrating is the presence of a languid and inept officer Paluraj (Singamouli), whose sole function is to deliver comic one-liners, a trope that feels out of place in a serious and layered narrative, and one that quickly wears thin.
The most glaring misstep, however, is Muthu's poorly rendered CGI head. It's so unconvincing that it undercuts the sense of curiosity and tension the series tries to build.
However, despite the slow start, the series picks up momentum in later episodes, with the cops embarking on a hunt across Tamil Nadu and even a cross-border journey to Kerala. The suspense heightens as more layers are peeled from Muthu's character, and we navigate his many identities. Kaattaan, though not gripping enough to warrant a one-sitting binge, is certainly engaging and intriguing enough to make it a journey worth embarking on.
Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" Click here!
