Performance captured realistic animation films have never been made before in India. So when a filmmaker takes up the challenge of making a film using that technology they need to be applauded for their ingenuity no matter what the end product turns out to be. Having said that, all the money that has been spent on Kochadaiiyaan would turn out to be a waste if the backers are not able to recover their huge investment. So does Kochadaiyaan fully satisfy all the Rajini fans? Let’s dissect.
Story: Kochadaiyaan takes us back to the princely era of India where India was a land of various flourishing kingdoms. Rannvijay Rana (Rajinikanth) is the general of the army of the kingdom of Kalingapuri. His all round skills as a warrior puts the kingdom of Kalingapuri at an advantage against the kingdom of Kottaipatanam. But there are many underlying secrets that play a part in the story. Rannvijay is in love with the daughter of the King of Kottaipatanam (Deepika Padukone). Rannvijay also has to avenge the death of his father who was killed by his own king Mahendra (Jackie Shroff). The ending of Kochadaiiyaan leaves a scope for a sequel.
Kochadaiyaan Review – A film strictly for die-hard Rajinikanth fans
Screenplay and Direction: Veteran film writer Ravikumar has written the script of Kochadaiyaan keeping in mind the aura and charisma of Superstar Rajinikanth. And to a large degree the story keeps us hooked with the second half being the better of the two halves. But unfortunately, the direction by Soundarya Rajinikanth doesn’t live up. The film feels non-fluid and feels like a jagged glue-up of set-pieces created 1000s of miles from each other.
For a film like Kochadaiyaan the technical aspects of it needed to be first class. But unfortunately, India still can’t compete with Hollywood when it comes to budgets and the budget surely plays a big part in the final product seen on screen. Let’s just say the animation left a lot to be desired. The characters on screen look like waxed-up mannequins when viewed in close shots. The cinematography and editing are good. The music by AR Rahman is largely generic but they suit the film well. The background music makes the film better but the music hampers the pace of the film.
Acting: There’s not much that can be said about the acting in Kochadaiyaan since it is an animation film. But Rajinkanth does well with his voice modulation and the dialogues written for him can only suit him and his reputation. Jackie Shroff, Deepika Padukone and Nasser are all decent with their voice acting.
Conclusion: If you are ready to go back in time and experience the kingly battles and politics, and if you are ready to give your time to an Indian animation film then Kochadaiiyaan deserves to be seen because of the many firsts it brings to Indian screens. Rajini fans should not be disappointed. If you are not a Rajini fan, just don’t go in with a lot of expectations and you might even enjoy Kochadaiyaan. Give it a chance.
Box Office: Kochadaiyaan is not expected to open huge in North India but it will take a bumper opening in the South. If the families warm up to it, then Kochadaiyaan could have long legs at the box office counter.
Positives:
- Innovative way of storytelling
- The background music is good
- The voice acting by Rajinikanth and others work for the characters
Negatives:
- The quality of realistic animation is too tacky and amateurish
- The music hampers the pace of the film
- There is no fluidity between scenes in Kochadaiyaan
Rating: 
