Kaaki Sattai (transl. Khaki Shirt) is a 2015 Indian Tamil-language action drama film directed by R. S. Durai Senthilkumar and produced by Dhanush under Wunderbar Films, in their second collaboration after Ethir Neechal (2013). The film stars Sivakarthikeyan and Sri Divya, Vijay Raaz and Prabhu. The film's music was composed by Anirudh Ravichander. The story revolves around police constable Mathimaran who wants to prove himself as a true, powerful cop by finding ways to solve issues of corruption in the law and order system in the department of police.
| Kaaki Sattai | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | R. S. Durai Senthilkumar |
| Screenplay by | Pattukkottai Prabakar R. S. Durai Senthilkumar |
| Story by | R. S. Durai Senthilkumar |
| Produced by | Dhanush P. Madhan (Release) |
| Starring | Sivakarthikeyan Sri Divya Vijay Raaz Prabhu |
| Cinematography | M. Sukumar |
| Edited by | Vivek Harshan |
| Music by | Anirudh Ravichander |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | Escape Artists Motion Pictures[1] |
Release date |
|
Running time | 157 minutes |
| Country | India |
| Language | Tamil |
The film, which commenced filming in April 2014, released on 27 February 2015, to mostly positive reviews and became a box office success.
Plot
editMathimaran is a police constable who only reports to work and goes home daily without contributing anything useful to society as his boss, Inspector Sathyamurthy, does not want to get on the wrong side of the upper levels of the police, who are corrupt and politically influenced and is also unwilling to rock the present system due to past experience. Mathimaran and his fellow policemen never get any cases as a result, much to his irritation.
Mathimaran falls in love with Divya, who works as a nurse in a hospital, but hides his occupation from her as her family hates police officers. With her help, he finds out about an illegal organ donation racket orchestrated by a politician named Durai Arasan and Dr. Devasagayam, who is the chairman of the hospital where Divya works. They capture sick and injured migrant workers from North India, make them brain dead by administering them carbon monoxide instead of oxygen, and then harvest their organs, which they sell abroad for huge amounts of money. The organ donation scam gives Mathimaran his first real case, and he takes it on with enthusiasm after Sathyamurthy and Durai's estranged father Singaperumal, who had threatened to expose his son's misdeeds, are killed in a bomb blast orchestrated by Durai.
Mathimaran first confronts Devasagayam, who commits suicide, but not before admitting his role in the scam and giving detailed information about it. He then decides to confront Durai and get him arrested, but the problem is that there is not enough evidence against Durai except Devasagayam's word, and Devasagayam is dead. He tries to get more information about Durai's role in the scam incognito. Unfortunately, Durai soon finds out that Mathimaran is after him, and a cat-and-mouse game begins between the two. In the process, Mathimaran is suspended from duty, as the police commissioner is close to Durai. Undaunted, he manages to expose the scam and Durai's involvement in it to the media, but Durai wriggles out of arrest.
Mathimaran decides to finish off Durai to end the scam once and for all. He creates a ruckus during a felicitation function for Durai. In the chaos that ensues, he shoots Durai in the leg and gives him the same treatment which had been meted out to the North Indian workers: administering him carbon monoxide and then harvesting his organs after he is declared brain dead. Durai's death is covered up as a terrorist attack. Mathimaran is eventually promoted to Inspector in reward for his efforts in thwarting the organ donation scam. He also gets accepted by Divya's family, despite being a police officer, and marries Divya.
Cast
edit- Sivakarthikeyan as Mathimaran Rathnavel, a constable later Inspector
- Prabhu as Sathyamurthy, R5 station inspector
- Sri Divya as Divya, a nurse working at the Devasagayam hospital and Mathimaran's love interest
- Vijay Raaz as Durai Arasan, a corrupt politician and organ trader
- Kalpana as Meenakshi, Mathimaran's mother
- Yog Japee as Dr. Devasagayam, the owner of Devasagayam hospital. Helping Durai in human trade
- Manobala as Jyothi Lingam, MLA and Durai's henchman
- Mayilsamy as Sankara Narayanan alias Cyber Sanki / Sankiji Swamy
- Imman Annachi as Samarasam, R5 station head-constable
- E. Ramdoss as Subramanian, R5 station sub-inspector
- Nagineedu as Singaperumal, founder of man power agency and Durai Arasan's father
- Sujatha Sivakumar as Divya's mother
- Rail Ravi as Divya's father
- Yuvina Parthavi as Swetha, Divya's niece
- Vidyullekha Raman as Divya's friend
- Jeeva Ravi as Commissioner
- Suchithra Shivaraman as Mathimaran's sister
- Jangiri Madhumitha as a call girl
- Yogi Babu as Hobo
- Besant Ravi as Ravi
- Sampath Ram as Sampath, worker in man power agency but worked for Durai
- Singapore Deepan as Cyber Sanki teammate
- Raveendran
- Suryakanth
- Ravi Venkatraman
- Manohar
- Diwakar
- Douglas Moorthy
- Dhivya Raaven
Production
editDevelopment
editSoon after the release and success of Ethir Neechal (2013), the team of that film including producer Dhanush, director Durai Senthilkumar, music composer Anirudh Ravichander and actor Sivakarthikeyan announced that they would collaborate again for another venture.[2][3][4] Pattukkottai Prabakar was selected to write the screenplay.[5] The film was initially titled Taana,[6] but was changed to Kaaki Sattai after a 1985 film. In October 2014, the producers of the 1985 film were approached to obtain the rights for the title.[7] Senthilkumar revealed that he had written the script keeping Dhanush in the mind while working as an assistant director for Aadukalam (2011). He narrated the script to Dhanush but failed to materialise but later he changed the script to suit Sivakarthikeyan's comedic timing.[8]
Casting
editThe team held talks with and briefly signed Amala Paul as heroine, before she opted out.[9][10][11] Sri Divya, seen opposite Sivakarthikeyan in Varuthapadatha Valibar Sangam (2013), was consequently signed on to play the lead female role.[12] Actor Imman Annachi and Bollywood actor Vijay Raaz were roped in to play important roles.[13] In June 2014, a newbie, Vinu Damodar, was selected to play a small but significant part in the film. His role was said to be a turning point in the protagonist's life.[14] In August 2014, it was confirmed that veteran actor Prabhu was added to the cast in April 2014.[15] Actor-director Manobala was selected to play a supporting role, which he confirmed on his Twitter page.[16] The motion poster of the film was unveiled on 29 November 2014, which portrayed Sivakarthikeyan as a happy going man into an angry cop.
Filming
editPrincipal photography began with a puja ceremony held on 6 March 2014.[17] The first schedule of the film's shoot began in March 2014 at a temple in Pammal near Pallavaram.[18] By April 2014, the movie completed 10 days shooting in an apartment in Mugappair and 'Semmozhi Poonga' in Cathedral Road, Chennai.[19] The team continued shooting in and around Chennai.[20] By June 2014, 40% of the movie had been completed and the second schedule began in Kerala.[21] Several sequences were shot at Binny Mills.[22] In July 2014, Sivakarthikeyan confirmed that 60% of the film was completed and the team would go to Norway to can two song sequences.[23][24] When asked about whether the movie would undergo a name change, he clarified that the production unit was thinking of various possibilities and that if a suitable title did not come up, Taana would be the title used.[23] As per Sivakarthikeyan's update, the team flew to Norway to can the song sequences from 1 September 2014 to 10 September 2014, which were choreographed by Sherif.[25] The shoot returned to Chennai on 15 September 2014.[26]
Music
editAnirudh Ravichander composed seven tracks for the soundtrack of the film.[13] The album was launched at Radio Mirchi 98.3 on 12 December 2014, with the team opting to release the album to coincide with actor Rajinikanth's birthday. The song title "Kadhal Kan Kattuthe" later inspired a 2017 film of the same name.
Release
editTheatrical
editThe film had a release on over 750 screens in India.[27]
Home media
editThe television rights of the film were sold to Sun Network.[28]
Reception
editBox office
editIn the opening weekend the film grossed ₹26 crore (US$3.1 million) in Tamil Nadu, ₹8 crore (US$960,000) in Kerala and ₹13 crore (US$1.6 million) in Karnataka.[29]
Critical reception
editSify called the film "time-pass entertainment".[30] Dailyindia called the film "a perfect commercial entertainer to watch this weekend for Siva and Anirudh" and rated it 3 out of 5.[31] Cinematime also rated Kaaki Sattai 3/5 and said that Siva's performance and Anirudh's music "makes your weekend awesome".[32] Deccan Chronicle rated it 2.5/5 and wrote that director "Durai Senthilkumar and actor Sivakarthikeyan have done an estimable job in making the film at least worth experiencing."[33] Baradwaj Rangan wrote "As overlong, utterly generic, badly written, indifferently made action-comedy star vehicles propelled by Anirudh’s growling guitar riffs go, Kaaki Sattai is as disposable as they come."[34]
References
edit- ^ Escape Artists buys 'VIP' & 'Taana' theatrical rights!. Sify. 10 June 2014. Retrieved 10 August 2014.
- ^ Second round for 'Ethir Neechal' team ! Archived 26 July 2014 at the Wayback Machine. Behindwoods. 7 May 2013. Retrieved 6 April 2014.
- ^ Gupta, Rinku (16 May 2013). Sivakarthikeyan finally gets to work with Lingusamy Archived 9 March 2014 at the Wayback Machine. The New Indian Express. Retrieved 6 April 2014.
- ^ Southern heroes who have donned the producer's hat Archived 1 September 2014 at the Wayback Machine. Business Standard. 25 May 2014. Retrieved 28 August 2014.
- ^ Sivakarthikeyan's film title is 'Kaakki Sattai' Archived 10 November 2023 at the Wayback Machine. Indiaglitz. 26 October 2013. Retrieved 6 April 2014.
- ^ Ramanujam, Srinivasa (24 September 2014). "On a different pitch". The Hindu. thehindu.com. Archived from the original on 5 December 2014. Retrieved 1 June 2016.
- ^ "OFFICIAL: Sivakarthikeyan's 'Taana' renamed as 'Kakki Sattai'". Only Kollywood. 30 October 2014. Archived from the original on 20 June 2021. Retrieved 29 January 2024.
- ^ Vishal Menon (21 February 2015). "Cop with comic timing" Archived 23 April 2022 at the Wayback Machine. The Hindu.
- ^ Sivakarthikeyan's next with 'Ethir Neechal' team will start in January Archived 7 April 2014 at the Wayback Machine. Behindwoods. 12 November 2013. Retrieved 6 April 2014.
- ^ Amala Paul will be pairing up with Siva Karthikeyan in 'Taana' Archived 3 February 2014 at the Wayback Machine. Behindwoods. 15 November 2013. Retrieved 6 April 2014.
- ^ Is it Amala Paul for Sivakarthikeyan in 'Taana'? . Deccan Chronicle. 17 November 2013. Retrieved 6 April 2014.
- ^ Siva Karthikeyan's next film is underway Archived 9 March 2014 at the Wayback Machine. Behindwoods. 6 March 2014. Retrieved 6 April 2014.
- ^ a b An FIR on Siva Karthikeyan's 'Taana' Archived 7 June 2014 at the Wayback Machine. Behindwoods. 27 March 2014. Retrieved 6 April 2014.
- ^ A turning point in Siva Karthikeyan's 'Taana' Archived 17 June 2014 at the Wayback Machine. Behindwoods. 12 June 2014. Retrieved 10 August 2014.
- ^ Sivakarthikeyan's 'Taana' gets a major boost Archived 12 August 2014 at the Wayback Machine. Behindwoods. 11 August 2014. Retrieved 11 August 2014.
- ^ Manobala's politics with Sivakarthikeyan Archived 18 August 2014 at the Wayback Machine. Chennaivision. 12 August 2014.
- ^ Sivakarthikeyan's 'Taana' starts rolling Archived 9 March 2014 at the Wayback Machine. Moviecrow. 6 March 2014. Retrieved 6 April 2014.
- ^ Sivakarthikeyan's 'Taana' starts rolling. Sify. 6 March 2014. Retrieved 6 April 2014.
- ^ Sivakarthikeyan and Sridivya in 'Semmozhi Poonga'. Indiaglitz. 25 April 2014. Retrieved 10 August 2014.
- ^ Ganesan. Rajeshwari (6 May 2014). 'TAANA' LIKELY TO RELEASE IN SEPTEMBER Archived 11 August 2014 at the Wayback Machine. Silverscreen. Retrieved 10 August 2014.
- ^ 'Taana' team gets a new face Archived 9 September 2014 at the Wayback Machine. The Times of India. 12 June 2014. Retrieved 10 August 2014.
- ^ Sivakarthikeyan's 'Taana' is getting ready!. Sify. 24 July 2014. Retrieved 11 August 2014.
- ^ a b We will stick with 'Taana' Archived 24 July 2014 at the Wayback Machine. Behindwoods. 22 July 2014. Retrieved 10 August 2014.
- ^ Update on Siva Karthikeyan's next Archived 14 November 2023 at the Wayback Machine. Indiaglitz. 23 July 2014. Retrieved 10 August 2014.
- ^ It's Norway for Siva Karthikeyan & Sri Divya. Indiaglitz. 27 August 2014. Retrieved 27 August 2014.
- ^ Can Sivakarthikeyan and team meet the K.V.Anand standard? Archived 5 September 2014 at the Wayback Machine. Behindwoods. 5 September 2014. Retrieved 5 September 2014.
- ^ "Five Reasons Why Siva Karthikeyan's 'Kakki Sattai' Might be a Hit at Box Office" Archived 27 February 2015 at the Wayback Machine. International Business Times. 26 February 2015.
- ^ "SIVAKARTHIKEYAN'S KAKKI SATTAI REVIEW". Kollywood news. 21 February 2015. Archived from the original on 2 May 2015. Retrieved 19 April 2015.
- ^ "'Kakki Sattai' Box Office Collection: Siva Karthikeyan Starrer Exceeds Expectations; Enters Third Week". International Business Times. 15 March 2015. Archived from the original on 25 May 2021. Retrieved 18 May 2020.
- ^ "Movie Review : Kakki Sattai-Time pass entertainer". Sify.
- ^ "Kaaki Sattai (aka) Kakki Sattai Movie Review & Rating – Siva Karthikeyan – Daily India" Archived 28 March 2015 at the Wayback Machine. DailyIndia.
- ^ "(Kaaki) Kakki Sattai Movie Review Rating – Sivakarthikeyan | CinemaTime" Archived 27 February 2015 at the Wayback Machine. cinematime.in. 27 February 2015
- ^ "Movie review 'Kaaki Sattai': One is certain to be dazzled and amused" . Deccan Chronicle.
- ^ Rangan, Baradwaj (27 February 2015). "Kaaki Sattai: Heavyweight film for lightweight hero". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 11 January 2021. Retrieved 3 August 2019.
External links
edit- Kaaki Sattai at IMDb