When no Diwali release’s trailer gives hope and you decide to see the crew and go for the movie, think twice, ask expert advice (in my case non-Nayanthara fans) or someone, anyone, please. In the case of Kashmora, though, I guess no advice would have done any good, for the trailer lied. The movie that seemed to be an epic after the poster and trailer release is actually a Director Gokul’s (yet another) attempt at comedy. But this time he did not do it well, mainly after the intermission when he actually got his Idharkuthaane Aasaipatai Balakumara fans back. His previous movie was fun, and with the lead catching our eye, it was a feel-good movie with a surprisingly good message. Though I prayed that Kashmora would be similar to it, I never expected anything much.
Kashmora, played by Karthi, is a local exorcist who plants the problem in his client’s house first only to solve it later with fraudulent methods. The first half of the movie introduces us to him, his family and the unwanted research student, Sridivya. There is laughter, one good song and some gimmicks that keep us engaged. Karthi and his dad (played by Vivek) are the only people we remember and they take the movie well. We have a minister who kills a man only after asking what metal to use from his Swamiji, a research student who does everything but research and the injected lead to the second half to keep us engaged in the first 90 minutes.
Post-intermission, Kashmora makes you forget the few enjoyable moments from first half and makes you want to walk out, check your messages or talk to your sister. There is a haunted castle with 13 soldier spirits and a lead spirit who can move his head wherever he wants to. You realize the head is actually Karthi’s in very bad make-up. So Kashmora announces that he will send a thousand ghosts to light and Rajnaik, the head and body separated Karthi traps him and his family to get salvation for himself and his soldiers. This is where Gokul loses it. An unwanted, uninteresting flashback with Nayanthara and a spooky young girl who speaks too much with too less on face and many other meaningless so-called horror attempts are made. The film ends with a struggling climax.
One wonders why Nayanthara took up the role when she is actually doing well. The same old song, with same old costumes and moves, she is one actress paid more for the sake of having her. Thiku Thiku will be added to your playlist, some sober melody lovers may have Oyya Oyya, music by Santhosh Narayanan does nothing more. Cinematography by Om Prakash is interesting and commendable until VFX enters. Director Gokul managed to express himself in the first half and tried whatever he liked in the recent films in the second half. I actually wonder if he even watched it in the first place. Maybe he did, and he didn’t like it, and that is why he chose to cheat us with a trailer that was nowhere close to the actual movie.
Bottom-line: Of the two Diwali releases, this is definitely not my suggestion, trust me – I watched Kodi.
Rating: 2/5.
