Kannum Kannum Kollaiyadithal is a romantic thriller written and directed by Desingh Periyasamy and bankrolled by Anto Joseph Film Company and Viacom 18 Motion Pictures. The film has Dulquer Salman and Ritu Verma in the lead roles, while Rakshan, Niranjana, Gautham Vasudev Menon and others play supporting roles. It has music by Masala Coffee and cinematography by KM Bhaskaran.
The film opens with application developers Sidharth (Dulquer Salman) and Kallis (Rakshan) leading a carefree life. They don't have any idea of how much money they're spending, their house is a mess until they meet Meera and Shreya played by Ritu Verma and Niranjana, respectively. It is revealed that in addition to app development, they also con people and steal their money.
Things go smoothly until DCP Prathap (Gautham Menon) gets involved in the scheme of things, and a big twist takes place. What happens following that forms the core plot. While Prathap looks menacing at first, his addition looks a bit insignificant because the treatment of the film has very little scope for investigation. This is a film that rides more on emotions than intelligence. His backstory is high on entertainment value, and at the same time answers a lot of questions about his relevance to the story.
At the start, KKK exudes a lot of energy, thanks to Dulquer and Rakshan. Their combination works out really well, and their chemistry is good. You keep rooting for them throughout the film. But as the film progresses forward, you can sense the energy dying. This is because of the predictable nature of the script. Barring the big twist in the interval, you are always a step ahead of Sidharth and Prathap.
One of the biggest positives in the film are the performances of the actors. Dulquer not only breeds swagger with his looks but also pulls off his character really well, to a point where he makes it look effortless. Ritu Verma too scores really well with her performance, especially in the emotional sequences. Her character is not a mere prop and has a lot of flesh to it. Rakshan chips in with his comedy, that partially works, while Niranjana plays his perfect foil.
The film essentially doesn't know where to take itself seriously and when not to. There are a lot of cinematic liberties taken, that doesn't go well with the thriller portions. The writing seems to be a bit convenient which doesn't work in the film's favour, as the engagement takes a hit. KKK isn't as bad as it sounds - there are a few innovative stretches that deserve the credit for the way it's written and staged.
Despite being montages, a few songs serve as speed breakers, breaking the flow of the film. But Masala Coffee's background score and Bhaskaran's camera work complement the scenes well, and at times uplifts the mood of a lot of sequences. The editing is neat and the film is technically good. There are a few issues with the screenplay, but they are not glaring.
The film has a 'thanks' card for Superstar Rajinikanth and there are a lot of gags involving scenes from Mani Ratnam's Thalapathi, and the famous Rajini punches, which does bring a smile on your face if not laughter. If you forget the logical loopholes, the film works to a large extent. On the whole, Kannum Kannum Kollaiyadithal has its own issues but what's wrong in watching a harmless film that gives you a good feel as you walk out of the screen?