V Creations
It is a testament to the far-reaching affects of Indian cultural imperialism when a scrawny-armed Rajinikanth doing impossible pull-ups is met with cheers and whistle at a theatre here in downtown Kathmandu.
Although the excitement to see the actor on screen elsewhere may nowhere be the same as in India (where he draws an insurmountable fervour even at the retirement-ready age of 65), seeing millennials only versed with the actor’s reputation exclaiming with the frail actor’s moves and swagger may be of concern to some.
Even the movie itself is a testament to India’s soaring aspiration. The burgeoning country’s rags-to-riches story is well carried over to Kabali, which tells the story of a young labourer (Rajinikanth in the titular role) imprisoned on false charges in Malaysia, slowly taking over the underworld of the country.
A context of history adds a richness to the narrative which otherwise mostly eludes the brassiness of its theme with frenetic action and chase sequences…
In the movie, Kabali represents the thousands of Indian Tamils who once migrated to Malaysia to work in its plantations during the British colonial era. A context of this history adds a richness to the narrative which otherwise mostly eludes the brassiness of its theme with frenetic action and chase sequences in multiple cities.
This context, however, is purely a conceit and is not inseparable to the movie making Kabali, a derivative gangster movie which borrows the infallible Rajinikanth’s stardom to its use.
And while not as positively absurd as Rajinikanth’s older releases as to warrant memes and jokes, Kabali still finds moments of ludicrousness. Most will mainly hang around for those.
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