Kadak Singh Review: Pankaj Tripathi is repetitive in a convoluted investigative thriller

Kak Singh, latest movie to stream on OTT, is helined by Pankaj Tripathi and Sanjana Sanghi. narrative centers around multiple versions of same event and viewers have to piece it all toger. Despite its efforts in attempting to deliver a slow burn investigative thriller, movie ends up being just a routine crime drama that fails to build stakes for an eventual payoff.

Hot Take

Pankaj Tripathi as a financial crimes investigator, AK Srivastava, is at front and centre of narrative. He is an honest officer with a fine track record of 25 years. However, things take a turn when he takes over investigation of a multi crore ponzi scheme. He lands in a hospital and suffers memory loss. AK must now rely on ors to help him remember who he is.

While Kak Singh manages to build intrigue with a decent set up of a puzzle-like storyline, director Aniruddha Roy Chowdhury does not possess wherewithal to see it through to it's climax. narrative builds up in parts but heavy reliance on family angle and AK's personal battles somewhat lets hook off tension that plot attempts to create.

When we are drawn towards his professional setbacks, involvement of dysfunctional family trope dilutes what could have been an orwise impactful psychological thriller.

Is Kak Singh worth hype?

movie starts on a slow note and viewers may find it difficult to invest in storyline. We are presented with a distant farly figure, AK, whose work has taken precedence over his personal life. outcome - he shares roof with a young daughter craving for her far's attention and a neglected teen son who takes to drugs. As story progresses, director sacrifices se subplots for AK's medical condition and case of missing money.

director fails to find right balance between mystery-solving, AK's shortcomings and his family dynamics. film keeps running from pole to pole without eliciting emotions. Since context is underdeveloped, you neir invest in his personal life nor professional. characters don't welcome you to be part of ir lives and one ends up watching everything from a distance.

Since locations are a select few, re was ample scope to build up on narrative. That does not happen. In fact, after a point revisiting of same locations makes you feel tiresome and you wish film h more to offer. cramped spaces like hospital room, AK's home and his office create a sense of claustrophobia, which you seek immediate escape from.

Pankaj Tripathi has nothing new to offer. He is stuck in a style of performance which has started to get a little too repetitive. A slight modification in delivery of dialogues makes him play a funny character, orwise, he feels similar in all his projects, Kak Singh being latest. Sanjana Sanghi steps up in some scenes but her role is sacrificed as soon as investigation aspect takes precedence. In such moments, she fes away in background. However, one of monologues that she delivers in film is emotionally charged and makes an impact.

Stream it or skip it?

Kak Singh's characters are real and relatable but that also becomes it biggest weakness. cinematic rendition of se everyday characters isn't enjoyable enough. While a whodunit tries to draw viewer in, here, non-linear storytelling and emotional baggage of central character presents various roblocks that you can't look beyond. What may have looked good on paper does not translate onscreen.

Bottomline

Kak Singh struggles to find right structure to give voice to it's various complex emotions that are at play. With too much on his plate, Aniruddha delivers a half-baked family drama and an undercooked crime thriller - a two course meal not tempting enough. 

Rating: 1.5/5