‘Kaliveera’ review: A good martial arts showreel but very little else to write home about

By Express News Service

In the 1951 book Foundation by Isaac Asimov, a favourite saying of the character Mayor Salvor Hardin goes, ‘Violence is the last refuge of the incompetent’. Kaliveera- The Indian Warrior, directed by Avi, is a film clearly inspired by this phrase.

Mounting the film mainly on lead actor Ekalavya’s ability to pull off stunt sequences with elan, the director hoped to make a classic film that could be a trendsetter in the way action films are made in Sandalwood. However, the film, unfortunately, lays open his incompetence in scriptwriting and direction.      
Kali (Ekalavya), a person from a Tribal community in the Lingoda village, comes to the city to take revenge against influential politicians, gangsters and terrorists. Concentrating more on the martial arts talents of Ekalavya, the film loses focus and fails to do justice to the strong core plot.

While Ekalavya’s hard work can be witnessed in the action sequences, he has a long way to go with respect to his acting capabilities. Considering how his character is mostly relegated to just expressions, the lack of acting chops prove detrimental to the film. All he does in the film is either chasing or being chased, and going on a killing spree.

The remaining actors don’t really make a mark in our minds. Even though stunt master Different Danny and his team have choreographed lengthy fights throughout the film, there is an overwhelming sense of monotony in the never-ending stunt sequences.

Special mention to the Kaliveera team for exploring new locations, and full points to cinematographer Hallesh, who captures the territories well and manages to keep us engaged in the proceedings.

Kaliveera is the first film to be brought out to theatres post the second lockdown, but it is rife with a lot of shortcomings. It is an age-old revenge drama, with only the stunts and locations providing a semblance of freshness. But overall, Kaliveera doesn’t provide enough returns for audiences returning to the theatres after such a long time.

Kaliveera
Cast: Ekalavya, Chirashree Anchan, Paavana Gowda, and TS Nagabharana
Director: Avi