Kadhavaseshan (2004) User Reviews

When is your life worth living?

[sajupj · 7/10 · 9 June 2006]

TV Chadran raises the ethical dilemma of having to live in an unethical, uncaring and cruel society.Do we live our life without responding to real issues , our minds numbed by our petty concerns desires and compulsions.What are we to do when hope in humanity is becoming a sick dream?Do you have to die to end this dilemma?

The film makes you think of your place in the world and the world's place in your life.Despite this I found the actors sadly not able to convey the depths of the issue.The episodes move from commercial comedy of malayalam movies, sentmentalism and quasi seriousness. The epidodes are petty and trivial except the final Gujarat one, and this makes the film look very unsophisticated and perhaps missing the gravitas that was necessary for such a theme.The actors from different states fared well than Malayali actors.The structure of the film has been used before, But Chandran manages to keep it going till the end.

It is certainly a unique theme and this alone is enough to keep it in my memory.It is a sad comment on our insensitive Indian world.

for the shame of living..

[gosandee · 9/10 · 8 April 2006]

the ending could have been a bit more subtle... the build up to it was brilliant.."for the shame of living" was too abrupt an end...the idea could have been put forward more delicately...TV Chandran's contempt for bollywood is quite notorious..(remember the dilwale dulhaniya interview..??)...but thats just one point..the movie reflects a much broader perspective(not just cricket and bollywood)...the attempt is NOT to understand the huge suicide rate in kerala..or whatever PimpinAintEasy was saying(duh!)...Maybe Kerala has a high suicide rate..but that ain't for this reason dude..if such socially conscious people existed in kerala, it wouldn't be the gods own country with the devils own people..

any person however, who is so empathetic to what goes on around him and is so sensitive about human values is bound to have a similar fate..i don't think he/she would be able to survive.. with the kind of things that our culture has to offer today..he would become kadhavaseshan (actually i have started using that term as an adjective now)..that is probably where the virtue of selfishness comes into the picture (Ayn Rand...anyone..???)..i agree with Roby Kurian on his reference to a "numb society"..totally devoid of any kind of social action and thought..

and about dilips acting...its pretty decent...but one must also analyse why an actor from the mainstream would want to work on a film like this(esp someone like dilip who survives solely on the 'worship of mediocrity')..i guess at a particular point in every actors career there would arise a moment when he/she would want something to use as a label (a national award perhaps..?.nice try though...maybe the other guys paid more..)and is sick of doing the same story lines over and over again for the "popularity" factor...and i felt the movie could have fared much better if it wasn't a dileep production..and the dileep influence shows too (his other productions...paandipada..CID Moosa...i hope u get what i mean.)..but i guess Mr.Chandran had no other option..(when they've got the money ..u gotta do what they tell you..)..i thought Jyothirmayi was also quite decent...

And what was that thing at the beginning of the film...a quote from Camus' stuff..was it from 'the rebel' or from 'happy death'...couldn't go through the whole of it..any one who can tell me about that..?? going back to the ending...like Bergman once said.."..something that is half seen is far more sensual than that which is fully visible.."(or to that effect ..i think) Overall...its one cool movie..9/10...for the concept..by far one of the best that Malayalam cinema has seen in a while..

Such an emotional rolercoaster ride of a film which made me think about this world

[mibinmammen-27074 · 9/10 · 4 January 2023]

Kadhavaseshan was one of the most underrated and an emotional rollercoaster for me. I watched the film and liked several aspects of the film. Firstly, the way the story is knit is very unique in comparison to other dileep films. The fil, tells the story of gopinathan not through but through the others who are connected with him and benefited from him and it is also done through the inquisitive nature of his future fiance which increased the impact of the film. Secondly, the film used emotions in the right manner without being over the top which made the film connect with me as a person and also made me cry especially the climax which pierced through my heart. Thirdly, the film conveyed an important message of humanity dying and how the hatred between the communities is killing that which was clearly stated in the final dialogues for the shame of living which is apt.

Overall one of the best film of Dileep and most underrated film in Malayalam movie industry.