The long-awaited Tamil period drama Kaantha starring Dulquer Salmaan has finally released in theaters on November 14. Written and directed by Selvamani Selvaraj and produced by Dulquer Salmaan with Rana Daggubati, the film also stars Bhagyashree Borse, Samuthirakani and Rana Daggubati. The film is a fictional tale set in the 1950s, following the conflict between a film star and the director who represents her. While the early screenings resulted in another hit for Dulquer, the audience response on Twitter has been a mix of praise and criticism.
Fans have particularly praised the performances of Dulquer Salmaan, Bhagyashree Borse and Samuthirakani, describing them as “heart-touching”. Many viewers appreciated the technical aspects of the film, with one fan calling it “one of the finest art films of Tamil cinema”. However, along with the praise, some tweets also pointed out some shortcomings in Kantha.
Another highlighted the writing, saying, “To be honest, Kantha was a disappointment. Shallow writing that is saved by some amazing performances. Technically good, but you don’t really connect with anyone.” A section of fans felt that the second half needed more emotional depth, noting that “the vastness of emotions, be it ego, love, or even the whodunit angle, remains at the surface level. It feels like a lot of things are happening but you also feel like not much is happening!”
Directed by Selvamani Selvaraj, Kantha has been compared to earlier Dulquer period films like Mahanati, Seetha Ramam and Lucky Baskhar. While some fans were expecting a commercial entertainer, the makers clarified that the film is a fictional tale and not based on the life of Tamil superstar MK Thyagaraja Bhagavathar. Following its theatrical release, the post-theatrical streaming rights of Kaantha have been acquired by Netflix, making it accessible to a wider audience globally.
