Kaantha

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Kaantha

Nov 2025

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Drama

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7 Reviews

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Fewer than 50 Ratings

Set against the vibrant and transformative backdrop of 1950s Madras cinema, Kaantha delves into the tumultuous relationship between a celebrated film director and his superstar protégé.

Surya Komal

Just for Movie Freaks

Kaantha is a beautifully mounted film with stellar performances and exceptional technical brilliance, even if the writing falters along the way.

Rated: 3/5

Nov 25, 2025

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Neeshita Nyayapati

Hindustan Times

Kaantha, much like the film industry it is set in, has much to offer in terms of dizzying fame, passionate affairs and unchecked ego. However, the highs and lows of the film seem starkly in contrast, also much like the industry it is set in.

Rated: 3/5

Nov 17, 2025

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Sreeju Sudhakaran

LatestLY.com

A compelling watch for its performances and first-half brilliance, but a frustrating one for what it ultimately leaves on the table.

Rated: 2.5/5

Nov 15, 2025

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Anandu Suresh

The Indian Express

Amid all the narrative flaws, Kaantha is saved by its superlative technical prowess, particularly the director’s staging of the scenes with a clear idea of how to make the best use of the visual language.

Rated: 3/5

Nov 15, 2025

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Rohit Panikker

Filmfare

Ultimately, Kaantha is a beautifully mounted vehicle, driven by a career-best performance from Dulquer Salmaan, but one whose tires deflate when it hits the tricky, unpredictable road of the murder mystery genre.

Rated: 3/5

Nov 14, 2025

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Vishal Menon

The Hollywood Reporter India

In other instances, Mahadevan isn’t mouthing the lines he’s meant to… he is speaking straight from his heart, as though the cameras have all disappeared.

Nov 14, 2025

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Audience Member

Selvamani Selvaraj's Kaantha is a perfect example of delicious first half and a very muddled second half. Selvamani Selvaraj does a fine job in capturing between Dulquer and Samuthrikani. The psychological drama plays out well but the murder mystery involving Bhagyashri Borse falls flat. The secondary characters don't have enough substance, and the interpersonal dynamics needed much better writing. My full review available in own website rigoberthareviews.com

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

11/18/25

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Lucky01

Kaantha really succeeds in capturing the feel of old-school Indian period cinema. In terms of performances, Dulquer Salmaan and Samuthirakani completely steal the show. Bhagyashri Borse and Rana Daggubati are good as well, and the rest of the cast do justice to their roles. The songs work really well when watched in the theatre. The background score is perfect and adds a lot to the period-drama atmosphere. Cinematography is clean and visually pleasing. The production quality and technical work are solid throughout. Both the first and second halves are engaging. However, the slow pace and long runtime make it feel a bit tiring at times.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

11/16/25

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Sharon D

A GREAT MOVIE. A PERFECT DRAMA,THRILLER I HAVE EVER SCENE IN 2025 ESPECIALLY DQ - MAN HE IS ONE OF THE GREATEST ACTOR IN INDIA, BAGHYASHRII BORSE - WHAT A BEAUTY,WHAT AN ACTING AND ALSO SAMUTHIRAKANI AND RANA DAGGUBATTI THEY ALSO MAKED THIS FILM PEAK.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

11/14/25

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Selvamani Selvaraj

Director

Dulquer Salmaan

Actor

Samuthirakani

Actor

Bhagyashri Borse

Actor

Selvamani Selvaraj

Screenwriter

Rana Daggubati

Producer

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Synopsis

Set against the vibrant and transformative backdrop of 1950s Madras cinema, Kaantha delves into the tumultuous relationship between a celebrated film director and his superstar protégé.

Director: Selvamani Selvaraj
Producer: Rana Daggubati, Dulquer Salmaan, Prashanth Potluri, Jom Varghese
Screenwriter: Selvamani Selvaraj
Distributor: Spirit Media
Production Co: Spirit Media, Wayfarer Films
Genre: Biography, Drama, History
Original Language: Tamil
Release Date (Theaters): Nov 14, 2025, Limited