Rating: 6.7/10
Director: Pa. Ranjith
Writer: Pa. Ranjith
Stars: Rajinikanth, Radhika Apte, Kishore, Kalaiyarasan
Runtime: 2h 33min
Genre: Crime, Drama
Released: 04 Apr 2016
Synopsis: The Kabali movie deals with the plight of migrant Indian community, specifically the Tamilians, who lived in Malaysia. About 30 years back in time, many of the Indian laborers working in Malaysia, used to work as drug traffickers and goons under Chinese mafia gangs. One man, Kabaleeswaran alias Kabali (Rajanikanth), takes a stand for the betterment of his community. Himself a gang member working under gangster Sitaramaraj (Naazar), Kabali takes over the gang leadership on Sitaramaraj’s untimely death. With the gang leadership, also come the rival gang confrontations especially with Gang43 lead by the ruthless drug lord Tony Woo (Winston Chao). In his position as a gang leader Kabali also aids his community. He founded the Free Life Foundation, a non-profit organization to help poor uneducated Indian laborers in Malaysia. However, the violence of heading a gang takes its toll on Kabali’s family life, weaving into the movie a family element with the pursuit of Kabali’s wife. The rest of the movie comprises of Kabali and Gang43 trying to overpower each other.
Kabaleeswaran, a revolutionary who fights for the betterment of his race in a foreign land, is falsely implicated and thrown behind bars. When he returns after his prison term, he starts a search for his wife and ends up confronting those who were the reason behind his miseries. What follows is a tale of revenge, emotion, drama, jealousy, treason, loyalty, love and payback.
Before Indian Independence, many Tamils from South India were sent to Malaysia as indentured laborers. Kabali, the protagonist, fights this oppression. After a lengthy imprisonment, he is more determined than ever to fight for his people.