Wikipedia

Saani Kaayidham

Saani Kaayidham (transl. Muddy Paper) is a 2022 Indian Tamil-language crime action film directed by Arun Matheswaran. The film stars Keerthy Suresh and Selvaraghavan in lead roles.[1] Sundar Arumugam produced the film while the music and cinematography were handled by Sam C. S. and Yamini Yagnamurthy respectively.

Saani Kaayidham
Official release poster
Directed byArun Matheswaran
Written byArun Matheswaran
Produced bySundar Arumugam
StarringKeerthy Suresh
Selvaraghavan
CinematographyYamini Yagnamurthy
Edited byNagooran Ramachandran
Music bySam C. S.
Production
company
Screen Scene Media Entertainment
Distributed byAmazon Prime Video
Release date
  • 6 May 2022 (2022-05-06)
Running time
137 minutes
CountryIndia
LanguageTamil

Saani Kaayidham was released on Amazon Prime Video on 6 May 2022 and received positive reviews from critics.

Plot

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In 1989, Ponni, a hardworking police constable without real higher-life aspirations, aims to ensure that her daughter Dhanam receives a good education and becomes a responsible person. Maari, Ponni's husband and a mill worker, aspires to break free from rampant caste issues and poverty in their village by getting involved in local elections. This leads to a minor conflict with one of the mill owner's relatives, and Maari soon gets fired. When Maari returns the next day to apologise and get his job back, Perumal, the mill owner, and his relatives, driven by their senseless casteism and misogyny, humiliate him and make derogatory remarks about Ponni.

In retaliation, Maari humiliates Perumal and his relatives in return. They feel shamed after a lower-caste person retaliates against them, whom they consider an inferior specimen. As a result, Perumal and his relatives burn down Ponni's house while her husband and daughter sleep inside. They sexually assault Ponni after her superior officer Deva leads her to them on false pretences. However, they leave Ponni alive since she is a policewoman and her death might lead to legal trouble for them. When Ponni seeks justice for Maari and Dhanam's deaths in court, the culprits use their influence and receive a minor sentence. After planning a scuffle, they leave to hide and escape with the help of Adv. Rani. Ponni, reeling from the incident, swears revenge on them.

Ponni teams up with her half-brother Sangayya to seek vengeance against the upper-caste landlords. Ponni was not on good terms with Sangayya due to a past conflict between their mothers and they grew apart. Sangayya reconciles with Ponni due to a similar incident in his past and how he formed a close bond with Dhanam. The duo finds Rani in an abandoned building and Ponni finishes her. She also learns the locations of the men. Ponni and Sangayya torture Anbu and finish him. During this time, Perumal is hunted by his younger brother Giri, who was also in charge of helping the group hide in different areas, due to an inheritance dispute and lost his life. Perumal's blind son Sudalai, whom the duo knew beforehand and was Dhanam's close friend, survived. Ponni and Sangayya find the man's body.

Sangayya takes Sudalai, despite Ponni's adamant insistence that Sudalai had also assaulted her on that fateful night. Sangayya burns the lodge, where one of Perumal's goons Vasu is staying and kidnaps him. Sangayya ties Vasu inside a van. Ponni pours acid on him and brutally kills him. Ponni uses the van to run over Giri and his henchmen after one of the goons stabs Sangayya in the back, killing several men, but Giri survives and escapes. The duo manages to find the last remaining targets Maini and Deva at a cinema theatre. Before killing Maini, Sangayya hacks off Maini's hand and decapitates him. Maini's men seriously wound Sangayya after he singlehandedly held them off and successfully hacks Deva to death.

Sangayya insists on Ponni to protect Sudalai since Giri will arrive to kill his nephew to eliminate the last remaining heir to the mill and the properties left by his grandfather. Ponni leaves him in the van to bring Sudalai, whom she had instructed to hide nearby. Giri and the reinforcements arrive and chase after the vehicle, which Sangayya had anticipated. Sangayya sacrifices himself by blowing up the van after lighting up several gas cylinders, which he had stowed inside, killing the reinforcements as well as Giri, thus leaving Ponni devastated. After taking some time to recover and having her vengeance fulfilled, Ponni leaves with Sudalai. It is later revealed that Sudalai was not involved in the assault and was innocent.

Cast

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Production

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Saani Kaayidham is the first film that Selvaraghavan, as an actor, accepted before his first acting credit became Beast (2022).[2] Filming began in late February 2021.[3] It was later suspended due to the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in India, but resumed that June and wrapped on 18 August.[4]

Music

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The music of the film was supposed to be composed by Yuvan Shankar Raja, but he was replaced by Sam CS.[5]

Release

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The film was released on Amazon Prime Video on 6 May 2022 alongside its dubbed versions in Telugu and Malayalam, with the Telugu version titled Chinni.[6]

Home media

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The satellite rights of the film were sold to Kalaignar TV.[citation needed]

Reception

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Saani Kaayidham received positive reviews from critics and audience.[7]

M Suganth of The Times of India rated the film 3/5 stars and wrote "It is ultimately the performances of Keerthi Suresh, who is terrific as the revenge-obsessed Ponni and Selvaraghavan, who superbly turns Sangayya into the film's beating heart, that hold the film aloft and prevent it from sinking into a mindless violent movie".[8] Ashameera Aiyappan of Firstpost rated the film 3/5 stars and wrote "Saani Kaayidham is a solid revenge drama that achieves its humble aspirations".[9] Janani K of India Today rated the film 3/5 stars and wrote "Saani Kaayidham is a neat revenge thriller which lacks depth in writing. If only Arun added more punch to the story, the film could have been flawless".[10]

Bhavana Sharma of Pinkvilla rated the film 3/5 stars and wrote "This film is worth watching for the performances by the lead actors, and of course, a story that needs to be told.[11] Latha Srinivasan wrote in Moneycontrol that “Saani Kaayidam' rests firmly on the shoulders of Keerthy Suresh and Selvaraghavan, and works to a great extent only because of them.”[12] Haricharan Pudipeddi of Hindustan Times stated "The film pushes Keerthy Suresh out of her comfort zone while Selvaraghavan contributes in not making the film end up as a blood-soaked tale of vengeance".[13] Bharathy Singaravel of The News Minute wrote "Filmmakers need to stop, just simply stop using sexual violence as a cinematic prop. Normally, in Tamil films, a woman’s life is “over” after she has been sexually assaulted. Saani Khaayidham tries to deviate from that, but ends up reinforcing another trope - that a woman, who is otherwise primarily the wife, daughter, or mother, needs to go through something as traumatic as a sexual assault to become “stronger”.[14]

Srivatsan S of The Hindu wrote "Filmmaker Arun Matheswaran’s second instalment in what he calls his ‘revenge trilogy’ is gory and disturbing. Like the director’s previous film, it has a few auteur touches here too, and yet, there are a few issues".[15] However, Dinamani gave a mixed review and noted that the work of many people can be seen in the way Saani Kaayidham was created. But what would the film have been if all this work had been accompanied by an interesting, mind-blowing story, emotional and innovative scenes!".[16] ABP Nadu gave 3/5 stars and noted that apart from the shortcoming that all the pages written in Sanikakitham are in blood, Saani Kaayidham is a ‛blood' bond story that travels with relationship and story.[17] Dinamalar critic gave a mixed review saying it takes courage to see not one but two people who ruined his life take such murderous revenge. Only such people can watch this movie. Make sure children don't watch anything at home, and gave 2.5/5 stars. [18]

References

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  1. ^ "Keerthy Suresh plays Selvaraghavan's sister in Saani Kaayidham?". The Times of India. 21 September 2021. Archived from the original on 22 September 2021. Retrieved 22 April 2022.
  2. ^ Sundar, Anusha (5 May 2022). "Selvaraghavan Interview: Filmmaker about 'Saani Kaayidham' and His Move to Acting". Silverscreen India. Archived from the original on 20 December 2023. Retrieved 20 December 2023.
  3. ^ "Keerthy Suresh begins Saani Kaayidham with Selvaraghavan. Samantha wishes Mahanati star". India Today. 27 February 2021. Archived from the original on 27 June 2022. Retrieved 9 November 2023.
  4. ^ "Keerthy Suresh and Selvaraghavan wrap up Saani Kaayidham shoot. See pics". India Today. 19 August 2021. Archived from the original on 22 April 2022. Retrieved 22 April 2022.
  5. ^ "Sam CS replaces Yuvan Shankar Raja in Saani Kaayidham". The Times of India. 6 November 2021. Archived from the original on 6 November 2021. Retrieved 22 April 2022.
  6. ^ "Keerthy Suresh and Selvaraghavan Starrer 'Saani Kaayidham' gets a release date". The Times of India. 22 April 2022. Archived from the original on 22 April 2022. Retrieved 22 April 2022.
  7. ^ "Selvaraghavan on Saani Kaayidham: We don't have to brand it as a violent film". The Indian Express. 24 May 2022. Archived from the original on 20 December 2023. Retrieved 20 December 2023.
  8. ^ Suganth, M. "SAANI KAAYIDHAM REVIEW : A HARD-HITTING BUT INDULGENT TALE OF VENGEANCE". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 5 July 2022. Retrieved 6 May 2022.
  9. ^ "Saani Kaayidham movie review: Keerthy Suresh, Selvaraghavan excel in this straight-forward revenge drama". Firstpost. 6 May 2022. Archived from the original on 6 May 2022. Retrieved 6 May 2022.
  10. ^ K, Janani (6 May 2022). "Saani Kaayidham Movie Review: Keerthy Suresh, Selvaraghavan are in supreme form in this solid revenge thriller". India Today. Archived from the original on 6 May 2022. Retrieved 6 May 2022.
  11. ^ "Saani Kaayidham Movie Review: Saani Kaayidham Review: Keerthy Suresh and Selvaraghavan's terrific performances". Pinkvilla. Archived from the original on 6 May 2022. Retrieved 6 May 2022.
  12. ^ Srinivasan, Latha (7 May 2022). "Saani Kaayidham review: Keerthy Suresh excels in this predictable revenge drama". Moneycontrol. Archived from the original on 7 May 2022. Retrieved 4 July 2024.
  13. ^ "Saani Kaayidham review: Keerthy Suresh's film is an exquisitely shot crime thriller but romanticises violence". Hindustan Times. 6 May 2022. Archived from the original on 6 May 2022. Retrieved 6 May 2022.
  14. ^ "Saani Kaayidham review: Cinematography, acting save a film obsessed with brutality". The News Minute. 6 May 2022. Archived from the original on 7 May 2022. Retrieved 7 May 2022.
  15. ^ S, Srivatsan (6 May 2022). "Saani Kaayidham review: Keerthy Suresh, Selvaraghavan are terrific in this bloody, yet focused revenge drama". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 7 May 2022. Retrieved 7 May 2022.
  16. ^ "கீர்த்தி சுரேஷ் நடித்த 'சாணிக் காயிதம்' எப்படி இருக்கிறது? விமர்சனம்". Dinamani (in Tamil). 6 May 2022. Archived from the original on 15 March 2023. Retrieved 15 March 2023.
  17. ^ நவநீதகிருஷ்ணன், பா ஸ்டாலின் (6 May 2022). "ரத்தத்தை லிட்டர் கணக்கில் உறியும் 'சாணிக் காயிதம்'... ஊறிப் போனதா... உறைந்து போனதா?". ABP Nadu (in Tamil). Archived from the original on 15 March 2023. Retrieved 15 March 2023.
  18. ^ "சாணிக் காயிதம்". Dinamalar (in Tamil). 7 May 2022. Archived from the original on 15 March 2023. Retrieved 15 March 2023.
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