Ka Pae Ranasingam Movie Review : Well-meaning drama that is also quite overlong

How empathetic are our government bodies when it comes to solving the problem faced by an individual? Going by Ka Pae Ranasingam, you would say, 'Not much'. Ariyanachi (Aishwarya Rajesh), the film’s lead character, is faced with a unique problem. Her husband, Ranasingam (Vijay Sethupathi), has died in Dubai, where he had gone for work. But to bring his body back, she needs to prove that she is his wife.

But the problem is that she has no legal document to prove that she is Ranasingam's wife. Theirs was a marriage arranged by their families, but it happened in extraordinary circumstances, in the presence of both the families, so there is no proof to show that it happened. And even as she is shunted between various government departments, she learns that Ranasingam's death did not happen according to the official version given to her by the government. This complicates the issue further because now, getting the body back involves diplomacy at the highest levels of the government. Can this lone, determined woman get what is her right?

Ka Pae Ranasingam is the kind of film that is well-meaning, filled with concern for the common man. And the story it has to say is definitely new. It is anchored by a strong performance from its lead and has situations that one can relate with. And yet, the film doesn't come together as a whole. Part of the reason is that the film is overlong. We understand that Ariyanachi's quest for justice is a long and weary one, but we wish director P Virumandi had found a way to narrate this take in a swifter fashion. But he goes for a long-winded approach and at almost three hours, the film is an exhausting watch.

One of the reasons for this is his use of a star to play the role of Ranasingam. Even if Vijay Sethupathi is that rare star who submits to the demands of the story, here, the director keeps propping up the character, with scenes that after a point start to feel redundant, to make him look heroic. The final portions, especially the things that a desperate Ariyanachi does to get justice, are written in a somewhat simplistic manner that stretches the limits of plausibility. It is mainly Aishwarya Rajesh's forceful performance, which delicately balances Vulnerability and fiestiness, that keeps us rooting. Even so, the final twist, which should have come as a sucker punch, leaves us feeling less moved that we should be.