Ka Pae Ranasingam review: Aishwarya Rajesh shines in this impactful but long-drawn social drama

Aishwarya Rajesh’s Ka Pae Ranasingam, which happens to the first Tamil film to be released on a pay-per-view model on Zee Plex, is a well-intentioned tale of a woman standing up against the system for a personal cause.

Inspired from true events, the story makes a strong impact; however, it does get dreary in the process and is needlessly long-drawn. By the time the film reaches its conclusion and makes its point, much as you want to laud the intent, you are glad it’s over. The length is a major downer in what is otherwise a very important film.

The story takes place in a small village in Ramanathapuram district of Tamil Nadu. Aishwarya plays Ariyanachi, who is married to Ranasingam (Vijay Sethupathi), a local activist whose word is worshipped by the villagers. We see traces of Ranasingam’s life as an activist in bits and pieces in the flashback sequences.

All is well until Ranasingam’s family is informed that he is killed in a local riot in the UAE. The news devastates Ariyanachi. When the family is denied the right to receive the corpse and the process is needlessly delayed, Ariyanachi goes the extra mile to fight for her husband’s body to be brought back.

What is likeable about Ka Pae Ranasingam, despite its inconsistent tonal issues, is that it focuses on the loss of the family, on Ariyanachi’s quest to get her husband’s body back. It is a social drama that gives more importance to the issue and how it affects the key characters and doesn’t waste time blaming those in power, at least not directly. It lets us empathize with Ariyanachi’s plight and invest in her journey as she fights a seemingly hopeless battle for justice.

Though Vijay Sethupathi plays an extended cameo, it is Aishwarya Rajesh who carries the film on her shoulders. It is her show all the way till the end. Among her contemporaries, Aishwarya is someone who is more comfortable playing rural characters. As someone who can speak the language fluently and is familiar with the milieu in which the story is set, she plays her part as earnestly as possible. It’s a treat to watch her Ariyanachi as she gets pretty much everything about the character on point. Of the supporting cast, Bhavani Sre as Vijay Sethupathi’s sister makes a strong impact.

Ka Pae Ranasingam is now available on a pay-per-view basis on Zee Plex on the Zee 5 platform.