Kabada Nadagam (Tamil, 2016) | Short Film Review

The concept of death hanging on our shoulders is often a dreary topic to deal with as not everyone is comfortable talking about it in the open. In the same vein, making an engaging short film where death stands not just figuratively but literally on the doorstep is quite a challenge. The short pulls this off courtesy the excellent dialogues that keep us intrigued while at the same time having a tinge of humour which is paramount these days to hold the attention of the viewer. The fact that this is achieved with minimal music is also worth noting.

Technically, the shot division & choreography when Peter tries to hit the Father are fantastic. There are nice editing/voice-modulation gimmicks on show when the character shifts religions in a couple of places. The usage of black & white tone for the entire short also plays a part in keeping us on our toes. This also prepares us subconsciously for something negative to spring up even though the dialogues try their best to balance & offset the feeling. The climax font selection too certainly plays a part in acccentuating the final message.

While the short is more of an acting showreel for the protagonist, it still comes across as an engrossing attempt.