Kaduva
Kaduva is a 2022 Indian Malayalam-language masala film directed by Shaji Kailas, written by Jinu V. Abraham and produced by Prithviraj Productions and Magic Frames. It stars Prithviraj Sukumaran, alongside Vivek Oberoi, Arjun Ashokan, Samyuktha Menon, Alencier Ley Lopez, Baiju Santhosh and Kalabhavan Shajohn. Set in 1990s, Kaduva revolves around an ego war between Kaduvakunnel Kuriyachan, an arrogant businessman and IG Joseph Chandy.
Principal photography took place from April 2021 to March 2022 at Pala, Erattupetta, Vandiperiyar, Mundakkayam and Ernakulam. Jakes Bejoy composed the soundtrack and film score, while the cinematography and editing were handled by Abinandhan Ramanujam and Shameer Muhammed respectively.
Kaduva was released on 7 July 2022 to mixed reviews from critics and became the third highest-grossing Malayalam film of 2022.
Plot
In the late 1990s, Kaduvakunnel Kurian Koruthu alias Kuriyachan "Kaduva", a wealthy and arrogant businessman in Pala, is brought to the district jail in Kottayam, where a murder attempt is made on him by three goons from Kottarakkara sub-jail under the orders of IG Joseph Chandy alias Ousepputty, but Kaduva defeats them. Before getting arrested, Kaduva was living a happy life with his family consisting of his wife Elsa and children Tessa, Eva and Chacko. However, Kaduva, due to his arrogance, had an ego-war with Joseph by speaking bad about Joseph's son, who has down syndrome, resulting Joseph to dislike Kaduva. When Joseph's mother Theruthi Chedathi lied that a piano was gifted to the church's perverted priest Fr. Robin Poovampura, instead of the church, Kaduva insults Joseph's late father Karikandhathil Chandichayan, making Joseph and Theruthi Chedathi to swear vengeance on Kaduva for the humiliation.Joseph swore vengeance against Kaduva and transfers all the cops in Pala and appoints SI Dominic and new officers to replace them. Dominic already had a grudge on Kaduva as his father Benjamin was thrashed by Kaduva earlier. Joseph bought land that belonged to an American family, which was sold by Kaduva, and closes down his bar. With his influence, Joseph issues a search warrant on Kaduva's house. On his way back home, Kaduva was stopped by ASI Johny Antonio, who tried arresting Kaduva in an arms licence case, but Kaduva thrashed them and was subsequently surrendered. Kaduva's bar licence gets revoked due to his alleged involvement in spirit smuggling.
After narrating his past, Kaduva is released two weeks later and learns that his father's Ambassador car has been seized by Benjamin and that Tessa has fractured her leg. Tessa secretly tells him that Robin had caused her injury and attempted to molest Elsa. When Tessa tried intervening, Robin pushed her down the stairs. Tessa makes Kaduva promise not to cause any problems. Kaduva meets his friend Victor and learns that Dominic had thrashed him as he was about to file a complaint against Benjamin and other officers to the DGP.
Meanwhile, Ananthanathan is ousted from his CM post due to his corrupt activities, which comes into limelight. It is revealed that Kaduva had met his sister Leena's classmate Sunny in prison, where he learns that the evidence linking the politician's illegal activities are with Francis Paul and Kunjithomman. After his release, Kaduva, with Sunny's help, makes a deal with Francis and Thomman to provide the video evidence of the party's corruption in exchange for money and leadership changes in the party, to which they agree. Due to the deal, Kaduva had sold some of his estate. After Thomman becomes the CM and Sunny's release from prison, Kaduva brutally thrashes Robin and throws him into the church's well. Kaduva also makes Thomman to issue an order to freeze the promotion of Joseph to ADGP due to multiple accusations against him.
Kaduva thrashes Dominic and retrieves his father's Ambassador car. Ananthanathan learns that there will be a raid in his house by the CVC and asks Joseph to transport the goods to a safe place. Joseph attempts to transports the goods to his plantation in Anakkara, only to be thwarted by Kaduva. The goods are discovered and Joseph gets suspended. Enraged, Joseph hires a goon from a mental asylum to kill Kaduva at a church festival, but Kaduva manages to thrash him and his goons to death, where he fights Joseph and defeats him. Joseph is later arrested on charges of corruption. Kaduva also blackmails Thomman and Paul for a lifetime commitment when he shows them the video of the meeting between him and them. Whilst leaving for prison, Joseph tells Kaduva that their feud has not finished and promises to meet him soon, to which Kaduva agrees.
Cast
- Prithviraj Sukumaran as Kaduvakunnel Kurian Korthu / Kuriyachan "Kaduva"
- Vivek Oberoi as IG Joseph Chandy IPS
- Arjun Ashokan as Victor, Kuriyachan's friend
- Samyuktha Menon as Elsa Kurian, Kuriyachan's wife
- Baiju Santhosh as Advocate Kora
- Alencier Ley Lopez as Varkey, Kuriyachan's mentor
- Kalabhavan Shajohn as SI Dominic Benjamin
- Rahul Madhav as Fr. Robin Poovampara
- Priyanka Nair as Merin, Joseph's wife
- Janardhanan as Ananthanathan, former CM of Kerala
- Seema as Theruthi Chedathi, Joseph's mother
- Innocent as Fr. Vattasheryil
- Suresh Krishna as CM Kunji Thomman
- Shivaji Guruvayoor as Revenue Minister Thomas Poovampara
- Nandhu as SI Manmadhan
- Joy Mathew as Bishop of Pala
- Aneesh G. Menon as Sunny
- Sudheesh as Mathai
- Sudheer Karamana as Basheer, Jail Superintendent
- Vijayakumar as CI Rajeevan
- Abu Salim as Benjamin, Dominic's father
- Chali Pala as Charlie
- V. K. Sreeraman as Bishop of Thrissur
- Angelina Abraham as Tessa Kurian, Kuriyachan's elder daughter
- Vriddhi Vishal as Eva Kurian, Kuriyachan's younger daughter
- Arish Anoop as Chacko Kurian, Kuriyachan's son
- Jolly Chirayath as Victor's mother
- Gouri Parvathi as Victor's sister
- Rajesh Hebbar as Dr. Paulachan
- Malavika Menon as Mary
- Ranjini George as Varkey's wife
- Saju Navodaya as Shankaran
- Balaji Sharma as Jail Warden
- Jaise Jose as SI Chandrababu
- Kottayam Ramesh as Fr. Gabriel
- Renji Panicker as Judge of District Court
- N. F. Varghese as Karikandathil Chandychan, Joseph's late father
- Mammootty as Kaduvakunnel Koruthu, Kuriyachan's late father
Production
Development
Kaduva was officially announced on 16 October 2019 on Prithviraj Sukumaran's birthday, to be directed by Shaji Kailas and written by Jinu V. Abraham, along with a poster featuring Prithviraj captioned "inspired from a true story". Jointly produced by Prithviraj's Prithviraj Productions and Listin Stephen's Magic Frames. Abraham said, although the film is inspired by a true story, it constitutes only five percent of the film and rest is fictional, which is set in 1990s. He first narrated the screenplay to Prithviraj, who suggested Shaji Kailas' name as director and brought him on board. The film was expected to begin production in March 2020 as soon as Prithviraj completes Aadujeevitham.Prithviraj plays the character of Kaduvakunnel Kuryachan, a young planter from a Christian family in Pala. Prithviraj said, though he received the screenplay only in early 2019 he had heard about the character even before that. Prithviraj was filming for Driving Licence when he called Shaji Kailas for directing the film. It was after Shaji Kailas agreed to do the film Prithviraj and Listin decided to produce it. Shooting which was scheduled to begin somewhere in mid-2020 was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic in India. In June that year, an untitled film to be directed by Mathews Thomas, produced by Tomichan Mulakuppadam, and starring Suresh Gopi was announced, which bears the same character name Kaduvakunnel Kuruvachan. This prompted Abraham to file a case against them at District Court, Ernakulam alleging plagiarism. The court stayed its production and promotional activities as Abraham's screenplay was registered under copyright law. Beside character name, promotional materials of SG250 also bears similarity to what is depicted in Kaduva poster, said Abraham. The initial title he found for Kaduva was Kaduvakunnel Kuruvachan and the screenplay was also registered under that title, it was changed after producer Stephen asked him to choose a shorter title. Abraham said Mathews had worked under him as an assistant director and had known him since 2011, with whom he had discussed stories, including Kaduva.
In October 2020, upholding the order of District Court, the High Court of Kerala gave clearance to Kaduva to proceed with production while restricting SG250 from making a film unless they create a new character and make major changes in the screenplay. A plea challenging the stay order of District Court was filed by the makers of SG250, but it was dismissed by the Supreme Court of India in April 2022.
A petitioner, Kuruvinakunnel expressed doubt as whether Kaduva and SG250 are based on his life. Clarifying that, Shaji Kailas said it was Abraham who came to him with the screenplay which he originally wrote for another director, and Kaduva is not based on Kuruvinakunnel's life and Abraham's Kuruvachan is an imaginary character who also happens to be a planter. The District Court s quashed the petition and questioned the intentions of the petitioner in filing a case just before the release of the movie.