Sherief’s Gandhi Kannadi positions itself as a heartfelt comedy-drama about love, money, and morality in the age of demonetisation. Unfortunately, what begins as a story with some potential soon collapses into an over-the-top melodrama and a cringe-laden viewing experience. Despite its noble intentions, the film falters at every step of execution, offering little more than exaggerated performances and questionable logic.
At the center is Gandhi (Balaji Shakthivel), a watchman who dreams of throwing a lavish 60th wedding anniversary for his wife Kannamma (Archana). The problem lies in the sheer absurdity of the idea — here is a man living in a lower middle-class home, yet he dreams of spending several lakhs of rupees, even pawning ancestral property, for a celebration that his financial situation clearly cannot sustain. Instead of coming across as touching or aspirational, the entire premise feels contrived and unintentionally laughable.
The entry of Kathir (KPY Bala), an event manager motivated by money rather than compassion, sets the stage for a supposed tug-of-war between love and greed. But Bala, in his debut as lead, delivers an underwhelming and uneven performance. His attempts at humor often descend into tasteless body-shaming jokes and shallow counters that feel outdated and insensitive in today’s cinema. His emotional scenes, meanwhile, lack depth and only highlight his inexperience as a performer.
Balaji Shakthivel, known for his directorial excellence, takes on the role of Gandhi with sincerity, but his acting is marred by constant over-exaggeration. Instead of drawing empathy, his portrayal of a sentimental husband comes across as forced and repetitive. Archana fares no better; her Kannamma is weighed down by melodramatic expressions that quickly become tiring. Even comedian Amudhavaanan, expected to inject some light moments, adds to the cringe with outdated slapstick that falls flat.
The only silver lining in this otherwise exhausting drama is Namita Krishnamurthy as Geetha. She plays her part with a natural grace and controlled intensity, making her character stand out amidst the chaos. Her performance feels modern, relatable, and measured — a stark contrast to the overdone theatrics of her co-stars.
Technically, Gandhi Kannadi also fails to impress. The cinematography is bland, staging is unimaginative, and editing stretches the film unnecessarily with repetitive scenes. The much-hyped demonetisation subplot — the couple’s struggle to convert bundles of old notes into usable cash — is mishandled with confusing, unrealistic sequences that test patience rather than build tension. The soundtrack by Vivek–Mervin does deliver one catchy number (Thimirukari), but the background score fails to rescue the film’s sagging momentum.
By the time the film reaches its climax, the excessive sentimentality has worn the viewer down. Tragedy is used as a convenient shortcut for emotion, leaving the audience more frustrated than moved. What should have been a grounded tale of love, sacrifice, and generational values becomes instead an unbelievable, poorly structured drama that insults the intelligence of its audience.
Gandhi Kannadi had a promising idea but squandered it with overwrought performances, a hollow script, and an illogical premise. With the exception of Namita Krishnamurthy, whose performance is the only one worth appreciating, the film ends up as a long, cringe-worthy affair that fails to deliver either meaningful drama or genuine entertainment.
CINEMA SPICE RATING: ★★☆☆☆ (2/5)