Kathal: A Jackfruit Mystery Review – an impressive satire with great performances

By Amanda Guarragi - May 19, 2023
2023 Netflix film Kathal: A Jackfruit Mystery Review
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Summary

This satire highlights the importance of women being in positions of power to shed light on injustices happening within the community.

Here is our review of the 2023 Netflix film Kathal: A Jackfruit Mystery, which does not contain spoilers.

It’s always interesting to see how different countries operate within their communities, and Kathal: A Jackfruit Mystery explores this in India. We see that a woman is a police officer who is trying to solve a mystery, which is rare to see a woman in that position of power.

The film does flip the script on many social constructs the country faces, and it works well as a satire.

Kathal: A Jackfruit Mystery Review and Plot Summary

The title may seem odd because the mystery is about a fruit, but it explores many social and political issues in India. A local politician’s prized jackfruits go missing, and a young police officer who is determined to prove herself takes on the case and won’t rest until she solves it.

As a police officer and woman, she experiences a mixture of suspects, making this a difficult journey for her. Some don’t take her seriously, but the men working with her are by her side during this case.

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Sanya Malhotra, who takes on the role of the cop in this film, gives a strong performance. While she navigates this case, she sees the issues that her people face on the streets while trying to solve this mystery. The script is layered to give different perspectives while trying to solve a fun puzzle.

Is Kathal: A Jakfruit Mystery Good or Bad?

Kathal: A Jackfruit Mystery works more as a political satire than a profound mystery. Tonally the film shifts from one to the other, so it’s hard to fully grasp the situation at hand.

The performances are fun to watch, and it looks like the actors are enjoying themselves under the direction of Yashowardhan Mishra, but it does play a bit safe. It’s a good movie because it explores the people’s lives as they mention the caste system and the brutality some face by living there.

They do make fun of the government and the system, which many can appreciate because even though cinema dares to do that, the system won’t unfortunately change.

It’s important for films to put a mirror up to society, whether it’s a drama or a satire. Audiences can approach things differently and maybe even change their perspective on certain issues.

Is Kathal: A Jackfruit Mystery Worth Watching?

If you’re a fan of political satire, then this is one you should check out. It emphasizes the importance of showing what happens within the community while the police focus on minor issues. It is worth watching for the performances and how these characters all come together to poke fun at the system.

There are fun action set pieces and funny moments that make this entertaining to watch. Even though the film does feel like it runs long toward the end, it’s still a leisurely watch.

What did you think of the 2023 Netflix film Kathal: A Jackfruit Mystery? Comment below.

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