Kali (2016 film)

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Kali
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Sameer Thahir
Written by	Rajesh Gopinadhan
Produced by	Ashiq Usman Shyju Khalid Sameer Thahir
Starring	Dulquer Salmaan Sai Pallavi
Cinematography	Gireesh Gangadharan
Edited by	Vivek Harshan
Music by	Gopi Sundar
Production company	Hand Made Films
Distributed by	Central Pictures
Release date	26 March 2016 (2016-03-26)
Running time	115 minutes[1]
Country	India
Language	Malayalam

Kali (transl. Aggression) is a 2016 Indian Malayalam-language romantic action thriller film directed and co-produced by Sameer Thahir. It stars Dulquer Salmaan and Sai Pallavi in lead roles.^[2][3] It is the second collaboration of Thahir and Salmaan, after Neelakasham Pachakadal Chuvanna Bhoomi (2013).^[4]

The film was shot in Kochi, Vagamon, Athirappilly, Masinagudi, and Gudalur.^[5]

Kali was released on 26 March 2016 to critical and commercial success.^[6] It has since been remade in Kannada as Kidi and in Marathi as Circuitt.^[7] The film was dubbed and released into Telugu as Hey Pillagada in November 2017.^[8]

Siddharth suffers from severe anger management issues and finds it difficult to control himself for petty issues. He is in love with his classmate Anjali. The duo gets married after their graduation against the wishes of their parents. With the help of his friends, Siddharth gets a job at a bank in Kochi. Anjali tells Siddharth that he should control his anger for which anger management schools can be attended. Anjali's parents invite them for Anjali's brother's engagement where Anjali tells her mother to make her father call Siddharth. Siddharth concentrates on his work to bring down his anger and encounters foolish customers, much to his irritation.

In one such instance, Anjali breaks up with Siddharth mentioning that she cannot lead a life with him. Siddharth offers to take her home at Masinagudi in Tamil Nadu. On the way, a trucker named Chakkara overtakes their car without warning, which almost causes the couple to crash. Furious, Siddharth follows Chakkara and successfully overtakes him, but Anjali begs him to leave the matter. On the way, they stop at a restaurant for dinner, which is headed by a ruthless gangster named John. The couple learns that Chakkara is also one of John's henchmen. Siddharth gets into trouble due to his temper and learns that Chakkara have obsession on Anjali.

Siddharth is about to get into a fight with Chakkara, but Anjali stops him. When both of them realize they don't have cash, the hotel staff suggests one of them to leave and bring the cash from the nearby ATM. Anjali doesn't want to leave alone but leaves for the ATM though she lacks driving skills. After she leaves, Chakkara leaves the restaurant. Fearing the worst, Siddharth tries to contact Anjali, who is also unable to contact Siddharth due to lack of network. She also doesn't find any ATM. She notices Chakkara's truck following her and trying to scare her so that she cannot drive the car in the lonely road. She continues driving, but is unable to escape as it is a one-way road.

Fearing Anjali's safety, Siddharth tries to escape from the restaurant, but is captured by the henchmen and is locked in a room. Anjali keeps on driving where another trucker, who had noticed the couple in the restaurant, witnesses the chase. Siddharth tries to escape from the room where a young boy opens the locked room. Siddharth steps into the middle of a gang war. At the same time, Chakkara corners Anjali when her car gets stuck in the mud, but escapes when the other trucker arrives on the scene with police which enables Anjali to escape from Chakkara's cruel intentions. Anjali, along with the police, arrives back at the restaurant to find John injured and Siddharth with a knife.

Siddharth is arrested, but John reports to the police that the restaurant's previous owner arrived with a gang to kill him. Siddharth and Anjali continue their journey where Siddharth apologizes to Anjali and promises to control his anger, though it cannot be done overnight and tells her that he is sure he can change with her by his side and Anjali agrees. On the way, they encounter Chakkara, whose truck has broken down. Siddharth decides to leave him, but Anjali, who is furious with Chakkara, refuses to forgive him for harassing her. Anjali stops the car as a sign to tell Siddharth that something must be done and so he steps out to vent his anger with Anjali's complete approval and charges towards Chakkara.

The music is composed by Gopi Sunder and the soundtrack was released on 11 March 2016 by Satyam Audios.^[9][10][11]

Arathi Kannan of Onmanorama gave 3.5/5 stars and wrote "Starting with smaller anger bytes, Kali grows in proportion and momentum to make for an extempore in 'what anger could lead to'. In a flash, one sees a change in situations, the ball has shifted court, anger has bared its fangs, and Kali has won it, fair and square."^[12] Goutham V.S. of The Indian Express gave 3.5/5 stars and wrote "Dulquer Salmaan looked possessed with ‘Kali’ as the actor yet again delivered his charisma on screen while expressing hysterical shades of anger, throughout the movie."^[13]

Deepa Soman of The Times of India gave 3/5 stars and wrote "Kali is brisk and concise; watch it for Dulquer Salman and Sai Pallavi’s performances."^[14] Behindwoods gave 3/5 stars and wrote "Kali has Dulquer’s anger, Sai Palavi’s plight and much more to offer as the director’s vision is clear!."^[15] Akhila Menon of Filmibeat gave 3/5 stars and wrote "An above-average, visually appealing romantic thriller which will keep you engaged from the beginning till the climax."^[16]

Kali has been remade in Kannada as Kidi and also remade in Marathi as Circuitt.^[17][18]

IBTimes reported that the film collected ₹2.33 crore (US$280,000) in the opening day from Kerala; breaking the previous record of Loham (2015) to become the highest Malayalam opener. It grossed ₹5.89 crore after 3 days.^[19]

The total earnings of the movie in 27 days from the US box office is ₹28.84 lakh (US$35,000),^[20] and ₹30.18 lakh (US$36,000) from 3rd weekend from UK box office.^[21] The film is reported to have collected ₹16.4 crore at the Kerala box office.^[22][23]

• Kali at IMDb