Kadaisi Vivasayi Movie Review: Manikandan’s film about the last farmer is a heartwarming tale

Director Manikandan’s Kadaisi Vivasayi is a moving tale about the last farmer in a village. Septuagenarian Mayaandi is the soul of the film while Vijay Sethupathi and Yogi Babu play supporting roles.

Earnestness and simplicity are what director Manikandan’s films are all about. Be it Kaaka Muttai or Kuttrame Thandanai or Aandavan Kattalai, all these stories are about simpletons. Kadaisi Vivasayi, his latest outing, is no different. The film, which talks about the last farmer in the village, is a refreshing reminder about simpler times.

Kadaisivi Vivasayi’s story is about a village coming together to celebrate a festival to their local deity. Maayandi (late actor Nallandi) is chosen to make the first offering which is the rice grown in the village soil. As he gets into work, the death of three peacocks plays spoilsport in his plans. He is sentenced to prison for a mistake he never committed. Will Maayandi be able to harvest the paddy? Will he be proven innocent?

Kadaisi Vivasayi begins with stunning visuals of Maayandi going about his daily chores. We are then shown the villagers and their routines. These visuals bring forth the beauty of the village and make you want to lead their life - away from the chaos of the city. Maayandi leads a sustainable lifestyle and he doesn’t depend on electricity or any other technological developments. Even the next generation of youngsters in the village are surprised by the lifestyle that Maayandi leads.

Here's the trailer of Kadaisi Vivasayi:

The film is replete with different characters and the varying levels of innocence make the story. There’s a bald man (Kalimuthu), who doesn’t want to stay bald. There’s a dwarf woman who wants to get married. There’s Ramayya (Vijay Sethupathi) who is on a spiritual path and seems to have lost his mind after the death of his loved one. There’s a police constable (Kaalaipandiyan), who has a hard time proving his identity.

These characters bring in the much-needed humour to Kadaisi Vivasayi. The film slowly sucks you into their world and then unveils the conflict towards the interval. But, it makes one wait for what’s going to happen next. Manikandan, who has donned multiple hats, has done an exceptional job with the screenplay.

It is safe to say that Nallandi is the hero of the film, while Vijay Sethupathi and Yogi Babu play supporting roles. Vijay Sethupathi’s character is an ardent devotee of Lord Murugan and sometimes his character does not gel with the proceedings. Same goes with Yogi Babu’s character. These are the negatives in an otherwise heartwarming film.