‘Kenda’ movie review: A sharp observation on the nexus between crime and politics

‘Kenda’, from the makers of the acclaimed 2019 Kannada film ‘Gantumoote’, is a solid observation on the journey of an aimless youngster who gets lured into hooliganism

In director Sahadev Kelvadi’s Kenda, the protagonist Keshava (B V Bharath) is playing cricket on the road with his neighbour, a school-going boy. He instructs the boy facing his deliveries to focus on the ball and not look at his hand. In the scene, the film’s aimless protagonist and a child with dreams find purpose in the game of cricket; this scene best describes the tone of the narrative. Kenda is intentionally minimalistic and consistently realistic, with scenes from the movie playing out exactly how you would see them happen in the real world.

From the makers of Gantumoote, the plotis set in a much simpler time. Back then, playing cricket matches on the roads passionately fuelled dreams of representing the country.

The film doesn’t reveal its timeline, but gives you enough clues to guess the period in which its story unfolds. A cricket match on TV shows Debasis Mohanty, the Indian pacer who caught attention for his open-chested action in the late 90s. A mobster in a dingy bar swoons over a poster of Urmila Matondkar in her heyday after Rangeela; it becomes evident that the film is set between the late 90s and early 2000s.

Keshava, who works in a factory, lives a mundane life until he gets caught up in the web of politics and crime due to Narasimha Shastry (Vinod Ravindran), a politically ambitious person who runs a small newspaper. Narasimha Shastry believes in “making news” and hires young men to stage protests and bandhs. His speeches have false promises, and he rattles off lines from the Bhagavad Gita, especially on death.

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The film attempts to be a political satire, but Kenda’s triumph lies in its sharp observation of how the young walk onto the wrong path, without a point of return. Right from the starting point of hooliganism (being lured into the field) to showcasing the different aspects of the world, the story steadfastly proves how this nexus of crime and politics is carefully established by people in power using young men in need of financial support. 

For instance, it all begins with Keshava getting asked a simple question: How much does he make from his job in the factory? Money becomes a deciding factor for several youngsters, who are perhaps denied opportunities, to opt for jobs that put them on the list of miscreants.