Whatever one makes of it, one must give both Rajinikanth and Soundarya props for effort. If the film doesn’t work, it’s not for lack of trying. I’m going with two out of five for Kochadaiiyaan. This one’s strictly for fans.

Even Rajinikanth, the one and the only, can’t pick up a film and run with it, if it has the oldest, creakiest plots cobbled together from many books.

Kochadaiiyaan, alas, is a fundamentally flawed dud, one without anything to applaud besides grand (if self-glorifying) ambition. And little is as heartbreaking to witness as utterly failed ambition.

Watch Kochadaiiyaan for the vivid motion capture technology and Rajini’s tandav in the second half. But be warned, an overkill of patriotism, courage and friendship may leave you bored.

Unsurprisingly, the brand name ‘Rajini’ has proved for the umpteenth time that his face value alone could carry a movie on his shoulders. ‘Kochadaiiyaan’ has embraced technology in the best possible way, not to forget this being the very first attempt. Looks like director Soundarya Rajinikanth Ashwin has the last laugh after all!

Hardcore Rajinikanth fans will enjoy the film once but the film lacks revisit option.

Kochadiiyaan succeeds not because of technology but because of the writing. The film is motion capture 3D computer-animated but the animation is primeval; both the motion capture and the texture of the visuals are closer to The Polar Express than Avatar or Tintin. The long shots aren’t problematic but whenever the camera cuts to a close-up, we are drawn to the inanimate nature of the expressions. The characters feel like caricatures of the real-life actors we have known.

Conventional fans might find it a bit hard to worship their hero in this CGI avatar, but Kochadaiiyaan is a big bold step in opening new frontiers to film making, a step that deserves to be supported.

Kochadaiiyaan is ​​not the work of an amateur and I give Soundarya the credit for trying her hand in something so mid boggling as well as dangerous. The mere look at one of the exquisite war sequences​ convey the magnitude of her imagination, but the translation of the same into celluloid was half baked. Despite the story having a soul to it, the animation discrepancies suck it out from the film. IT doesn’t have the quaff value of Avatar but for the thumping effort alone, I am giving this film a 2.5/5. Probably the sequel Rana will have that unprecedented quality I am looking for.

Soundarya has stated in interviews that Kochadaiiyaan is her way to immortalize her father. Despite having two Rajinis in the film, she doesn’t succeed as the revenge action drama the film never quite engrosses you.

The absorbing screenplay and the technology makes KOCHADAIIYAAN an interesting fare. For the legion of Rajinikanth fans, this film is definitely worth a watch. Recommended!

For all the technological risks that Soundarya has taken, the characters have come across as stiff. Moreover, their facial expressions alternate from cold to horrible. There is no life in the eyes either!

Despite the lack of technical finesse, the filmmaker deserves to be applauded for taking a step towards innovation and change, and setting the ground work for ‘Rana’.

A disaster of a film with terrible animation…

There is very little balance achieved in the telling and for people unfamiliar with the culture and rituals of the bygone era, everything on view may appear far-out and fanciful. In terms of technology being used, this is a first, no doubt, but it doesn’t come out as exciting or completely entertaining.

…does not have much for the Hindi film-going audience and will, therefore, not fare well at the box-office. However, its Tamil version has the potential to prove a big hit because of the demi-God status enjoyed by Rajinikanth among the Tamil-speaking audience and also due to the novelty factor.

Though not up to the mark, this film has the capability to reach out the largest audience possible – all thanks to the presence of Rajinikanth. And for a country which still calls all animated films cartoon, Kochadaiiyaan could very well bring a change in perception.

A commendable work of art packaged especially for the superstar.

A commendable work of art packaged especially for the superstar.

Kochadaiiyaan might have taken a small step towards introducing Avatar-like technology into our lives, but it’s no giant leap. If you have blind faith and (obsessive) love for Rajinikanth and all things animation, you may enjoy this film. For others it may prove a battle to remain glued to your seats.

Kochadaiiyaan is an experiment in many ways, not in the least because it’s a new way for Rajinikanth to entertain his ever-hungry fans. Has Soundarya pulled it off? Not quite. But it’s still worth a watch if you’d like to see the Superstar immortalized in a way like he’s never been before.

Many parallels can be drawn between commercial Indian cinema and conventional superhero sagas. Its beauty lies in the fact that they are inherently cartoonish at heart, often at the cost of relatability, without being boring or animated. Unfortunately, Kochadaiiyaan is both, and even Rajinikanth’s loyal fans will crave for the real thing.

Part of the problem is surely the generic revenge-oriented plot, which plays out between two warring kingdoms. This may still have worked in live action, but in this animated form (and with hardly any expressions on the characters’ faces), the excitement is muted. Scenes that should have been shaped with the peaks and valleys of high drama end up flat as a plain.