'Muthu Alias Kaattaan' Web-Series Review: Vijay Sethupathi drives this restrained thriller about mysterious identities

Cast: Vijay Sethupathi, Muthu, Milind Soman, Sudev Nair, Kalaivani Bhaskar

Director: M.Manikandan & B.Ajithkumar

Language: Tamil

Vijay Sethupathi is one of the most interesting actors in the Indian film landscape currently. The kind of choices that he has made will truly stand the test of time. Even in an outing as polarized as Gandhi Talks, he was able to leave a lasting impression. He has come up with a new series called Muthu Engira Kaattaan. The title suggests that the central character has multiple personalities and secrets which will be unraveled as the show progresses. The best thing about the show is that it never overstays its welcome. One part of the conflict is about a police station that is about to shut down. The show begins with beautifully done aesthetics that take care of the visual medium. And then we are asked to immerse ourselves in the grittiness that the narrative is going to offer. And the magical minimalism of the leading man.

One key character describes the mystery of Sethupathi like this- “Uske jaisa aadmi maine 15 saal mein nahin dekha.” One of the episodes is titled The Enigma. And it feels apt because we don’t meet or even see Sethupathi in the first episode. He’s kind of omnipresent despite being completely absent and away from the screen. There are multiple lives that he has lived, dabbling with different professions as he grows. He was a watch mechanic in 1997, an elephant trainer in 2005, and a bodyguard for the Kanmani Dance Group in 2013. We also have the ageless Milind Soman. But let’s not reveal too many details about him. He cannot be killed. Is he a man who cannot die, Ala Shah Rukh Khan in _Jab Tak Hai Jaan_?

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The show is far from perfect, but somehow managed to keep you engaged. It will be very difficult to slot the show in one genre. It is neither a comedy, nor a thriller, nor a drama, nor a whodunnit. And yet it happens to be a mixture of everything. The rootedness of the series and the way it blends its milieu into the narrative is what keeps it afloat on many occasions. This is not the kind of a series that reeks of western pretentiousness and artifice. And as the show progresses, you are drawn into the world of this mysterious man. And you genuinely want to know more about him. All this has been made possible because of Vijay Sethupathi.

Do not miss the title for every episode. It completely justifies whatever is happening. Every mysterious character has a tragic and traumatic backstory. There is always more than what meets the eye. And the way the leading man approaches his character, he never allows you to guess what is going on in his mind and his life. We have to wait with bated breaths. This is just the first season. If the show is received well by critics and audiences as a days pass by, the makers may announce one more season. And it will be interesting to see what happens in Sethupathi’s life after everything is culminated. Time to wait and watch.

Rating: 3 (out of 5 stars)

Muthu Engira Kaattaan is now streaming on Jio Hotstar