The man of many lives

“Kaattaan”

– Review

The series opens with a striking, macabre image: the severed head of a man, frozen in a haunting grin, is found perched on a rock near a remote village in Tamil Nadu.

The local police station, which was on the verge of being shut down due to a lack of crime, suddenly finds its purpose.

As Sub-Inspector Siddharthan (Muthukumar) and Constable Kalai Pandiyan (Vadivel Murugan) begin their investigation, they discover the deceased is Muthu (Vijay Sethupathi).

However, the more people they interview, the more confusing Muthu’s identity becomes.

To some, he was a simple watch mechanic; to others, a fierce mahout in Kerala, a driver for a dance troupe, or a trusted henchman for a suave businessman named Sivettan (Milind Soman).

The series meticulously pieces together these conflicting accounts to answer two questions: Who was the real Muthu, and why did he have to die?

Director Manikandan brings his signature “soil-bound” realism to the long-form format. He avoids the typical “fast-paced thriller” tropes, opting instead for a meditative, slow-burn approach that prioritizes atmosphere and character depth over cheap cliffhangers.

The dual-timeline narrative is handled with sophistication, though the pacing in the middle episodes has been noted as a test of patience for some viewers.

Manikandan successfully infuses the script with philosophical undercurrents about the “plurality of man,” making it feel more like a literary work than a standard police procedural.

Vijay Sethupathi is the anchor of the show. Despite playing a character who is already dead, his presence looms large through flashbacks. He delivers a characteristically restrained performance, using subtle shifts in body language to distinguish between the various “versions” of Muthu.

Muthukumar is exceptional as SI Siddharthan, playing him with a quiet, sharp-witted curiosity reminiscent of classic cinematic detectives. Vadivel Murugan, as the goat-rearing constable Kalai Pandiyan, provides a grounded, often humorous perspective on the investigation.

Milind Soman brings an authoritative gravitas as Sivettan, while Sudev Nair is chilling as his nemesis. Risha Jacobs (as the dancer Meena) and VJ Paaru (as Kalai’s wife) provide strong emotional anchors.

Music Composer Rajesh Murugesan provides a stellar background score that blends rustic folk elements with eerie, suspenseful tones.

The visual language, shared by Madhu Neelakandan and N. Shanmugasundaram, is top-tier. They capture the parched landscapes of rural Tamil Nadu and the lush, rainy terrains of Kerala with distinct textures that enhance the non-linear storytelling.

Rating: 3.8/5

By Naveen