| Kaa: The Forest | |
|---|---|
| File:Kaa The Forest.jpg Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Nanjil |
| Produced by | John Max |
| Written by | Nanjil |
| Starring | Andrea Jeremiah Salim Ghouse |
| Music by | Sundar C. Babu |
| Cinematography | Arivazhagan |
| Edited by | Elisa |
Production company | |
Release date |
|
| Country | India |
| Language | Tamil |
Kaa: The Forest[lower-alpha 1] is a 2024 Indian Tamil-language survival thriller film directed by Nanjil and starring Andrea Jeremiah and Salim Ghouse. Sundar C. Babu composed the music. The film, produced by Shalom Studios, began production in April 2018,[2] but was delayed for six years. It marks Ghouse's final film and posthumous appearance.[3] The film premiered in March 2024 and was set to release theatrically the same month before getting delayed again due to legal and financial issues. It was eventually released on 13 February 2026.
Plot[edit | edit source]
 | This article needs an improved plot summary. (February 2026) |
A wildlife photographer, a forest guard and a henchman's lives are intertwined in this film, in which the characters fight to be alive.
Cast[edit | edit source]
- Andrea Jeremiah as Venba Subbaiah
- Salim Ghouse as Victor Mahadevan
- Daffe Naveen as Young Victor Mahadevan
- Arjun Singh as Mathi
- Munnar Subramanian as Forest officer Malaiyappan
- Kamalesh as Mahadevan's henchman
- Akshita as Mahadevan's one-sided love interest
Music[edit | edit source]
The film's music was composed by Sundar C. Babu. In 2018, the director stated that the film would not feature any songs, a decision he took after consulting musician Amresh Ganesh.[4][5] However, contrary to this statement, the team released a song titled "Kaatu Puli Uru Urumma" on 22 March 2024. The song was sung by Kidakuzhi Mariammal and Gold Devaraj.[6]
Release[edit | edit source]
Kaa: The Forest was initially scheduled to release on 29 March 2024,[7] and premiered somewhere in the same month.[8] The same day, Jayakumar, the owner of the production company Eight Entertainment Company who had given a loan of ₹20 lakh (US$28,000) approached the Madras High Court seeking an injunction against the release of the film. After he did not receive his money back, he went to court and obtained an interim ban on the film's release till the dues were settled.[9] The court subsequently put a stay on the film's release until 12 April.[10][11] In early February 2026, the film was given a new release date, 13 February the same month.[12] The film's Telugu dubbed version titled Kaana: The Forest released theatrically across the Telugu states on 6 March 2026.[13]
Reception[edit | edit source]
In a review dated 28 March, Roopa Radhakrishnan from The Times of India rated the film Template:Fraction stars out of 5 and wrote, "The spookiness of a film, which revolves around multiple people fighting for their lives, is effectively conveyed. But if we go beyond that, the screenplay is all over the place".[8] In February 2026, independent critic Malini Mannath wrote, "A survival saga, it has a rambling screenplay that makes a futile attempt to link different tracks into a coherent whole. It's a week narrative that meanders through situations that lack conviction and clarity".[14] Maalai Malar rated the film Template:Fraction stars out of 5, praising Andrea's performance and the cinematography but criticising the screenplay and pacing.[15]
Notes[edit | edit source]
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ "Andrea Jeremiah's Kaa trailer". The Times of India. 18 March 2022. Archived from the original on 18 March 2022. Retrieved 28 March 2024.
- ↑ "'Kaa' first look: Andrea Jeremiah gets a badass avatar for her next". The Times of India. 29 April 2018. Archived from the original on 20 December 2018. Retrieved 12 December 2018.
- ↑ "Vettri Vizhaa & Vettaikaaran actor Salim Ghouse passes away". The Times of India. 28 April 2022. Archived from the original on 27 March 2024. Retrieved 28 March 2024.
- ↑ Lakshmi, V (30 April 2018). "No songs in Andrea's jungle-based crime thriller". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 1 April 2024. Retrieved 1 April 2024.
- ↑ "Andrea Jeremiah's upcoming thriller 'Kaa' will feature no songs". The News Minute. 30 April 2018. Archived from the original on 8 February 2026. Retrieved 8 February 2026.
- ↑ "Kaatu Puli Uru Urumma – Kaa (From "The Forest") – Single". Apple Music. 22 March 2024. Archived from the original on 27 March 2026. Retrieved 8 February 2026.
- ↑ "Andrea Jeremiah's 'Kaa' to release on March 29". The Times of India. 4 March 2024. Archived from the original on 7 March 2024. Retrieved 28 March 2024.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Radhakrishnan, Roopa (28 March 2024). "Kaa: The Forest Movie Review : A slow-going film that's all over the place". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 1 April 2024. Retrieved 28 March 2024.
- ↑ "ஆண்ட்ரியாவின் 'கா' படத்தை வெளியிட இடைக்காலத் தடை! - Andrea Movie Kaa The Forest Ban". ETV Bharat News (in தமிழ்). 28 March 2024. Archived from the original on 31 March 2024. Retrieved 29 March 2024.
- ↑ "ആൻഡ്രിയാ ചിത്രം 'കാ - ദി ഫോറസ്റ്റ്' ൻ്റെ പ്രദർശനം കോടതി തടഞ്ഞു" [The court stopped the screening of Andrea's film Kaa – The Forest]. Mathrubhumi (in മലയാളം). 29 March 2024. Archived from the original on 31 March 2024. Retrieved 29 March 2024.
- ↑ "Andrea Jeremiah's Tamil movie 'Kaa' lands in legal trouble, release postponed". The South First. 30 March 2024. Archived from the original on 30 March 2024. Retrieved 10 April 2024.
- ↑ "Andrea Jeremiah's long-delayed Kaa – The Forest locks new release date". Cinema Express. 1 February 2026. Archived from the original on 5 February 2026. Retrieved 5 February 2026.
- ↑ "Kaana: The Forest". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 6 March 2026. Retrieved 7 March 2026.
- ↑ Mannath, Malini (13 February 2026). "Review-Kaa:The Forest". Malini Mannath. Archived from the original on 14 February 2026. Retrieved 14 February 2026.
- ↑ "கா- The Forest: திரைவிமர்சனம்" [Kaa- The Forest: Movie Review]. Maalai Malar (in தமிழ்). 18 February 2026. Archived from the original on 19 February 2026. Retrieved 19 February 2026.