Telugu movie Kathakali plot
Kathakali, a film that belongs to the thriller genre through and through, is quite a punch of masala movie styles with a classic setting for a thriller. Basically, the plot centers on a straightforward question of whodunit. But the answer cannot be found in a simple manner and that is where the film’s merit lies. The question is basically to find the killer of the famous gangster Thamba, played by Madhusdhan Rao. Of course, the primary assumption would be to strike out the name of Vishal, who plays the hero of the film. But, the film is probably not that easy to understand, and there lies the fun.
The turning point
The film revolves around this tricky question and there are many strands of the plot. Hence, it becomes increasingly difficult to guess which of the characters can be the killer. While there is a hint of enmity with Thamba from Vishal’s side, as shown by monochrome flashbacks, it is not that monolithic. Rather, there are other layers of plots like Amudhan and his people also can have motives. For example, Amudhan’s brother can be a possible suspect, since his business of seashell ornaments has been completely destroyed by Thamba. 
Other possible suspects
Apart from these suspects, there are other possible faces who can contribute to this issue. Even Amudhan’s friend has been sour over Thamba. It is because he thwarted his uncle’s political career. Or maybe, Jayaprakash may be the hidden killer, trying to take revenge of the insult. Since Thamba has kidnapped his daughter to marry her off to one of his cronies, he too has a strong motive. In short, there may be strong and obvious motives, but it is best not to leave out the lesser known ones. It is more of a masala Agatha Christie adaptation.
A loose plotline
The problem is that the plot is complex, but the complex plot is not helped by a good structural development. The plot has too many loose ends and the opening sequence doesn’t exactly know what it wants. The romantic development is also very strange, as if the directors were running out of ideas. In short, a good masala movie that lacks any sort of greatness.