Wins you over with humour and relatable characters

In Kudumbasthan, right before the climax, naveen (Manikandan) runs full tilt, desperately seeking cover behind a wall to evade pursuing thugs.

- JAYABHUVANESHWARI B

Even in that heartpounding moment, he steps out of hiding and promptly gets caught by the goons. Why? to retrieve an onion that has rolled away from his grocery bag. this scene perfectly sums up the intent of the film: to present the relentless struggles of a middle-class breadwinner in a humorous way. throughout Kudumbasthan, rajeshwar Kalisamy keeps us laughing with sketch comedylike humour. though often over-the-top and implausible, it is undeniably hilarious, thanks to the exceptional performances of the ensemble cast. Yet, as the second half begins to circle the drain, the film ultimately feels like it is one missing piece away from being a satisfactory whole.

Kudumbasthan’s storyline is straightforward. naveen is teetering on the edge of bankruptcy as his financial obligations pile up, with an upcoming child, a house in desperate need of repairs, and his mother’s cherished dream weighing heavily on him. Losing his job becomes the final straw, as this ‘zero balance hero’ finds himself navigating one financial hurdle after another in this comedy of errors. Kudumbasthan starts with a quirky sequence, with a group of men, killing time and their liver with alcohol. naveen elopes with Vennila (Saanve Megghana) and knocks on the door of these drunk men for help. From there, the entire first half becomes a laugh-a-minute affair. the film doesn’t delve into the origins of nila and naveen’s love story, but their bond is clear, especially when nila sheepishly asks, “Madam, inga katti pudikalama?” to someone in the registrar’s office, and hugging naveen anyway.