king of kotha movie review in tamil

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Last Updated : 26 Aug, 2023 05:09 AM

Published : 26 Aug 2023 05:09 AM Last Updated : 26 Aug 2023 05:09 AM

திரை விமர்சனம்: கிங் ஆஃப் கொத்தா

ரவுடிகள் ஆட்டிப்படைக்கும் கொத்தை என்ற ஊருக்கு வருகிறார், புதிதாக நியமிக்கப்பட்டிருக்கும் போலீஸ் அதிகாரி ஷாகுல் (பிரசன்னா). அங்கிருக்கும் பிரபல கேங்ஸ்டர் கண்ணன் பாயை (ஷபீர் கல்லாரக்கல்) ‘அவன் ரொம்ப மோசமானவன்’ என்கிறார்கள் போலீஸார். ‘யாராக இருந்தாலும் பார்க்கலாம்’ என்று அவன் இடத்துக்கே சென்று மிரட்டுகிறார் ஷாகுல். போன பிறகுதான் தெரிகிறது, நிஜமாகவே மோசமானவன் என்று. அதிர்ச்சி அடையும் ஷாகுலுக்கு, கொத்தையில் ஏற்கெனவே ‘நல்ல’ தாதாவாக இருந்த ராஜு பாய் (துல்கர் சல்மான்) பற்றி தெரியவருகிறது. முள்ளை முள்ளால் எடுக்கத் திட்டமிடுகிறார் ஷாகுல். அவர் திட்டம் நிறைவேறியதா? கண்ணன் பாய்க்கும் ராஜு பாய்க்கும் என்ன தொடர்பு? அவரை ராஜு எப்படி முடிக்கிறார் என்பதுதான் படம்.

பான்- இந்தியா ஆசையில், பழைய ‘மாஸ் ஆக்‌ஷன்’பார்முலா கதையை கையில் எடுத்திருக்கிறார் இயக்குநர் அபிலாஷ் ஜோஷி. ஒரு கேங்ஸ்டர் கதையில் என்னவெல்லாம் இருக்குமோ, அதெல்லாம் அச்சுப் பிசகாமல் அப்படியே இருக்கிறது இதிலும். சில காட்சிகளில் சுவாரஸ்யம் இருந்தாலும் அடுத்தது இதுதான் என்பதை எளிதாக கணித்துவிட முடிகிற பலவீனமான திரைக்கதை படத்தின் பெருங்குறை.

ஹீரோவுக்கும் வில்லனுக்குமான நட்பு, ஒரு கட்டத்தில் துரோகியாகும் நண்பன், ஆங்கிலம் பேசும் மற்றொரு வில்லன் ரஞ்சித் (செம்பன் வினோத்), அப்படி பேசுவதற்கான கதை, ஹீரோ ரவுடி ஆவதற்கான பின்னணி, ஹீரோவின் தங்கையைக் காதலிக்கும் மற்றொரு ரவுடியின் ‘டிரக் அடிக்ட்’ மச்சான் என படத்தின் ஒவ்வொரு கேரக்டருக்கும் கதை இருக்கிறது. ஹீரோவுக்கானதாக மட்டுமல்லாமல் வில்லனுக்கும் முக்கியத்துவம் கொடுத்து எழுதப்பட்டிருக்கும் திரை எழுத்தை (அபிலாஷ் என்.சந்திரன்) பாராட்டினாலும் கிளைக்கதைகளில் ஏகப்பட்டச் சிக்கல்கள்.

ஆயிரம் பேர் வந்தாலும் வெட்டிச்சாய்க்கும் ஹீரோ, தான் காதலிக்கும் பெண்ணுக்குப் பிடிக்காது என்பதற்காக போதைப்பொருள் விற்பனைக்கு மட்டும் எதிரானவர் என்பதை ஏற்க முடியவில்லை. இதுதான் நண்பர்களுக்குள் (துல்கர் -ஷபீர்) பிரிவை ஏற்படுத்தும் முடிச்சு என்பதால் அது பெரிய தாக்கத்தையும் ஏற்படுத்தவில்லை.

படத்தின் முதல் பாதி தரும் ‘பில்டப்’பை, இரண்டாம் பாதி ‘டிராமா’ கொஞ்சம் தீர்த்து ஆறுதல் அளிக்கிறது. ஆனால், படத்தின் நீளம் அந்த ஆறுதலிலும் அக்னி வீசிப் போவது ஏமாற்றம். பெரும்பாலான காட்சிகளில் வில்லன், ஹீரோ கேங், மது, சிகரெட் குடித்துக்கொண்டு யாரையாவது வெட்டி சாய்த்துக்கொண்டே இருக்கிறார்கள்.

சாக்லேட் பாய் துல்கர் சல்மான், ஆக்‌ஷன் ஹீரோ ஆவதற்கான அடித்தளமாக அமைந்திருக்கிறது இந்தப் படம். அவரது தோற்றமும் இயல்பான உடல் மொழியும் கதாபாத்திரத்தின் மீதான நம்பகத்தன்மையை அளிக்கிறது. ஷபீர் கல்லாரக்கல், கண்ணன் பாயாக சிறந்த நடிப்பை வழங்கி இருக்கிறார். ஐஸ்வர்யா லட்சுமிக்கு அதிக வேலை இல்லை என்றாலும் முதலில் பயந்துகொண்டே துல்கரை காதலிப்பதான காட்சிகளில் கவனிக்க வைக்கிறார். ஆங்கிலம் பேசியபடி வில்லத்தனம் செய்யும் செம்பன் வினோத், சில இடங்களில் ரசிக்க வைக்கிறார். துல்கரின் தந்தை ஷம்மி திலகன், தங்கை அனிகா, ஷபீரின் மனைவி நைலா உஷா உட்பட துணை கதாபாத்திரங்கள் தங்கள் கேரக்டருக்கு வலு சேர்க்கிறார்கள்.

படத்தின் குறைகள் பார்வையாளனுக்கு அதிகம் தெரிந்துவிடாமல் பாதுகாக்கின்றன, கையாளப்பட்டிருக்கும் தொழில்நுட்பங்கள். மனோஜின் கலை இயக்கம், நிமிஷின் ஒளிப்பதிவு மற்றும் லைட்டிங் ஒரு பீரியட் படத்துக்கான கடமையைக் கச்சிதமாகச் செய்திருக்கின்றன. ஜேம்ஸ் பிஜோயின் அட்டகாசமான பின்னணி இசை 80 மற்றும் 90-களின் காலத்தை கண்முன் கொண்டு வருகிறது. படத்தின் நீளத்தை இரக்கமின்றி குறைத்திருந்தால், இந்த கேங்ஸ்டர் மோதலை இன்னும் ரசித்திருக்கலாம்.

அன்பு வாசகர்களே....

இந்த ஊரடங்கு காலத்தில் வீட்டை விட்டு வெளியே வராமல் நமக்கு நாமே சமூக விலகல் ( Social Distancing) செய்து கொள்வோம். செய்தி ஊடகங்களின் வழியே உலகுடன் தொடர்பில் இருப்போம். பொதுவெளியில் இருந்து தனிமைப்படுத்திக் கொண்டு கரோனா பரவலைத் தடுப்பதில் நம் பங்கை முழுமையாக இந்த சமூகத்துக்கு அளிப்போம்.

CoVid-19 கரோனா தடுப்பு / விழிப்புணர்வு கையேடு - இலவசமாக டவுன்லோடு செய்து பயன்பெறுங்கள்!

- வாசகர்கள் நலனில் அக்கறையுடன் இந்து தமிழ் திசை

தவறவிடாதீர்!

•   `உழைப்பின் பலனை எதிர்பார்ப்பது மனித இயல்புதான்’ - ‘கருவறை’ இயக்குநர் இ.வி.கணேஷ் பாபு
•   “பூபாள ராகம் பெத்து தந்த ஒரு கருவின் இசை என் தேசிய விருது” - ஸ்ரீகாந்த் தேவா சிறப்பு பேட்டி
•   ‘ஜெய்பீம்’ படத்துக்கு தேசிய விருது கிடைக்காதது ஆச்சரியம்: இயக்குநர் சுசீந்திரன்
•   தேசிய விருது சர்ச்சை | அவர்களுக்கு ‘ஜெய்பீம்’ படத்தால் நடுக்கமா? - பி.சி.ஸ்ரீராம்

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King of Kotha

In a crime-infested town, Kannan bhai and his gang are the reigning powers. To combat this reign and seek revenge, Inspector Shahul tactfully plots the return of the 'King', leading to a tra... Read all In a crime-infested town, Kannan bhai and his gang are the reigning powers. To combat this reign and seek revenge, Inspector Shahul tactfully plots the return of the 'King', leading to a transformative turn of events. In a crime-infested town, Kannan bhai and his gang are the reigning powers. To combat this reign and seek revenge, Inspector Shahul tactfully plots the return of the 'King', leading to a transformative turn of events.

• Abhilash Joshiy
• Abhilash N. Chandran
• Ritika Singh
• Dulquer Salmaan
• Soubin Shahir
• 466 User reviews
• 8 Critic reviews
• 3 nominations

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• Soundtracks Kotha Raja Composed by Muhsin Parari , Asal Kolaar , Roll Rida Lyrics by Jakes Bejoy Performed by Asal Kolaar , Dabzee , Roll Rida , Resmi Sateesh Duration: 4:33

User reviews 466

• 3 scenes, in all of 3 hours: For a film with an excruciating run-time of 175 minutes, only three little scenes left a mark. Two of them involve Shammi Thilakan, who absolutely towers over the rest in terms of sheer screen presence (as a retired gangster turned family man). The third is a random drinking scene featuring DQ's and Shabeer's characters, and the only one where the dialogues sounded natural and indicative of a "supposedly" deep friendship. The rest of the film is completely flat, and of the two intro scenes for DQ's Raju, the first is slightly better. Chemban Vinod, playing a funny bad guy, is also quite good.
• That kickass background score - Jakes Bejoy single-handedly tries to cover up the gaping holes in the script with a fantastic effort on the score. If there's any reason to catch this on the big screen, it is to recognize this guy and the stuff he brings to the table even for the most mediocre flicks. "People of Kotha" is great ringtone (+ workout) material indeed.
• Cinematography & colour grading - Nimish Ravi paints Kotha in shades of brown and yellow, making for some organic visual texture. The setups and backdrops for some scenes actually look better than the scenes themselves. The colour palette is beautiful, be it in a bookstore, a bar, or at a playground.
• The writing: Abhilash N Chandran, who previously penned Porinju Mariam Jose, seems way too interested in creating conflicts that even lack a basic structure. Everything and everyone in Kotha is so random. How annoying it is that even when the writing lazily spends hours trying to detail various characters, including the main protagonist and antagonist, you don't feel emotionally connected to their journeys AT ALL! There's no shock of betrayal, no thrill of revenge; plus a surprising lack of elevation moments (except for the ones mentioned in the positives). The screenplay is old wine in an old bottle!
• Performances: Take a bow, seniors! The gangster crime sagas from your generation were obviously a lot better. DQ probably gives it everything he could, but Raju isn't a character anyone emotionally attaches themselves to, and he's too much of a charmer to carry/pull off the grit of a raw, cold-blooded gangster with almost psychotic shades. Shabeer Kallarackal's Kannan Bhai boasts a peculiar (but also familiar) blend of behaviours, and even though the guy's got the look and the gangster mannerisms right, I couldn't envision him as a "final boss". Aishwarya Lekshmi is utterly wasted, while Nyla Usha makes for an interesting-but-underwritten femme fatale.
• Sluggish pacing: Okay, when the story developments are so damn predictable, why director Abhilash Joshiy chose to stretch scenes out the way he did is beyond my understanding. Several scenes in both halves bring the pace to a drastic halt, and it takes a really long while to get to that forseeable finale. The tail-end also leaves much to be desired.
• Fight choreography: Except for the climax set-piece (which apparently was re-shot), the fight sequences in KoK are really meh. Action is an area where guys like Tovino and Antony Varghese have shown promise, but DQ falls way behind on this list. He's got a long way to go before he can even get close to what his father can still manage to do at 70+. For now, I'll put the blame sorely on the choreography, as even the final set-piece looks uninspiringly rehashed from the recent John Wick films.
• arungeorge13
• Aug 23, 2023
• How long is King of Kotha? Powered by Alexa
• August 24, 2023 (India)
• Wayfarer Films
• Zee Studios
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• Runtime 2 hours 54 minutes
• Dolby Digital
• Dolby Atmos

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'King of Kotha' film review: Sturdy, satisfying gangster epic with ample highs

There is a moment in King of Kotha (KoK) where Dulquer Salmaan’s Raju Madrassi dispatches, efficiently, the goons sent by a woman. When he dusts himself off, he is framed against a Rajinikanth poster in the background while he looks at the same woman who wanted him killed. I see this as the Padayappa moment in KoK, you know, Rajini bringing down the swing to sit in front of Ramya Krishna? But there is more of Annamalai in KoK than Padayappa, in how it is the story of two childhood friends who grew up to be sore enemies. Now, apply this thread to the Mohanlal-Suresh Gopi dynamic in Irupathaam Noottaandu, and it essentially explains the dynamic of Dulquer’s Raju Madrassi and Shabeer Kallarakkal’s Kannan Bhai before ‘Madrassi’ and ‘Bhai’ became their surnames. And since KoK is a story about the second coming of a fearsome man with an epic backstory, one can’t help but recall another Rajini film, Baasha. 

Before you start wondering whether KoK is actually a Rajinikanth tribute without Rajinikanth, let me tell you that there is a strained father-son bond in the film that evokes several movies where Thilakan and Mohanlal play father and son, respectively. And it’s only apt that Thilakan’s son Shammi plays Dulquer’s father if the intention was indeed to recall films like Spadikam and Narasimham. But when you think even more, you’ll see shades of Joshiy’s Kauravar in his son Abhilash Joshiy’s debut feature. Dulquer even shows up in the latter half with streaks of grey hair, as Mammootty did in Kauravar.

I think the Kauravar tag would be a good segue into talking about what KoK is ultimately about—the extent to which some people go for their own blood or their loved ones. The motive behind nearly every character’s actions in this film, good or bad, is their allegiance to someone close to them. In that regard, KoK has sprinklings of Shakespearean and Greek tragedies. Macbeth. Helen of Troy. Stories rife with betrayal and men weakened grossly by excessive subservience to their women. This is especially true of Kannan Bhai’s arc, where his Lady Macbeth Manju (Nyla Usha) pulls the strings. One of KoK’s pluses is interesting characters, even if not all are well-developed. 

The Raju-Kannan arc is the most compelling, pulsating with near-Biblical undertones. It’s the Cain and Abel story of Kotha, a fictitious, doom-laden world depicted from high above as one in which every household seems to be breathing smoke to the point of choking on it. This ‘smoke’ gets so overwhelmingly toxic to its inhabitants that Raju’s mother tells him to leave town for the sake of his younger sister. Everyone in the film uses their loved one as an excuse to either drive someone away or bring them back. Interestingly, for Raju, his sister becomes the reason for him doing both. 

And while I enjoyed watching Dulquer bash up one psychotic thug after another while looking cool, I would’ve liked to see a little more depth than just a twice-heartbroken guy who became a thug himself on account of his dad. As a character, Raju merely feels like a compilation of unused alternate takes of what Dulquer did in Second Show and Kurup. There are no major discernable differences in these performances as such. Perhaps, this was deliberate; maybe ‘bashing up one psychotic thug after another while looking cool’ was exactly what he was required to do.

Through KoK, Abilash Joshiy brought back memories of watching some of the most iconic South Indian gangster dramas of the 80s and 90s, some of which I’ve mentioned earlier. I even thought of two early revenge-soaked crime epics of Priyadarshan—Abhimanyu (1991) and Aryan (1988). KoK does embody the tragic undertones and constantly lurking menace of these two films, but then you also sense the makers want to envision Raju as a John Wick-type figure, this ‘Baba Yaga’ one-man killing machine capable of eliminating people with pens, forks, shards of glass or anything he can get his hands on. As Kannan remarks at one point: “Raju passed matriculation and returned with a PhD.” 

At times, the build-up gets repetitive, considering how we get a primer on the skills of Raju more than twice. Even the John Wick films were wise enough to know that putting the “Do you know who he is?” line so many times would test the audience’s patience. In KoK, we get moments where this attempt to ‘announce the king’s arrival’ approaches a tone of desperation. And when the film makes it obvious, in more than one instance, that Raju will most likely save someone in distress exactly at the point the audience has already predicted it, it gets slightly tiring. 

While on dialogues, they aren’t exactly one of the film’s strong suits. Save for witty lines like, “I was on the population control board,” or, “The usual trend is to go to Mumbai; I went to U.P for a change,” or a wordplay involving a mother calling her son “thendi” and him responding with, “mindi, thalla mindi” (spoke, mother spoke), most deliveries are jarring to the point of even ruining the fun.  One is almost taken out of the movie when you hear characters from the 90s talk like people in 2023. In certain instances, like when Prasanna’s cop, who is responsible for orchestrating the events, says “Best” more than once and you can’t help but think of the Maheshinte Prathikaram climax. The lines are simplistic to the point of registering a comical effect. For example, in the scene where the villain tells the upright cop, “All cops are on my payroll,” and the latter responds, “But I’m not one of them,” I couldn’t help but cringe. Also undercooked are the Dulquer-Aishwarya Lekshmi portions, which reek of contradictions and rushed culminations. 

Fortunately, such contrivances get evened out by fairly gripping plotting and a few arresting performances, most notably, Shabeer Kallarakal, who first makes Kannan an endearing and vulnerable common man-thug before turning him into a devious and cocky mafia kingpin who proclaims himself as “the government” of Kotha. While the fight sequences are nothing worth writing home about, they do satiate the appetite for cathartic violence, albeit mildly; quite notable is the climactic showdown that briefly emulates the first-person shooter gameplay view to spice things up. Jakes Bejoy’s fittingly rousing score acts as a neat cushion without being intrusive. Cinematographer Nimish Ravi’s work evokes the ambience of Francis Ford Coppola’s The Godfather films, with its amber-drenched elegance and brown-dominated colour palette. 

Yes, KoK may seem like a cocktail of the most tried-and-tested mass action movie formulas, but, like me, if you approached it as the Bheeshma Parvam prequel that happens in an alternate universe where Michael was once named Raju, then you might find yourself walking out of the theatres sufficiently satisfied. But if you ask me if I would revisit it soon, I’m not sure. 

But, I can say one thing for sure, though: For a first-time filmmaker, Abhilash Joshiy shows much promise, and while I wouldn’t go so far as to call him Malayalam cinema’s answer to Lokesh Kanagaraj, it’s evident that he has the Tamil hitmaker’s capabilities when it comes to handling a humungous cast and explosive set-pieces. And we need more of these guys in Malayalam cinema at the moment. As long as they remind me of what Thampy Kannanthanam and IV Sasi accomplished once, I’m all for welcoming whatever they come up with next. 

Film: King of Kotha Director: Abhilash Joshiy Cast: Dulquer Salmaan, Shabeer Kallarakkal, Aishwarya Lekshmi, Shammi Thilakan Rating: 3.5 / 5

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King of Kotha Review

• Music Review

Dulquer Salmaan has promoted his new film, King of Kotha, on a massive note in the last few days. The film's Telugu version was released today and read our review here at Indiaglitz Telugu.

King Of Kotha" orbits around the profound camaraderie between Raju (enacted by Dulquer Salman) and Kannan (embodied by Shabeer Kallarakkal), two individuals gradually climbing the underworld hierarchy in the fictitious village of Kotha. The movie explores the divergent paths that emerge between them and the eventual schism in their trajectories. The crux of the tale resides in their backstory, notably Raju's inner conflict, which molds the overarching storyline.

"King Of Kotha," shepherded by director Abhilash Joshiy, resides within the realm of gangster drama, interwoven with elements of suspense. The film's historical backdrop and scrupulous attention to detail vouch for the director's dedication. The craftsmanship poured into the film becomes evident from the very outset. Shifting to the narrative, it's an intricate tapestry interwoven with multiple subplots.

Despite the consistency in pacing from the first half, now interwoven with themes of retribution, the narrative's scarcity of innovation becomes conspicuous in numerous sequences. Aishwarya Lekshmi's character breaks away from the typical heroine archetype. Instead, she assumes the role of the protagonist's love interest and plays a pivotal part in steering the narrative. Despite the potential for intense ferocity given the subject matter, Dulquer Salman's portrayal maintains a composed demeanor, occasionally punctuated by emotional moments.

The set design, the evocation of the period's ambiance, and the visuals together capture the audience's attention. The actors further compensate for the predictable beats in the storyline, adding depth to their characters. The musical score is a collaborative effort by Jakes Bejoy and Shaan Rahman, with Jakes Bejoy also handling the background score, infusing the film with a contemporary vibe. Nimish Ravi's adept cinematography captures the essence of the 1990s. However, editing remains an issue, as the film's length is considerable, leading to certain parts feeling monotonous.

The climax extends unnecessarily, drawn out without substantial rationale. The film's inception sets the stage, signaling a protracted cinematic journey characterized by deliberate pacing. Additionally, in terms of storytelling, the narrative doesn't necessarily tread novel terrain. The climax embodies the kind that might not introduce groundbreaking elements, yet remains engaging due to the wholehearted endeavors of the ensemble.

King of Kotha boasts grandeur, a star-studded cast, and noteworthy performances. However, to relish the film, one needs to invest three long hours and adjust to the deliberate pacing. The fans of Dulquer might like it but not the Telugu audience and the film ends as a big bore this weekend.

Rating: 2.25 / 5.0

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King Of Kotha Movie Review: Dear Dulquer Salmaan, Please Stop Choosing Style Over Substance To Avoid Following Prabhas’ Mistakes!

You'd love to watch what's happening, not for what's happening in those scenes but for how everything is executed.

Star Cast: Dulquer Salmaan, Shabeer Kallarakkal, Prasanna, Gokul Suresh, Aishwarya Lekshmi, Saran Shakthi, Chemban Vinod Jose, Shammi Thilakan

Director: Abilash Joshiy

What’s Good: The fact that Dulquer Salmaan is playing a stylish gangster in a noir-like drama directed by Joshiy’s prodigy

What’s Bad: The story taking the most predictable route delivering the typical gangster-drama cliches one after another

Loo Break: It’s an almost 3 hour film & you’d crave for multiple loo-breaks, not one

Watch or Not?: Only if you like to watch a film to appreciate its production design, direction & background score

Available On: Theatrical Release

Runtime: 2 hours 53 minutes

Following every existing gangster film cliche, we’re introduced to a fictional place which is divided into 2 worlds – the privileged class & the criminals and how a policeman is transferred to bring peace. Also, how upon landing there he gets to know the reality and how brutal the dons here are, so he decides to call the good don who left the place a decade ago but now only he’ll be able to tame the bad guys of the town. How many Gangster films you’ve seen portraying this story? The answer to that also portrays the number of flaws this one has.

The fictional place is Kotha, situated near the Kerala-Tamil Nadu border and the non-linear storyline moves back and forth from 1996 to 1986 and more. The ‘King of Kotha’ comes with the most common name you’d ever see a filmy Gangster named as, Raju (Dulquer Salmaan). Yep, imagine a dark, hazy & full-of-swag entrance of a crime-lord and a person named ‘Raju’ enters as the King.

After a flashback sequence to Raju’s origin story, we get to see how he returns after a decade to Kotha to tame Kannan Bhai (Shabeer Kallarakkal), who’s now the current hoodlum of the area. Plot twist: They both were in the same gang but got away due to another typical Gangster-film-style cliche, one had to become richer by dealing in drugs but other didn’t want to. Now, if you’ve seen enough crime dramas, you know who’s who and what would happen next.

King of Kotha Movie Review: Script Analysis

It’s indeed a stylish debut by Abilash Joshiy (son of Joshiy, the catalyst to some swanky actioners in Malayalam cinema) but it’s restricted heavily by Abhilash N. Chandran’s run-of-the-mill story. You’d love to watch what’s happening, not for what’s happening in those scenes but for how everything is executed and that’s the main problem of this Dulquer Salmaan starrer.

You’d like to watch it for Nimesh M Thanoor’s utopian westernised production design but Shyam Sasidharan’s snail-paced editing (barring few good action sequences) would apply brakes at regular intervals completely sucking out the interest. Cinematographer Nimish Ravi (Rorschach, Kurup ) continues to weave the magic with his camerawork delivering one of the stylish POV combat sequences in utmost style.

King of Kotha Movie Review: Star Performance

Dulquer Salmaan maintains the swag of being a gifted actor presenting his kaleidoscopic self in a motley of subjects. He’s as stylish as bad*ss and as heartwarming as Raju but that doesn’t do any justice to the narrative because of the things he’s made to do. Shabeer Kallarakkal as Kannan Bhai starts brilliantly but is reduced to being an useless sidekick. Despite playing such an important role in Raju’s life, his character is never developed to register a deeper connection.

Prasanna & Gokul Suresh as the two policemen are used just as postmen to deliver the non-linear storyline with ease, nothing more nothing less. Aishwarya Lekshmi as Tara, Raju’s love interest rarely get a chance to be more than the love interest and when she gets it, she’s sent off. Shammi Thilakan as Raju’s father Kotha Ravi is impactful and earnest in his little role.

King of Kotha Movie Review: Direction, Music

Director Abilash Joshiy presents similar shades of noir coupled with beautiful colour-grading like his father and delivers a promise of doing great with a better script. It would be extremely interesting to see where does he goes from here. If he directs something like Avane Srimannarayana, many of us will be “shut up and take my money.”

Jakes Bejoy’s background score matches the stunning visuals helping to elevate the watching experience of certain scenes. The songs used throughout reminds us of Vikram’s soundtrack, which got its recognition because of the story’s engrossing drama.

King of Kotha Movie Review: The Last Word

All said and done, this Dulquer Salmaan starrer is no Beeshma Parwam! It’s bad*ss, has enough style but lacks the essential substance that binds everything else together. A missed opportunity!

King of Kotha Trailer

King of Kotha releases on 26th August 2023.

Share with us your experience of watching King of Kotha.

For more recommendations, read our 2018 Movie Review here.

Must Read: Maamannan Movie Review: A Conversation So Important That You Might Even Want To Ignore The Flaws

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King Of Kotha Movie Review: Dulquer Salmaan Starrer Relies More On Violence And Less On Content

Updated Jan 25, 2024, 15:18 IST

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'King of Kotha' Review: Dulquer Salmaan's film is salvaged by technical excellence

Director abhilash joshiy's 'king of kotha' is a gangster drama that suffers from predictability. the dulquer salmaan-starrer stands tall because of its music and cinematography, says our review..

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• 'King of Kotha' released in theatres on August 24.
• The film stars Dulquer Salmaan as a gangster named Raju.
• Shabeer, Prasanna, Aishwarya Lekshmi and Anikha Surendran play crucial roles.

Release Date: 24 Aug, 2023

Dulquer Salmaan's charm is something that cannot be ignored even when you consciously want to. To shed his lover-boy image, the actor par excellence chose a 'massy' movie like 'King of Kotha', an out-and-out gangster drama, which requires him to look rugged in shabby clothes, untamed hair and most importantly, put up a stern face. This is in stark contrast to the image he has among the audience. Has he excelled as a gangster in 'King of Kotha'? Let's find out in this review.

Raju (Dulquer Salmaan) is a man who is feared by the people in the fictitious village of Kotha, which is now ruled by Kannan Bhaiya (Shabeer Kallarakkal) and his men. The village has children who suffer from drug abuse, women who care for them, and men who live in fear. When CI Shahul Hassan (Prasanna) comes to the village of Kotha to put an end to the menace, he is shown his place by Kannan. That's how influential he is.

However, Shahul is hell-bent on doing his duty as a police officer. He drafts a clever plan to put an end to Kannan and it involves Raju. What's the connection between Raju and Kannan? How did Kannan end up becoming the most influential person in Kotha? What's the story of Raju and how does he stand up against Raju? These questions are answered in three hours.

Every gangster story has that one event that pushes the person to take up violence. His origin story, his rise to fame, a solid adversary and a typical ending are what constitutes a gangster film. 'King of Kotha' has everything that's mentioned here and more. It has style. A style that will make you fall in love with the visuals, thanks to cinematographer Nimish Ravi.

Director Abhilash Joshiy's 'King of Kotha' has promising ideas, but it gets bogged down by predictability. Throughout the entire film, you can guess the proceedings, which spoils the excitement. 40 minutes into the film, we still do not get to see Dulquer Salmaan. We only see Kannan and his men singing praises of Raju and it builds intrigue. And when Raju makes his massy entry, the crowd erupts.

One of the main issues in 'King of Kotha' is its pacing. After the introduction and the world-building, the story fizzles when it goes beyond the main plot. Though every scene sets the tone for the interval and climax, it gets tedious after a point. The film is nearly three hours long and some sequences could very well be avoided.

That said, Dulquer Salmaan has given his all as Raju. As a rugged gangster, he is in his superlative form. However, it is during the love and emotional sequences that his charm takes over. Shabeer wowed us all as 'Dancing Rose' in 'Sarpatta Parambarai'. And 'King of Kotha' is yet another jewel in his filmography. As Kannan, he has shown his acting chops and what he is capable of. Prasanna, Aishwarya Lekshmi and other supporting characters show promise. But, their characters are underutilised as the focus is on Raju and Kannan. So does the father-son track between Raju and his dad. It added a new dimension to the story and also left you wanting more.

It'd be a crime if cinematographer Nimish Ravi and composer Jakes Bejoy were not complimented for their exceptional work in 'King of Kotha'. Nimish's frames and lighting take us straight to the village of Kotha. Jakes Bejoy's score elevates every single mass sequence. Not just that, even during the emotional scenes, his music takes it to another level.

'King of Kotha' is a gangster drama that has many interesting ideas. But, they are underused. Despite the pacing issues, the film holds your attention.

2.5 out of 5 stars for 'King of Kotha'. Published By: K Janani Published On: Aug 24, 2023 ALSO READ | Dulquer Salmaan on 'King of Kotha': Haven't done anything that massy before