King of Kotha review: Dulquer Salmaan’s screen presence elevates this uneven-yet-ambitious gangster revenge saga

King of Kotha review: Credit also must go to Abhilash Joshiy and Dulquer to present the character of Raju, who is billed as this feared gangster – both in his past and present, with vulnerabilities.

Dulquer Salmaan in a still from King of Kotha

King Of Kotha

Story: Circle inspector Shahul Hassan, who takes charge in the town of Kotha, is humiliated by gangster Kannan bhai. His colleague Tony then narrates to him the story of Kotha, which is tied to Kannan and another gangster, Raju. Shahul decides to bring back Raju, who has been in exile for a decade, and pit him against his best friend Kannan. In doing so, did Shahul get more than what he bargained for?

Review: It’s been over 11 years since Malayalam star Dulquer Salmaan made his debut with Second Show, a movie that had him playing a thug-turned-gangster. The movie didn’t come with any spangle even though a starkid was being introduced; neither did it have any so-called ‘mass’ sequences to portray the debutant as a larger-than-life hero.

It’s a path that Dulquer had deliberately stayed away from the past decade, despite showing glimmers that he can pull off such a feat in his own way in movies such as Comrade in America and Vikramadithyan. That’s also one of the reasons King of Kotha, which had so much hype even before its release, was much anticipated by the actor’s fans as well as the industry – because ‘mass’ movies can do wonders when it connects with the masses, such as open doors for more similar big projects and in this case, even give rise to another superstar that could define an era.

Also read: Aishwarya Lekshmi: King of Kotha is mounted on a scale 100 times more than what I thought was possible in Malayalam 

Debutant filmmaker Abhilash Joshiy’s King of Kotha does take all of this into account, but springs a surprise (depending on how much you have followed Dulquer’s career), as it’s not a typical ‘mass’ film. It’s a gangster drama – filled with friendships, betrayals and revenge. The ‘mass’ sequences, which the movie was largely expected to quench for a lot of people, are organically embedded into its narrative, which sometimes is exhaustive because of the number of characters that drive the story.

Also read: King of Kotha director Abhilash Joshiy: I now know why my dad is a tough taskmaster with a quick temper 

The film’s director Abhilash Joshiy and screenwriter Abhilash N Chandran don’t try to just shine the focus on its protagonist Raju (Dulquer). In fact, they build up all its characters – from Raju’s father and his best friend Kannan (Shabeer Kallarakkal) to Kannan’s wife and even two cops, through whom we learn the flashbacks of these people. Some parts of these plotlines are predictable and so, that stretches the movie’s runtime, which is almost three hours. However, it must have been a challenge for the director and editor, given that if they take out those scenes, the rest of the plot doesn’t connect. So, it’s a grind between flat and high scenes that the audience has to go through while watching King of Kotha.

The positive aspect of this is that even though you know what’s coming, Nimish Ravi’s visuals, Jakes Bejoy’s sprawling music and the set design makes everything look spectacular. To borrow a food analogy, it’s almost like you know the item you have ordered from the menu, but you still enjoy it because of how it is presented; it just makes everything taste better. It’s obvious that the makers wanted to present a different visual experience for the viewers and it works so well that when you look back, it sounds like a familiar revenge story but it’s not something that you have seen – at least not in Malayalam. The stunts too stand out in the movie; given their different settings – be it a Western-looking bar room or in the centre of a town. Jakes’ music elevates these along with Dulquer’s performance.

Also read: King of Kotha Twitter reviews: One-man show by Dulquer Salmaan, Gokul Suresh is outstanding 

Credit also must go to Abhilash Joshiy and Dulquer to present the character of Raju, who is billed as this feared gangster – both in his past and present, with vulnerabilities. Dulquer’s onscreen presence as Raju in the film, would allay all doubts for the actor as well as anyone else, whether he could pull off larger-than-life characters. What makes it even more pleasing is that he lends his own style and swagger to this.

The film doesn’t try to be a Bheeshmaparvam nor does it swing between a Pushpa and KGF; as King of Kotha shows a softer side of all its grey characters. A particular sequence that stands out is when Raju and Kannan reminisce about their past in a hotel room and when Kannan fondly laughs at Raju’s plan of becoming an apple farmer. While the antagonist and protagonist of most ‘massy’ movies would trade blows, here they exchange feelings and that helps sketch their bond better, make the revenge angle deeper.

That said, there is flab in the story and this comes from the backstories of each character. This also slows down the momentum, especially in the second half after the highs that you get from Raju’s comeback. Some of the reasons for Raju’s exit from Kotha too might not find favour with those who expect a total ‘gangster’ film featuring characters with dark hearts and darker pasts. This introduces a certain disconnect, because there’s ruthless killing in between the scenes that reveal their sensitive sides.

Apart from Dulquer, Shabeer gets a meaty role that he essays well. He gets to show different sides of his character Kannan – menacing, cowardly, affectionate and explosive. Nyla Usha and Aishwarya Lekshmi too shine in their respective roles. Shammi Thilakan’s role of Kotha Ravi, Raju’s dad, deserves a special mention as you could feel the father’s angst in every scene he is in and this also aids the sequence between the duo in the latter half. Chemban Vinod Jose and Gokul Suresh also play memorable parts in the film, which has a slew of supporting characters.

Verdict: King of Kotha might have a familiar storyline that feels stretched out in parts, but Dulquer’s performance along with the grand visuals make this gangster revenge saga worth watching in theatres.

Also read: King of Kotha 2023: Release date, trailer, plot, cast, OTT partner, advance booking, box office prediction 

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Cast and Crew

Dulquer Salmaan

Actor

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