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

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.

Here's the trailer:

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'.